The $1.25 million contract voids affecting NRL teams in the fight.

Following the revelation that struggling NRL clubs are reportedly paying competitors an average of $1.25 million each season to offload out-of-favour professionals, Parramatta has decided to forgo granting player options in future contract negotiations. After completing his duties as an assistant coach at Melbourne, Jason Ryles will take over as coach of the Eels, and the team is getting ready to start a new chapter. Blaize Talagi’s retention and staff rotation are Ryles’ top priorities, coupled with personnel renewal for the Eels.

The chance to take Clint Gutherson’s place at fullback on a three-year contract has been extended to the gifted young player. Talagi is anticipated to consider the Parramatta offer and interest from clubs like the Dragons and Knights with his representation.

After rejecting a contract option to stay put, Talagi is free to sign with another player; other of his colleagues have comparable clauses in their favor. The Eels have come under fire for offering eight of their stars a contract that includes a “option,” most of which are favorable to the player. The practice has cast doubt on the long-term prospects of their two best players, Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown, as well as other important team players.

There aren’t many NRL players with contracts as long as Brown’s, which could keep him at Parramatta till the end of 2031. The Kiwi international, nevertheless, will have the choice to go or exercise his option to stay for the 2026–2027 season in early 2025. Even if he stays, there will soon be more rumors about his future, so in early 2027, Brown will need to decide whether to stay or go. Moses, on the other hand, will stay in blue and gold until 2026 when he makes a decision about whether to accept options for the upcoming seasons.

Though there has been constant conjecture regarding the contracted players Ryles will let go, only Ryan Matterson and Maika Sivo have received word that they are free to explore elsewhere thus far. Since both have chosen to stay on the books, Parramatta will have to cover a portion of their costs in order to remain a viable option for a competitor. While Shaun Lane and Haze Dunster have mutual options in their contracts, center Will Penisini, another well-known player, has an option that extends past the 2020–21 season.

Parramatta is anticipated to switch to “vanilla” contracts in the future to make sure players don’t have the upper hand. According to Jim Sarantinos, chief executive of Eels, “you always need to be able to manage your roster to maintain your ability to make decisions and not be paralysed.”

“We must always ensure that we are fully focused on that. We will take such action if it implies restricting the quantity of player alternatives in the future, especially the quantity of player options that arise simultaneously. It remains to be seen if the Eels will find takers for Matterson and Sivo, as well as whether additional players will get tapped on the shoulder. There will be a cost associated with moving players on, one that has been heavy on lower division clubs.

The NRL benchmarking document that was distributed to all clubs states that the worst four teams paid an average of $1.243 million in “freight,” or the amount that a rival side paid to remove them from the books. In comparison, an unwelcome player was moved for an average of $479,000 by a top-four team. While it will take Ryles some time to assemble a roster of his choosing, getting Talagi to sign is still crucial. “Blaize and his family are aware of our profound concern for him,” Sarantinos remarked.

“We hope he stays at the club for a long time. We feel that our club is where he will have a bright future. Matt Arthur is one Eel who is ready to move on. Parramatta hasn’t obstructed the son of fired coach Brad Arthur from speaking with other clubs when he requests permission. Sarantinos stated, “Although we would prefer that he remain at the Eels, we recognize the special circumstances surrounding this request and our decision to grant permission to negotiate with other clubs is based on compassionate grounds.”