The Tip Sheet is also available on Spotify and iTunes!
Sixties and Forty20 react live to the news that Dylan Brown has accepted a gargantuan 10-year deal from the Newastle Knights. The boys discuss everything that lead to the decision and what the Parramatta Eels do moving forwards to replace their five-eighth in 2026.
At this rate we will be rebuilding for years. Might even beat the tigers run of three wooden spoons. Go Eeels.
Ok what do you do with Brown now if you’re Ryles & the Parra board? Parra invested in Brown when he was a junior still at Hills Sports. What a slap in the face! Loyalty? What loyalty? I’d be playing Brown in NSW Cup for the rest of the year or letting him go back to NZ & play in some comp over there. NOT in first grade or even on the bench!
George I tend to agree but I’d be hoping our powers that be have some names ready to go hard for and then piss him off.
I’m glad he’s made the call tbh as it stops the drag on. He’s not Parra blood it seems so we move on and good riddance.
I’d play him in the middle and send him to the Knights completely busted.
I would sack all recruitment for the continual loss of good players under their administration since the grand final 2022 , they have totally mismanaged the roster losing the best replacing with cheap as chips rubbish , thank god mcelduff has gone !!!
Is joash an option at 6 and brown to nsw cup when Moses is back
I think the selection options have to always be about who is the best option for winning in any particular week.
Sixties what does that comment actually mean. if your a winning team why would you chop and change. Ryles has to create a team that the others don’t like playing. At the moment we’re powderpuffs
Instant increase in mongrel – swap Dylan Brown for Jack Hetherington,
We could already have a ready made replacement. Iongi apparently played 5/8 thru juniors so move him there and play Papalii at fullback. He’d have all next offseason to prepare there. Papalii is too good to leave out of the team and you saw what real speed does to defences when we played the Storm.
He was always going $1.3 million.
BAs best mate is the coach and playing with MA. So he’ll feel at home.
His mind was clearly not on the job and he looked totally disinterested. He clearly knew before the game.
He may well get released early given yesterday’s performance. A player swap might be in the offing..
Can we get back to more articles, less Tip Sheets?
Good riddance Dylbro, we all were still waiting for you to reach that potential but now Newcastle can wait for over 7 years!
Ryles has got his way and I congratulate the club in not offering another cent.
Now..I hope the club have already got Galvin on board.
Totally agree Grunta. The written word is always best and more descriptive and less crap. I don’t listen to Tip Sheets because it takes too long. Really dissatisfied with this part of the website.
I am disappointed with the Brown signing but let’s move on. I think Browns form was a reflection of his decision and maybe he can settle into playing football.
I’m going to jump in here because I’m a bit fired up and pissed off. Just how much time do you think we have to produce extra unscheduled content, because immediately providing our opinions in the written word would have taken hours! The story broke at 6pm.
A pod was the fastest way to respond to the news, and to provide supporters with an avenue for expressing their opinions on a site that isn’t set up as a forum. A forum relies on readers to create the content and a post can be one sentence with varying degrees of literacy. Everything here is by a small pool of dedicated creators
And like you, people could simply jump in with their opinions without listening to us. Plenty probably did. That was fine. As I said, it gave the “readers” an avenue for venting or adding their takes.
The written word has not been replaced on TCT. John and give up our entire Saturday every week of the junior rep season to live blog the matches. Last Saturday meant sitting at Granville Park from 9:30am to 6pm. I love my footy but if I wasn’t creating content for TCT, sitting on a hard wooden bench seat for nearly ten hours with long breaks doing F A was not how I’d choose to spend my day! If you check out the Eels official site you will see a four game match junior summary written by me every week. It is all written word. How long do you think that takes?
How much time do you think is spent reading every reply here, and trying to reply to most. To create content on the socials to accompany every single post? To read and reply to most. To reply to texts and DMs. It’s all written!!! Much of that is done in the hours when I should be sleeping.
As for written content, TCT has added “Off The Cumberland Fence”. Forty is now writing “The Weekend Wrap”, I was writing up to five training posts per week!!! I’ve got posts coming out this week if I can create time. I too have a life and big commitments every day. Our podcasts are regularly scheduled and additional content and they provide a variety of content, not a replacement.
Maybe I shouldn’t react to your comment in this way, and maybe I’m a bit angry after Dyl’s decision, but I don’t think you have the slightest concept of the time dedicated by John and myself here, or that of the people who provide voluntary written contributions, committing themselves to providing regular or semi-regular content.
Believe it or not, the conversation in making the call to put out an instant podcast was all about getting content to the TCT community as quickly as possible. And putting out a pod has its time commitment too. John has to work through any editing and technical aspects of recorded content before posting it on all of the platforms.
I’m not being thin skinned to criticism. It’s often there on this site. But damn man, we work our arses off to provide variety for as many types of ways that people consume content these days and we have done so for ten years and making nothing from it.
Sixties, have to agree completely with your response. There should have be gratitude shown for the work done to provide content for Eels fans, the nonsense that they can’t be bothered to listen, well don’t, it’s your loss.
There are other sites that provide content, go there, respect what time and effort is taken on TCT. The podcast was a raw and honest take on the situation.
Here’s a thought, how many letters do you actually write currently, few if any, you call and converse as writing takes too long.
Just my view but seriously take some time to think how much time is devoted to keep this site interesting and timely. You can always start a similar site and spend your own time doing it,
Sixties and Forty and other contributors, thanks and understand how grateful 99% of followers are for your work
Cheers B & G
Here, here! Well said.
I’ve commented more than once on this site that I would never contemplate doing the same because of the time and effort required.
I used to write for a living and know how much time and effort is required: making sure words/sentences can’t be misunderstood. Editorials, research, debate with colleagues over the validity of what is said. It all takes time.
And after an instant reaction podcast I know there will likely be a more reflective written piece later.
Much appreciated here.
It should read: Hear, hear.
Damn autocorrect
Cheers Namrebo.
Whilst often at odds with you sixties regarding points of view, this mainly is due to the different circles we exist in.
It certainly creates balance and that’s a good thing.
That said, and I’ve said it before, your dedication and the dedication of the team to the Eels and the sheer hard work is always appreciated.
