BREAKING: What a disgrace” Parramatta Eels has just officially entertain a historic back pain again” he left with the raw talent” more are still on the exodus….
Following Blaize Talagi’s departure, the Parramatta Eels have faced criticism for their failure to hold onto talented players, especially local juniors. Some have even said that Talagi’s departure is “just the beginning.” One of Parramatta’s best prospects, Talagi, elected to sign a three-year contract with the Penrith Panthers starting in 2025 rather than exercise his player option with the Eels for the upcoming season, as was revealed on Wednesday. With Talagi’s decision, one of the most intense contract sagas of the season comes to a close, and the Eels have come under fire for including player options in the contracts of its top players.
Speaking on Wednesday night’s NRL 360, Fox League’s James Hooper described the Eels’ inability to retain Talagi as a “shocking case of mismanagement.” Hooper was immensely critical of the Parramatta front office’s decision to insert player options into the contracts of star players, such as Talagi, Dylan Brown, Mitchell Moses and Will
For whatever reason they’ve allowed them to put these clauses in their contract and it’s bitten Parramatta where it hurts,” he said.
As Hooper explained, such clauses dictate that when “it comes to a set season, in Blaize’s case it’s this year, he has until Round 10 or 11 to take up an option for next year or if he doesn’t he’s free to go.”
The outside backs decision to trade the Eels for the Panthers next season means Parramatta have lost three crucial elements of their 2023 SG Ball premiership winning side: Talagi, halfback Ethan Sanders and hooker Matthew Arthur.
NRL 360 host Braith Anasta labelled Parramatta’s inability to retain three of its highest rated youngsters as “a disgrace.”
“They can’t contain or maintain players at the club and they put clauses in their contract to give them an option of leaving. If I’m a Parramatta fan, I’m filthy,” Anasta said.
However, the trio aren’t the first Eels juniors to walk out the door before getting a chance to properly prove themselves in first grade.
Since 2020, Parramatta have lost juniors Greg Marzhew, Stefano Utoikamanu, Jaeman Salmon, Oregon Kaufusi and Sam Hughes.
For the struggling club, the most worrying fact of how they structure their player contracts is the fact it could mean Talagi isn’t the only star to depart the Eels in the coming years.
“I’ll tell you what, this is only the beginning of how bad it could get at Parramatta,” Hooper said.
“Mitchell Moses has got a clause (for 2027). I think he’ll be gone.
“Next year Dylan Brown has got the same clause (for 2026) and so does Will Penisini (for 2026).”
Should the trio exit the Eels, they would join the likes of Reed Mahoney, Isaiah Papali’i, Nathan Brown and Marata Niukore, all key members of the 2022 Eels squad who now ply their trade elsewhere.
It left Anasta sympathising with incoming Eels coach Jason Ryles, stating: “I feel sorry for what he’s walking into here.”
Hooper insisted there was one major learning to be taken from the Talagi ordeal.
“What’s been laid bare for everyone to see in this case with Blaize Talagi is the lack of rugby league IQ at the absolute top of Parramatta.”
