The Eels have found their Reed Mahoney replacement in Bondi: Sam Verrills is expected to join the blue and gold from 2023, making way for Brandon Smith at the Roosters and replacing Parramatta’s new no.9 hole.
Brad Arthur is apparently a huge fan of Sam Verrills, and has made him priority target number one to replace Parra’s outgoing hooker.
The 22-year-old has played 33 games for Sydney since his debut in 2019, but is facing an extended spell coming off the bench or even starting in reserve grade with Brandon Smith now set to join the club from the season after next.
The shuffle would work perfectly for cash-strapped Parramatta.
Verrills may not be at the same level as Mahoney or Smith, which would suggest the Eels are losing out on the three-way swap, but with major signings like Clint Gutherson already taking big chunks out of the western club’s salary cap, the Avalon junior could be a perfect fit.
The Sporting Base has heard the Eels are preparing to speak Sydney officials this week to find out if Verrills can be released early from his current deal, which runs until the end of 2024.
It is our understanding the Roosters will not stand in his way if he wants to leave.
Verrills would join an Eels spine built around Gutherson, who recently extended his contract, and Mitch Moses, who is expected to at least play out his current deal with Parramatta, which — with a player option — stretches to 2024.
The western club recently lost Isiah Papali’i and Marata Niukore, and is of course bracing for the impending loss of Reed Mahoney.
The biggest questions still hang around Junior Paulo. The former Blues forward is currently free to negotiate with other clubs, and is looking for a pay increase from the $610k deal he’ll be paid in his final year at the Eels. Parramatta wants to keep him but, as mentioned earlier, are battling some pretty hefty salary cap issues internally.
Paulo may be headed out the door, but shrewd acquisitions like Verrills could go a long way to solving Parra’s pay problems, especially if Arthur can turn the 22-year-old into a top NRL hooker to boot.