Life goes on brother.
We have butted heads many times Spark, but footy would be boring if people all had the same takes.
Thanks 60s and the rest of the crew for all their work and I speak for all the people when I thank you all on the excellent work and the time it takes to provide content. If there is one little criticism is that the tip sheet takes too long and maybe could be shortened to 3/4 hour at maximum length.
Glenn, we start with good intentions, and believe it or not have a run sheet for the News pod and preview pod, esp our live appearances at the club, but sometimes our opinions will draw out more takes from each other. We try our best 😁
Mr Sixties. Just ignore it. I have often wondered whether you have a life away from football. Of course you do. People selfishly forget. You are a rusted on Parra supporter and to tel you truth I have been looking for the other one.
You’re the best!!
I just need to find more room in my day for sleep Zero. I’m sure Forty faces the same dilemma – Cheers.
man as a Parra supporter I truly appreciate the effort you put in and enjoy listening to your podcasts. for people to rubbish you and your team is total bs. your efforts should be praised not rubbished ,
Thanks Wally. Your support is much appreciated.
I probably lashed out a bit too much, and I understand people not having time to listen to podcasts. Reading can be done at a person’s own speed. You can go back over something for clarity esp when taking a comment or opinion to task. You can’t speed up the tape of a live podcast. I admit that I don’t have the time to listen to other podcasts, and I don’t listen back to our own recordings. But podcasts are a preferred medium for content consumption for many so we added it to our schedule without taking away anything to make way for it. They provide a means of quickly responding to news like yesterday, but we still needed time to organise and map out what we were doing, promote on socials so people would know, then John had all post production for the recorded version.
I think the live YouTube instant reaction is awesome! Listeners have a chance to comment during the show which is taking The Cumberland Throw to the next level! Outstanding work to both John and Craig!
Hey Sixties – readers / listeners of TCT should know it is run by fans – as volunteers – no salary.
And not a single reader is asked to pay a single cent to subscribe, read , listen, make comments, etc.
So no one should complain – they should be thankful that there is a site for us Eels fans to come to , enjoy and have discussion about our team
As Seth Godin often says – “if you don’t like it, its may just be that it’s not for you”
The traffic has increased each year – and that is because of the content and variety of articles. / podcasts that are put forward.
Go Parra
Speaking for myself and no doubt plenty of others, I appreciate the hard work you guys put in and the content created and share, so thank you for starters.
It’s some bizarre whinging by that lot, if they don’t like the Tip Sheet, then scroll on by and don’t listen to it, simple as that. However keep it up and the rest of us will continue to listen to it when we can.
Once again, appreciate your efforts here on the site/socials etc.
Brown still has the 10 day cooling off period to reconsider his options. Brown never has been and never will be worth the money Newcastle are paying him. He has proven over and over again that he isn’t capable of organising a banquet in a chinese restaurant, let alone control a football team. This deal reeks of the problems the cowboys have experienced with their 1 million dollars a year deal for Jason. It just worked out.
Not sure where New
Castle are going to find the money, considering they were in Salary Cap trouble before this signing.
Already talk of Ponga defecting to the All Blacks, when his contract expires.Not going to be much talent left there.
A massive loss for the club. Can’t believe there’s people out there rejoicing at this news – does any other club have so many dickheads in their “supporter” base?
Stubby were a passionate lot who’s been through our share of problems etc.
Like many I move kn and have no emotional connection to players.
He’s made his call so good luck DB and move on.
The club invested a lot into this kid and fans show their emotions in many ways.
It’s a big loss. The only way we could turn it into a positive if if we signed somebody like Galvin for less, since it’s officially a rebuild.
It should be celebrated. He isn’t worth the deal we had him on, let alone what the knights are paying him. Have you seen a single knights fan happy with the signing? I haven’t. It’s ridiculous
He’s let us down massively. On and off the field.
Well Btad, I think you and anyone else saying that it should be celebrated are complete dopes. This is someone the Eels found, developed and turned into an International. It’s a massive loss, he’s the best defensive half in the competition. Yes, be angry and disappointed he’s gone, but to celebrate him signing elsewhere? Give yourself an uppercut.
Stubbs, must you resort to name calling. People can have their opinion right or wrong. That’s what free speech is about.
Great news after a terrible defeat !!!
Anyone who is in any universe believes Dylan Brown is worth 1.3 million is deluded.
Kudos for the coaching staff and the club to not be sucked into the ultimate aim and that was for the Eels to pay him the same money to stay.
Brown is lucky that Moses is injured because he would be playing Cup next week after his terrible performance on the weekend.
There’s a question . Would we really lose too much putting Hawkins and Ronnie as the halves next week ?
Wouldn’t that be a statement by the coach !!!!
Don’t worry, the media will be hooking into us but be assured.. we made the right decision.
Panthers have won the past four titles. They didn’t have Dylan Brown in their side. They have just lost there gun 6 but I bet they’ll still challenge for the title. Every player is replaceable.
Why is there being no pressure being put on the absolute moron that would work a contract in this manner, not sure who was the chief instigator but they should leave , certainly wasn’t brad as he came across as a simple person who couldn’t of dreamed up a contract like brown had
Good point – who knows was it all MON? Committee etc I have no idea.
The fact he was even on the market was the biggest issue. His last contract with parramatta was an absolute shocker and it has come back to bite us. I fully agree his not a 1.3 million dollar player and I’m glad we didn’t give it to him but he is definately a talent
Talagi and sanders also gone who are not 100% ready yet but both do have bucket loads of potential. 2025 is now becoming a huge year in potential recruitment and development. We have a lot of cash but we need to be smart
We move on and I sincerely hope Ryles has some players in his pocket to go for.
What peeved supporters like me is that the club invested in this kid and I know there’s no guarantee but we also supported him when he made our club look stupid for his indiscretion- good riddance for me and we move on.
In my view he’s been paid on ability and how what he’s delivered which is probably not popular with some but that’s my call.
Lots of coin to use wisely I say. And on someone who’s Parra through and through.
There were people saying he wouldn’t leave because we developed him, stood by him and hes a Parra kid. In the end money talks $1.3 million over 10yrs and no way could or should Parra match that.
