Talagi hits free agency button, Eels immediately offer teen deal to stay

The Parramatta Eels have immediately offered Blaize Talagi a three-year deal to stay in western Sydney after the 19-year-old rookie said he’s interested in testing the open market for his next contract.

Talagi put himself in the window right before his first fullback game in the NRL, which came about after Clint Gutherson’s knee surgery.

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It’s a shock move for the 19-year-old who came through Parramatta’s junior ranks (or not so surprising if you remember his agent is Isaac Moses), with a whole list of NRL clubs already quietly putting together selling packages.

Among them are Manly, St George Illawarra, Newcastle, and North Queensland. They’ll all be watching when Talagi plays number one on Friday evening.

The Eels are hoping to curb anything before it develops beyond that though, already tabling a three-year deal for Talagi and his agents that would see him locked in through to 2027. While there’s no promises around Gutheron’s fullback jumper, The Sporting Base understands Parramatta sees the youngster as the era to the number one.

“We want Blaize here at the club,” Brad Arthur said mid-week. “We probably still don’t know what his best position is. Five-eighth, fullback, centre? Centre is probably the easiest position when you are starting out. But we want to keep him.”

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Talagi has played five NRL games this season, scoring once (on debut). He has yet to play in his preferred role, instead debuting at centre and later deputising in the halves at five-eighth.