Eels exodus as Parramatta confirms NINE players headed for exit… and more could follow
The Parramatta Eels have confirmed the departures of nine players following their grand final loss to the Panthers.
/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/3L5GOVYCPLPAO6L43Q3D4OF5PU.jpg)
The likes of Reed Mahoney (Canterbury Bulldogs), Isaiah Papalii (Wests Tigers), Ray Stone (Dolphins), Oregon Kaufusi (Cronulla Sharks), Tom Opacic (Hull KR), Marata Niukore (New Zealand Warriors) were already known to be leaving at the seasons end to take up deals at other clubs.
On Wednesday, however, the Eels released Solomone Naiduki, Hayze Perham and David Hollis.
Perham was somewhat of a surprise having made 16 appearance for the blue and gold.
He along with Naiduki and Hollis will now need to find a home in 2023.
It means the Eels will field a far different side for the opening game next season than they did for the grand final.
The roster changes have prompted questions that the Eels’ premiership window has closed.
Not that captain Clint Gutherson was buying it.
“When you’re a good team good players are always going to get poached and we’re going to lose a couple of great players,” Gutherson said to foxsports.com.au after the grand final.
“But we’ve got a couple of great ones in the wings that are going to step up and do job.
The Eels could still lose more big names with both star halves Dylan Brown and Mitchell Moses able to negotitate with rivals from November 1.
Both are being targeted by the Dolphins after Wayne Bennett’s side missed out on Cameron Munster as their marquee signing for 2024.
Brown, meanwhile, said Mahoney and Papali’i were huge losses.
“Reed’s been here four, five years now and he’s been massive for the club,” Brown said.
“His work ethic, his service is the best and honestly we’re going to miss him a lot.
“Obviously a lot of my mates as well, I’ve lived with Reedy when I was younger and to see him go is pretty devastating but it’s league and league’s the business at the end of the day and he’s gone to chase the money.”
“I (also) actually live with Isaiah (Papali’i) so obviously that’s another big loss, he’s massive same thing.
“I feel like it’s our whole team you know we don’t have the superstars but we’ve got a lot of effort based players and we play for our families and what not so I feel like it’s what makes it a lot more special.”