His suspension cost us and last year he said himself he didn’t stand up. Both of those could have helped BA. But probably cost BA. In addition, we lost Galvin, Sanders and Blaize all because we
had ‘stable halves.’ Whoever put those clauses and signed off (for a Parra kid) needs to have a look at their future with the club.
Dylan was made an offer he couldn’t refuse.
The hof and ceo dodges all accountability – it’s negligent to have these contract options and then lose two bright halves options with no future planning. Couldn’t even convince them to sign one year deals – gave talagi an option. Imagine if that was an extra year. Would be very different.
As for Dylan, I like him as a player. Seems like a decent bloke. But fans are rightly peeved with him and his antics.
If he pulls on a boot for Parramatta again that will be an insult to all supporters and to all the kids who would do anything to represent us.
After yesterday’s poor showing he may well ask for an early release
I agree Ron.
To let elite talent go when you k so your stats could leave next year, it is fireable.
Listening to the podcast, I get in order to keep their access to the club the boys won’t be critical of management, but it is what it is.It is unacceptable.
The guys, I respect the glass half full supporter in them, but let’s stop pontificating about the SG Ball and Flegg halves please. We’ve done it since the Witt Brothers. Let’s be real. Our top 30 is now made up of two elite players (Moses and Lomax), a few former elite/ semi elite players past their best and a whole bunch of fringe first graders – with at best a handful who have potential.. in the top 30. Overall the last couple of years we have literally struggled to fill our 30 man squad. The roster management is a disgrace and it seems the woefully unqualified, failed HoF can just go about his business…
It’s a dogshit squad. so many glaring holes year on year. We get distracted by injury problems but we have worst hooker and backrow group in comp. Our props are average/below average. Our bench is average/below average. Our 5/8 is leaving. Sure we have money feed up but I don’t trust this recruitment team. Too many stuff ups year on year. And not easy to find a 5/8 quickly. I would sign Cody Walker on 2 year deal as a stop gap. Him and Moses would be lethal
I bet he told a few of the senior players before the game. Because they all played like they were disinterested and not committed.
If I’d Ben his father I’d have told him he had to take it. Absurd money. We should pay him up and release him to-morrow.
Those of a certain vintage will remember a Packer quote about Alan Bond that may be appropriate. But it is a massive deal and he’s be made not to take it and possibly mad to take it. Madness all round!
But I wish him well. Parra will adjust and I dare say prosper in his absence. The green is not always greener on the other side.
And sixties , mate you are talking to the wrong people.
Ryles was told last week that Dylan was gone no matter what Dylan may say to you.
Spark dyl and the boys played exactly like they all already knew
I heard from people that it was possible Dylan would leave, another podcast mentioned it too ahout a week or so ago that Dylan didn’t sound as confident about staying since the huge contract got offered
Regardless of Dylan’s decision, that performance on the weekend was disgraceful to our club (I’ll openly say it now) since he is leaving and 60’s also kind of didn’t hold back on the podcast
If he does not show up for this club next weekend and plays as a passenger now to coast to his next destination
… which is highly possible if his performances have indicated anything
I hope this club makes a stand and does something about it – if Dylan plays at 60% for us moving forward
We will greatly benefit from giving our younger players game time and opportunity’s instead to improve our players experience for the future
Hopefully it doesn’t come to this – but you can bet Dylan knows his ACL is a ticking time bomb
My bet is he won’t want to destroy himself before he goes up to Newcastle, snd his performances are now going to fall off a cliff
Hope I’m wrong though
Newcastle still have to register the contract with NRL, unless already done. It may be them who pull the plug on this deal, absolute madness.
But speaking to people who have spoken to him and are in and around the club
They personally believed even weeks ago he would probably go and both the trials game and yesterdays game showed you he was absolutely out the door mentally – I didn’t want to believe it and it obviously was speculative opinion
I personally felt he might go and it seems every ba loyalist & close player to him either is gone or like Carty now seemingly not being selected / possibly on the outta
It’s common for clubs to experience this type of thing when a much loved coach gets sacked or the team fails in a season
But god Dylan brown is setting himself up for potential devastation at Newcastle
This is a club who swaps halves around every two weeks and Dylan will be subjected to media bombardment regularly if he isn’t able to play up to his $1.3 million dollar salary
Think Nicho hynes 2.0 where every week the journos are saying how bad Dylan is for his pay cheque because he isn’t a organising half back
On one positive – we are in a rebuild year or two and Dylan isn’t looking to be a potential #7 half back who can carry parra after mitchel retires
Ideally if we get another young half back they have potential to be a game organiser, not just a running 6 like Dylan
Fans must also not direct anger at Dylan over this…
This is a club issue and the complete negligence of roster & contract management which has seen us go from grand final to almost wooden spoons in 2 season
Don’t let the hate or emotion towards Dylan rile you up
A few decision makers are completely responsible for us losing SO many quality players due to stupid clauses, or poor contract decisions they made
Winning comes from above as Jack Gibson said
Sanders and Galvin will be running rings around us this season at some stage probably too
I personally think Galvin is already more deadly than brown – personally like to see Galvin back at parra instead of brown 🤞
Plus Galvin is probably going to be better than brown within 2 seasons if brown stays where he is
The way out is manageable. Let Brown go now and sign Fletcher Sharpe. Or wait to season end and chase Galvin. Sharpe looks impressive but I would chase Galvin. Isn’t he a Parra boy!
We move on as is Brown, overpriced and expensive. As good as he is – he is replaceable.
Never cry over spilt milk. Don’t be surprised if BA returns as coach for Newcastle.
Surely someone in recruitment is on chopping block. You don’t have these many fuck ups and get to keep your job…the recruitment team are not competent in my eyes. Must be th e laughing stock of league talking about removing player options when they have no leverage. Embarrassment
Since the late eighties, is this the nadir? I think so. Pick a side of players we had still playing, to give our current side a thrashing. Start with Stephanie and Regan as props.
Zero if he turns up as a passenger again next weekend and disgraces this jersey by not getting involved and letting the tigers beat us
It would be a huge let down and Ryles may end up having to do an early release if he’s not going to show up
Last weekend was an absolute embarrassment to this club, not just by him, but a lot of players – and no doubt this decision had something to do with
Muz, I believe you are correct about the team knowing before the game. If so it would have been a shock to the system.
Muz, take heart from the second half. The Storm never let up but we held them to two tries and one was an intercept.
We can do better and we will.
Wishart is on $350k on a club option for 2026. He is a better 6 than Dylan and struggles to get game time.
Galvin seems like an obvious choice on pie and Coke deal.
Whoever signed of on Dylbags deal needs to be scrutinised. Especially given the leakage of others to keep Dylan.
Wishart is the guy I’d look at.
Brett, he looks good Wishart and good blood stocks too.
But how many Storm players do wel post Melbourne? I don’t think many do, but he’s good
Wishart looks better, but hard to tell if it’s due to the team he is in and the coach
Very disappointing. A kid we scouted and brought across from NZ, developed into an elite half only to leave. I do not blame or denigrate Dylan in any way. 1.4 million a year for 10 years is generational money that will help his family massively and at the end of the day that’s what we all want to do.
I do not blame the management for the deal he was on either. I thought it was good contract at the time. It meant he stayed at the club and also gave him the opportunity to extend at a predetermined price if he wanted to, Eels fans do not get suckered into the media saying they were “get out clauses” they are and were in fact extension clauses.
Now we get to focus on who replaces him from 2026 onwards. Whether that be internal or external we will have a lot of money to spend.
Like all Eels players who decide to move on, I wish them the best as long as they don’t win the comp and don’t play well against Parra. Whilst he’s at the knights and on 1.4 million a year I can’t see that happening.
Listening to the podcast, I can’t see us waiting on Galvin being a smart move.
2 years of a holding pattern for a player that could be injured or lose form in the interim is no plan.
2 years from now there will be money come up from somewhere else.
Brown would have been mad to knock this deal back.
If we could get rid of him at the end of March it would give us $525k in the cap for use for contracts moving forward , it’s a win win for both parties
What about Joey Manu? The word is he’s not enjoying rugby, It would be a tough get, but definitely worth it
He’s also on half an ACL, with a 50% he’ll rupture it in the next few years…best of luck to him and the Knights.
Paps?
What about Joash Popalii?
We are rebuilding and if he isn’t apart of it would it be better if he went now?
As much as I’d love Galvin now realising he is 2027 at a minimum we need to focus on backrowers and forwards. We are looking to overhaul our pack in the next two years so spend money there.
Talatini in SG ball is very good and although he is young at a minimum needs to be in Flegg this year after sg ball. Twiddle also needs to start year in cup another player not 1st grade level yet but dominated flegg at times last year
Better outcomes than this:
1. Keep Gutho, play Iongi at 6
2. Recruit Papenhuyzen, play Iongi at 6
3. Retain Galvin
4. Retain Talagi
5. Retain Sanders
6. Some combo of any of the above
7. Most likely a bunch of other options I’ve not identified
Hindsight is 20/20, but Parra looked after him, he was on a good wicket. Now he’s just put a giant hole in our rebuild process.
We seem to make all the wrong decisions Mick
What’s scary is the same people making a lot of those decisions are still here
Mate there are new sherrifs in town and the club won’t be screwed over any more.
Matthew Beach knows what he’s doing and so does the coaching staff.
Dylan is 25 now and the Eels have given him more than enough time to show his ability.
I was told that Ryles is NOT a fan.
Spark Dylan looks to have possibly hit his ceiling too
Glad we didn’t fall for the $1.3 offer
Both parties won.
Brown wins the coin, and parra now have a lot of cash to spend. Let’s be real, Brown never achieved any great heights. He is not mentally strong and doesn’t stand up in big games.
A huge gamble but the real loser here is Newcastle.
Parra will sign Galvin and he’s a better prospect. Other idea is Deardon.
Let’s keep calm. This is a rebuild. No rushing!!
No great heights, well other than playing in a GF and being the 1st choice 6 for the Kiwis. Not a great resume is it, Josh? As Gus just said on TV, most halves don’t come into their own until their mid 20’s, Moses certainly didn’t. I think thr Knights are mad spending that much for that long, but some of the stupid comments about celebrating DB leaving and bagging him are fans being reactionary and not looking at the big picture. It’s a big loss but the Eels were right not to pay that much.
What our club should done is did what they did with Moses to brown too but last year before he could shop offers, especially when losing the experience of RCG & gutho
Don’t want to be doom and gloom, but we now have a team with no experience in the halves besides Mitch Moses who looks to miss more games than he played almost going off recent times
We are looking like we will be stuck a lot of next season with possibly 1 experienced spine player besides injured prone Moses (if we sign externally) or if we upgrade from within Moses will leave the eels with only experienced spine player in the whole club
The only thing I can see in this situation where we could come out of it possibly stronger is that we get lucky with one of our recent signings having a break out year this year or next
And that $1 million allows us to bolster our desperately needed forwards and outside back problem where we probably have amongst the worst forward packs now in the game + the worst winger depth possibly in the NRL
This isn’t to say brown leaving is a good thing – this rebuild just got potentially a lot harder if we can’t replace brown with somebody who’s almost as good as him or even better
This loss is either going to make or break this Ryles rebuild – there’s only about 5 halves in the entire NRL who can defend and play close to Dylan’s level on a weekly basis (keep in mind)
Well guys this is interesting news and I for one hope he stays the year. I know a lot of fans want him gone but when I think about it there are heaps of negatives in him going. The team has trained the whole pre season with DB on that left side in D and A. Sure he had a shit game but he was probably thinking how to tell all his team so with that out of the way next week should be much better. Hopefully he will defend better as we know he can and attack and set up his outside backs as before. To put another (inexperienced) player in that possy would negate everything the team did in preseason. Forget the first half of game one and if we still think the same in 6 or so weeks than make that decision then but not now with so much emotion surrounding the news. Chill pill everyone and see if we think the same then.
Dylan Brown is good at playing football but he’s no footballer.
This is a bloke who from the age of 18 has been threatening to go to Rugby Union and other clubs. This is a bloke who on one hand tells the media that he loves the club while on the other hand has always made it clear that he’s open to the highest bidder.
This bloke was paid well and truly over his market value based on potential for years, this guy showed us glimpses of his potential but to date has never reached the potential the club and the fans expected, and he never will because this guy plays for a living, he doesn’t play because he loves the game. By his own admission, he doesn’t watch football, he doesn’t study the game, he just turns up and makes a career out of a game that he happens to be good at.
The greats of the game love rugby league, they want to win at all costs and success means more to them than money. The greats of the game are well rewarded but the money is not why they become greats, they become greats because they love playing rugby league. The greats will happily sacrifice money for a premiership ring. Brown is not that guy, Brown will never, ever be a great.
Brown was set to earn a little less than 200k per year to stay with his mates and with a club who he’s supposedly loves, that’s roughly 100k after tax. Rarely if ever do established halves leave their club to play for a struggling club for money. Filter left a struggling Penrith team to join a strong Roosters side when he was 20 years old, Thurston left the Bulldogs after a scandal and Cherry Evan’s came the closest but back flipped for less money because his team mates and his club meant more to him.
This bloke damaged our 23 campaign and played like the same Brown we’ve become accustomed to in 24.
I’m not cut or upset, I’m tired of waiting for this bloke to reach a potential he can never or will ever achieve because that’s not Brown.
Good luck Newcastle, you have well and truly made the desperate signing of the decade. I’m closer to being a brain surgeon that Brown is to being your solution to your halfback dilemma.
Sixties, I’m glad you were live and you said you don’t wish him well at Newcastle and fair enough. I personally don’t wish him anything because he will go down in history as the single worst signing that any club has ever made. And, this bloke won’t care less.
Forty, mate, Brown will absolutely damage any progress we hope to make this season, he needs to go now, a player swap for a middle forward should be negotiated now. I’d be shocked if we are not looking at this option as I type.
Sixties, I loved your idea of grooming Joash in the halves, we know he can attack, let’s see how he defends, nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Thank you Dylan for your heart felt message, my message to you is GFY and thanks for nothing. Glad your looking after your family, the extra 100k over the million you were set to earn at the Eels will make all the difference.
From all reports you’re a top bloke and I couldn’t care less.
And by the way, GFY.
Those numbers aren’t right Joseph. The reports were $900K at the Eels and potentially going to $1 Million and the Knights have offered $1.3. Also, the Knights contract apparently has ratchet clauses, so when (not if) the new broadcast deal means an increase in the salary cap then DB’s salary goes up as well. It’s not just $100K after tax, it’s much, much more than that and also guaranteed for 10 years. The Eels were right not to match it and good luck to the Knights having DB and Ponga taking up so much cap room now. Nobody can begrudge any player for taking that kind of offer. An NRL player has a limited career (the average NRL career is somewhere around 45 games) they are entitled to get what they can as they are a long time retired from the game.
Stubby I was brain farting last night. I was having a pleasant evening until my son stormed into the living room and announced the news.
I shouldn’t be anywhere near a forum when I’m really pissed off.
First we lose Moses for a period, then we get smashed on Sunday followed by Brown leaving the following day.
I can’t think of worse start to a season and that’s saying something as an Eels supporter.
Good luck to Dylan. I genuinely wish him the best. That money is insane and in all honesty he could not turn it down. It will be interesting to see how the knights intend to use Dylan. He is not a halfback or game manager, I thought he could do this but over the past year we have seen this is not his skill set. It would like asking Munster to be a halfback. Some players are running 5/8ths and Dylan is one.
All is not lost. This is not what we planned but this will show the R and R’s worth. Once Dylan’s manager put it in the media he was gone. I am not shocked.
Let’s look at it realistically with what we do have. We have a very good half, 2nd or 3rd best in the comp locked in for 5 years, lots of money in the cap freed up and more to come in the next year with players who will not be retained and spots to fill as they obviously do not fit the coaches style.
Take the Panthers retention decisions, they prioritise who to keep and if a players price gets too big, like Luai, Burton, API or Kikau they let them go. No matter how loyal or quality player they are. They have prioritised Yeo, Edward’s, Martin and Cleary. Everyone else is interchangeable.
We need to build completely around Moses, shape the team around him. The fact his uncle managers so many just might help us for once. He will want quality around Mitch.
We have certainty with Mitch. Get a quick running 5/8, maybe they are in the club already and surround Moses, and co with 2nd rowers and forwards who are mobile and defend really well. We have a strike outside back, a gun half, a promising but young fullback and money to spend with spaces to fill. Let’s see how this goes, I feel our upside has more potential as I see the Knights with 2 expensive ball runners and no game manager. That will not work.
I will reserve my judgement until I see how the club responds player wise.
Shelley, the money he was offered is not insane when considering our offer was 100k less after tax.
Dylan’s decision to walk away from his teammates and the club that payed him overs based on potential for years is a disgrace and a slap in the face to everyone who supported him throughout his entire career.
I don’t wish him anything, what a waste of time. resources and money he ended being.
I am not happy that he is leaving but it is not simply $100 000 a year it is a guaranteed deal for 10 years.
Even if the $100 000 after tax a year is correct that is still $600 000 over the 6 years left on his Parra contract plus a guaranteed 5.2 million (1.3 for 4 years) extra that he does not have at Parra.
That is not a slight amount. Is a 31 year running 5/8 who does not have a long kicking game getting 1.3 million? Because when his old Parra contract ended he would have been 31. I doubt it. He made a sensible and safe choice for him.
He partially tore his ACL last year. His knee could go tomorrow. He relies on speed and agility, a knee injury kills that.
I do not like it, but I understand the reason he made it. It would be hard to turn down. But like many I am disappointed.
Exactly Shelley. 1.4 million for 10 years vs 1.1 over 3 years isn’t 100k less after taxes. This is generational money and all of these keyboard heroes can sit here and say that they’d be morally right and sit atop their high horses but if it came down to it they’d leave over a slice of cheese
Oh come on Ham, Dylan wouldn’t have been the first player to stay at his club for less money.
Key board warriors, high horses, please, people vent mate, supporting a sporting team is 80% emotion driven, don’t expect everyone to be as rational as you. But thanks for the critique.
Then Ham you must think Mick Cronin is an idiot? When John Singleton threw the kitchen sink at Cronin to get him to join New town, he even included helicopter flights to training to save driving. What did Mick say? “Thanks John but I can’t win the Premiership for Parramatta if I’m playing for Newtown”
Get Galvin asap and get rid of Brown asap. Galvin can’t win the Premiership for Parramatta if he is playing for Wests.
You’re right Shelley, you are absolutely right. I went into full dope mode last night.
The offer is insane, it’s just our luck his manager found a club willing to pay insane money. Our offer was more than fair, there’s nothing our club could have done to keep him.
Somewhere in my irrational part of my brain I thought Dylan would stay with a club that’s afforded him everything but that’s not how life works.
The only winners are Dylan and his management.
Shelley,
I understand the point you make and it is valid.
However, I wonder why we quibble over the amounts. If Brown couldn’t invest and set himself up for life on his current contract there is an issue.
It’s a bit like discussing who is the wealthiest, Clive Palmer or Russell Crowe? It doesn’t really matter, they are both drinking far superior red wines on a Sunday night than the thin watery stuff I get.
I’m disappointed Brown is leaving but look forward to the next young gun who comes along
Everyone relax, we already have a top line replacement in Zac Lomax.
The connection he has with Moses from origin and the fact he’s favourite position is 5/8. We might just have the best halves combo staring us in the face.
Food for thought, I like it.
Jade that is an interesting option , I like it to. Big body ,likes to get involved. Yeah a good call.
The Indispensable Man….
Sometime when you’re feeling important;
Sometime when your ego’s in bloom;
Sometime when you take it for granted,
You’re the best qualified in the room:
Sometime when you feel that your going,
Would leave an unfillable hole,
Just follow these simple instructions,
And see how they humble your soul.
Take a bucket and fill it with water,
Put your hand in it up to the wrist,
Pull it out and the hole that’s remaining,
Is a measure of how much you’ll be missed.
You can splash all you wish when you enter,
You may stir up the water galore,
But stop, and you’ll find that in no time,
It looks quite the same as before.
The moral of this quaint example,
Is to do just the best that you can,
Be proud of yourself but remember,
There’s no indispensable man.
Pete, I honestly think we can replace Brown with a player with half the talent and get twice the result.
Tom Dearden for mine if we can’t get Galvin.
Cumberland thrown again! Another player that has pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes on here.
Owed the club big when we stood by him when he was convicted of sexual assault, but I guess in the end he has done what’s right by the club. Ridded us of a pretender!
Disappointing all around – while I can understand Dylan taking the deal given the $ and years, he wasn’t exactly staying for peanuts at the eels. We stood by him while he dragged our club through the mud with his off field behaviour, and he now will never repay that. Personally I will never boo an eels player but I suspect the “love” he shared in his instagram post will not be reciprocated by many eels fans.
Atrocious roster management from O’Neill and co. Yes maybe MON wasn’t wholly responsible for the player options but others that were involved are no longer at the club and at the end of the day he is the head of football. Losing Sanders and Talagi under the premise we had Brown locked up only to now leave us empty handed is incompetent at best. I have had the view for a while O’Neill has overseen some of the worst roster management at Parra and that is saying something given previous era’s.
The only silver lining is Ryles has some cap space to invest in the squad as he see’s fit. I hope he spends wisely.
Good post BP.
I feel Ryles and Beech have it right with club first. Let’s hope the HOF and co get it right with the retention.
Brown was not Parra and that’s his call. We move on and get someone who is Parra.
He was paid a lot on ability for me…let’s see him go and lead the Knights tbh I don’t care.
I may be old fashioned … but the concept that it is ok to be disloyal etc because we cant expect people to stay for less money … what rubbish. Some things are more important than money … loyalty, values, etc. It is a complete cop out to say we should understand and accept poor behaviour because “how could they say no to all that money”. This is not someone who is poor and has been thrown a lifeline. This is someone who is saying “$1.1m a year is not enough … I want more”. Shame on Dylan Brown.
Agreed PS7, spot on.
I know there’s a lot of anger here, but does anyone really think we should’ve been even close to matching that offer? I don’t. And I can’t blame Brown for taking it now. Based on Sunday, his value isn’t going up in the next few weeks.
If I were I Knights fan, I reckon I’d be filthy rather than delighted. Every one of them I spoke to was highly sceptical of the Ponga deal. Add this one, and it wraps up a massive chunk of their salary cap in just two players, who are both inconsistent, and I’m not sure either is a leader.
Everyone thought the Taumalolo deal was such a great idea when it happened, but now? Yeah, nah. Dyl may yet grow up, learn how to focus for 80 minutes and several weeks in a row. But he’s already an experienced player, and we’re yet to get more than talk about those things.
So while he’s undoubtedly a talented player, he’s not worth what they’re paying him.
And as a female fan, he really wasn’t passing the character test either, which makes it far easier to be objective and not attached to him playing for us.
I am genuinely sad to see Gutho play for someone else, even if it’s ultimately the right call. Can you say that about Dyl?
This will be Anthony Milford or Ash Taylor money. Clubs desperate for success throw huge money at kids that have huge potential. Dylbags has played rep footy at least. But if you consider they are paying for the 2024 spoon bowl winning No 6 and not the premiership winner.
Player options are a recipe for disaster for clubs. You open your players up to the market so you have to out bid just to keep them.
– BA was supposed to be off contract this year. Orr probably put in the PO to gain maximum leverage
thinking he’d get BA resigned with Dylan as the bargaining chip. Quite shrewd planning by Orr. Given BA was sacked. He’s used the PO as a get out clause or highest bidder clause.
If it was another player in different circumstances, I’d wish them the best and not blame them.
However, Dylan’s off field incident in 2023 needs to be remembered. Yes, it was a one off but it derailed the season and the club stood by him.
If the club sacked him, he wouldn’t be getting the money he is currently on, which is great money, let alone those types of offers.
It’s not as if he is on 500k-700k. He is pushing 900k – 1 million a season and that would have increased.
In would have hoped that the club standing by him would have played a factor into his decision. Also considering that the clubs decision allowed him to still earn great money.
If there was no incident, it would sting but it could be accepted.
Hey everyone. I’ve read through all of the replies and takes here. I normally try to respond to everyone but as you can see there are plenty of opinions. The phone calls, texts, social media DMs were off the chart last night and I had to put my phone on silent. The takes are varied. If you had the time to watch this pod, you saw an unfiltered response from me.
Like everyone reading this or everyone who is a regular visitor to TCT, Blue and Gold is in my blood. I support the players who wear the jersey, but ultimately players are replaced whether it’s because they retire or they leave. Even club administrators or directors move on. What doesn’t move on is the supporters love for the club.
But this departure was harder than most.
John and I and others we know have been covering Dyl’s journey from the time he joined the Eels as a 15 year old. We’ve got to know him. As I said in the podcast, I avoid talking footy with him, he’d get enough of that anyway. I believed he’d be a one club player, but the reality is that few of those exist in the professional era. And that’s due to both the clubs and the players. Each aim for the best financial outcome in a limited coin environment.
I understand supporters feeling pissed off.
I understand supporters backing his right to take the coin.
Well said mate.
Wishart from storm what’s the chances?
End of the Day Mark O’Neil agreed to a contract that was the longest ever by Parra yet had these clauses that allowed this to happen he needs to be held accountable.
Dylan and his manager have screwed us big time.
Someone will come in to replace him it won’t matter because we are not a team club capable of winning anything within the next 20 years.
We suck always have always will
Mark o Neil and accountability? Never seen it. Could get away with murder that bloke and won’t hear anything about it.
Terrible terrible admin and recruitment/retention team. Laughing stock of the league hiding behind excuses for their poor planning
Now they are close to repeating stefano mistake with tuivati – ie playing a rookie without havent tied them down to extension prior to debut. They showing them off our promising rookie prop to the league. And If anothe rclub comes in theyll say oh we can’t match the offer of the other club for tuivati. Same shit new year.
I can understand the anger towards Brown, but at the end of the day the club put themselves in this situation with the ridiculous contract they signed off on.
I’d been a Brown fan, but the more he plays, particularly without Moses, the more he looks like he’ll never be a top-tier half. For me this most annoying thing is that Sanders and Talagi left because they didn’t want to wait behind two locked in halves and now both don’t look like starting until 2026 – the same situation they would’ve been in at the Eels.
Long term, I’d like the Eels to go after Galvin or Wishart, but it seems unlikely they’d be released for 2026 and waiting for 2027 to pair someone with Moses is a waste. For my mind, I could see some value in going after Jamal Fogarty for 2026 if he’s not re-signed by Canberra on a short deal as a stop-gap until a marquee half is available.
There’s been a lot of talk that the Eels have learnt their recruitment lessons, but I’m not so sure. As others have mentioned, Tuivati is still not locked down and we re-signed Kelma in December for 2026 – was anyone really knocking down the door that we had to give him a roster spot already?
You’re 100% correct Phil, he’ll never be a top tier 7, he just doesn’t have the skill set. He’s a running 5/8 that can easily create space for his outside men, however, the Eels haven’t got the outside men for him either. When Lane was at his best a few years ago you could see how DB worked – take on the line every now and then to put them in 2 minds as to what he was going to do and then use Lane running good lines for DB to put him in space and then when that happens it automatically brings in the option of the ball out the back to a wide centre if the defence starts biting in on Lane. It’s a simple plan and brilliant when executed properly and part of the reason the Eels got to the ’22 GF but after Lane did his jaw he hasn’t been the same player and nobody else the Eels purchased did the job. DB has copped a fair bit of criticism, but the fact is if he’s given the tools he’s extremely effective and the Eels haven’t given him the tools. Yet again, I’ll say those openly celebrating him leaving (ie. like a comment I read saying “what a great day for the Eels”) are just dickheads with zero idea and a very limited knowledge of the game.
Stubby, probably not dickheads but just people who have a different opinion.
I agree Dylan can be an elite player on his day. He runs good lines, is quick and robust.
I do think he requires excellent players around him. Put him at the Storm and he would absolutely shine but he will be required to be the main man out at Newcastle and damn .. he better get his head out of his ass as he will be required to produce every single game at the top level and not just once a month.
It’s so bloody cut throat and if he has some ordinary games for the Knights , the supporters will be red hot on him.
For every Dylan Brown, there’s a Lachie Gavlin coming through and probably more behind Galvin.
Skills training and identification has gone to another level and the NRL will be like the Premier League and NFL where the players will have to produce every single game or be cut.
That’s what makes this contract so risky for the Knights. Will the Knights be able to turn a player who is so laconic and by his own admission who just tunes out of games into a rock solid Nathan Cleary like product ?
For the money they are paying him, they are obviously betting they can but the Eels have spent 10 years trying to do it so I don’t like their chances.
As for the Eels, Ryles and Brown with the support of the Board have identified massive deficiencies in the program and have given Ryles a blank canvas.
We just have to trust and support the vision.
I believe that Ryles will be the best thing that has happened to the club in years but we were so bloody deficient that it’s going to take a little while to address.
I’m ecstatic that the Eels didn’t play Orrs game to match the offer and be assured, it would have come as a shock to them that we didn’t !
Under past regimes we would have mortgaged the club to keep him.
Man I’m so optimistic about this club. Our juniors are tracking well and we are on the right track.
Different opinions are fine but I can’t see how anybody can actually celebrate losing a player of DB’s quality. As 60’s pointed out he’s been around since he was 15. He’s the 1st choice Kiwi 6 and no doubt a quality player when used correctly. Be angry, be disappointed or whatever, but there’s zero reasons to openly celebrate losing him, just none. I think the decision was fine and good luck to the Knights in offering that coin and to DB in accepting it, but there’s no way I’m going to celebrate him leaving. At the end of the day one door closes and another opens, you just wait and see what happens next. No one player has ever been bigger than any Club in any sport. Good times, bad times, enjoy the ride and understand there’s more important things than supporting a footy team.
Mate who knows what happens in the background.
Brown may just turn onto a star at Newcastle and that will be great.
There was decent talk last year that the Eels wanted Galvin.
I even mentioned it a couple of times.
The Eels losing Brown is the worst possible result for the Tigers.
The Eels will have to pay and may even pay 1.2 for Galvin but he’s a red hot chance to go to the Eels and he WILL ask for a release to go for the 2026 season.
Galvin loves the Eels and that hasn’t deminshed.
Losing Dylbro is not good and no way should the Eels gone anywhere near matching the salary offered by the Knights. The one important thing that should be discussed is the lack of any real foresight regarding recruitment until it seems Ryles joined the club.
Too often the whole narrative seemed to be sign experienced journeymen, and there didn’t seem to be a plan to replace the players lost in 2022 with similar players. Frankly it was terrible and some blame needs to fall heavily on the CEO, HOF , Chairman and Coach who formed the recruitment committee and didn’t seem to aim up. Allowing those options which ultimately led to losing 2 up and comers in Sanders and Talagi when there were clauses which provided opportunities for the halves to leave was irresponsible.
The big hope is that Ryles influence at the table and new Chairman will assist in a rebuild , via good signings and juniors from our pathways , and that side of the club is looking promising under DeGois.
Sarantinos and ONeil appear to want success but basically failed previously, obviously we do not know if the board has looked at their roles and performance re the roster, they should have and set up some KPIs that need to be met, otherwise we need to refresh those positions.
That will be interesting to see, B&G. There were reports of BA and MO’N butting heads and not getting on at all. Then after he was sacked they openly said BA never had a player signed or released that he didn’t approve of – well that may be the case, but there was certainly talk of chasing several quality players and all failed, so who is that on as surely it’s not BA solely? There were rumours he had too much say in the R&R proceedings, but I highly doubt that. I can’t see that BA’s targeted marquee signings for ’24 were 2 Manly rejects! I’m still of the opinion that BA’s failings were partly due to those above him and if that’s true then JR or whoever is next in the firing line are destined to fail until something higher up changes. Look at Matt Cameron, Frank Ponisi, Gus Gould etc. the Eels have nobody remotely close to that from my limited knowledge of those at the top. Don’t worry about players to replace DB, what I’d be chasing is the right man to be Head of Football, that’s exactly where the success starts.
I definitely agree that Brown can be a running threat, particularly with an edge like Lane was in ’22. I’d argue the contract he was on with the Eels reflects that, but it seems to me like he wants a contract that is for a team-leading half. I don’t begrudge him going out and getting that, but I’m not disappointed the Eels didn’t offer the same sort of deal and tie up the cap so much when there’s a need to find some quality on the forwards.
Knights signed O’Sullivan as their head of recruitment. It’s a separate position to the head of football and Eels need to follow suit. It’s clear MON has been outplayed time and time again by agents. Either he’s incompetent or his role is too big and needs to be split (or both lol).
Rest assured we will keep getting outplayed on and off the field if things stay the same in the front office. Literally agents are like come in spinner
Ben Rogers has been the head of recruitment for the Eels since November 2020.
https://au.linkedin.com/in/ben-rogers-b21556b2?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
Well there inlies the problem! It’s actually worse than I thought.
So we have one person whose sole responsibility is recruitment and another person that announces all the decisions with recruitment. Both are as bad as it gets. Here I was prepared to cut some slack for a job too big. Only to discover he’s already been afforded that luxury.
Do we need Doge to do a review? Of who’s running the show this badly. We also have Sarantinos involved. But who’s agreeing on the contract? I suspect MON gets the deal done with agents and Sarantinos signs off. So what does Rogers actually do? He’s certainly No O’Sullivan and it shows in how badly we get outplayed on so many occasions. Junior or senior contracts are abysmal and where’s the accountability?
Blame for this situation sits squarely in the arms of the retention committee. I was speaking to a friend on the day that the deal was announced. We both had the same view. We didn’t have Dyl until 2031 we only had him until the end of 2025.
The player and manager are doing what is best for them. The club needs to start doing what is best for the club and that means never allow player options again.
Listening to 2GB this morning they announced the contract was $14mil for 10 years. That is an increase on what was previously disclosed.
I have to disagree with Forty a little bit when he says that contracts are not worth the paper they are printed on. For that point I disagree. Contracts are very defendable in court. Trick is getting the negotiations right before signing.
Galvin is an obvious choice to chase. He is a quality player and I think he could work well with Mitch. However I like Sixties I would like to see Joash get a chance to show his ability at 6.
I agree with you both that defence will be the deciding factor for his future.
Let be real, Mark O’Neill and the rest of the football department are doing an awful job. They finally woke up and said no more player options well it’s a bit late for that, if they done their job properly the first time we wouldn’t have upgrade Moses contract or be losing Dylan Brown. A quote from a few years ago is “we are going to be a side that competes for the title every year” we narrowly avoided the wooden spoon last year and we surely have to be favourites to get it this year.
Everyone else who can take accountability is now gone except for Mark O’Neill and those who run the football department.
When you look at the big picture, he had an incredibly good deal with us. Yet the moment he got the chance, despite us backing him through two scandals—one of which made him a convicted criminal—he bailed.
Make no mistake, I’m glad he turned out to be a spoiled, entitled, and disloyal space cadet. He was never the future, and I’m certain Ryles saw it the second he arrived, which is why he didn’t even bother entertaining a bidding war with his management.
Spot on. Let’s hope round 1 was just everyone under emotional stress regarding this bombshell and now that it’s out in the open, we can focus…and Brown actually repays the club for the remainder of the year. He owes the club and the fans at least that.
Just a warning to Newcastle folk – last time someone associated with the Eels headed there, they bit off more than they could chew. Lucky they had a taxi waiting outside.
Avenger, thinking about now, it could be possible the club was willing to let him walk. They didn’t budge on their offer while at the same time upped Mitch’s offer in favour of deleting his clauses and announced it while Orr was shopping. That told Orr and Brown we have just secured the second best halfback in the world for 1.3M on a long term deal without clauses.
I honestly don’t think Brown thought about leaving, I’m sure the plan all along was to secure an overinflated contract like he’s managed to secure for years.
I’ll bet he’s in as much shock as we are that he won’t be an Eel in 26.
Ryles didn’t include Brown in the leadership group but included Hopgood and Williams who have been at the club for less time. He’s can’t make a leadership group at his own club but Newcastle think he’s the man to lead them around the park.