Before launching into today’s training session, let’s address the Eels confirmation of their acquisition of Brian Kelly.
Turning 30 in 2026, Kelly brings 190 games of NRL backline experience across stints at Manly and the Gold Coast. Joining the Eels on a two year deal, Kelly fits the bill in filling what Eels GM of Football Mark O’Neill describes as a “positional area of need.”
I’m expecting Kelly to front up for preseason training later this week.
The other big Eels news concerned Zac Lomax’s request for a release from Parra to join the Storm. Should the Eels continue to deny him a deal with the Storm, it will likely be with the support of the vast majority of Blue and Gold fans.
Forty and I will go into more depth on Kelly, Lomax and the Eels roster in our Tuesday night news podcast. Be sure to join us live on YouTube and get involved in the chat room.
Brian Kelly
As for training, the last time the squad was on the field was the Saturday before Christmas. That means it’s been a fortnight waiting to learn who earned the Tour De Parra shirts from the final week of 2025.
The following players were the recipients:
Matt Doorey – Gold
Kelma Tuilagi – White
Jordan Samrani – Spots
Luca Moretti – Green
The significance of these players earning the shirts is that all of them are in hot competition for a place in the round one team. Both Doorey and Talagi have now secured multiple shirts, indicative of their strong pre-season performances.
First day back on the training track also meant Broncos Run fitness testing.
Broncos test in action
It’s my understanding that there were a number of PBs posted, but it was the battle between the leading two runners which really caught the attention of everyone at Kellyville.
Out in the lead from the start was Ryley Smith and Lincoln Fletcher. The two young guns went stride for stride, and the last 150 metres of the 1.2km test was a full on sprint to the finish.
Ultimately Lincoln Fletcher beat Ryley Smith by about half a metre, in a time which was about three seconds outside Ryley’s record from last year. Not far behind those two was Araz Nanva, with the rising centre continuing to make great strides over summer.
As far as the rest of the session was concerned, it was mostly foundation skills as the squad eased back into their loading.
Foundation skills
Passing skills, forward shapes, defence line movement, and marker and A/B defender positioning filled out the morning. Without question, the skills of the Eels forwards have been taken to another level this preseason.
There was a time in the recent past when the NRL had teams built around a group of skilled spine players, supported by strong, fast athletes. Thankfully the game is moving back to having every player capable of throwing a range of passes, especially using quick hands and short passes to put pressure on opposition defences.
I’m expecting the players to be pushed a little harder as this week progresses. Please note. The squad will see out this week and next at Kellyville before again heading to Lennox Head for their week long camp.
Eels forever!
Sixties
The whole Zac Lomax saga is a complete circus from the Lomax camp. The minute Zac signed here and all the noise started happening about how good his form was at the dragons Zac knew he’d made the wrong call coming to parra. I have no doubt he wanted out of the dragons but he took less money to come to a club who were going into a rebuild.
I Can’t question his commitment when he stepped on the field but Zac and his manager were looking for a get out from day one.
Two months later the dust has settled a little bit and zacs showing us what he truly wanted. There’s no way I’d want Zac back at the club so Parra are holding all the chips in this deal potentially with the storm.
I’m not letting him sign without a player of similar ability and I’ve got a feeling storm would consider three players if any at all in nick meaney, will warbrick and jack howarth. Nick would definitely be worth further discussion but I’d probably want more.
Parra don’t owe Zac anything if we’re not profiting from a deal he can go play super rugby
Largely agree 1990. I’m not sure he wanted out from day-1. When he signed with the Eels we were already struggling, albeit under BA. That said, the deal never made a lot of sense to me.
I can’t see the Storm giving us a back – surely they need all of theirs having lost Anderson and Paps? I think they’d more likely offload a forward. Other than Harry Grant, I don’t really see us needing any of their forwards. I also would not be that keen on Stefano – I think he’s ok, not outstanding. So I could see a bit of a 3-way swap being constructed, but I don’t know which club comes to the party to make it work ….. a club with a cap pinch. Maybe it’s something like Shawn Blore to Dogs, Lomax to Storm, Burton to Parra?
Mick, there has to be something in it for Parra otherwise they need to maintain their stance.
Agree. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on it tonight!
The other club I could see involved in the switch is the Cows. Maybe we get Purdue via that channel? Who knows.
The Cows aren’t giving up Jaxon Purdue, he’s their future alongside Tom Deardon.
I’d take Warbrick or Howarth, probably unrealistic to expect to get Xavier Coates.
Agree totally Parra 1990.
Not sure why Eels rejected Zac’s request outright. Why not demand a player from Storm and allow him to sign? OR get him back on reduced contract with immediate termination clause if failed to meet certain KPIs so he didn’t shirk his on field responsibilities.
They didn’t. Apparently they’re in talks over a trade, but the player in question has to agree to come to Parra.
As i understand it Meaney is going to Perth in 2027.
Zac Lomax for Xavier Coates sounds like a fair swap
I’d take that! 😁
Not sure Melbourne would agree !!!
Lomax is better than any of their backs except for Coates. So unless they are willing to release him which they won’t, they will come out ahead in any deal we make. So we might as well go hard and get the best possible outcome for Parra. If the roles were reversed Melbourne wouldn’t accept nothing less.
Great to hear young Lincoln Fletcher is putting in the hard yards at training. It’ll be interesting to see where he ends up, he’s still eligible for SG Ball but with injuries and suspensions he may find himself in reserve grade at some point in the year
Fletcher has a development contract meaning he can play from round 1 ?
I’d love to watch tonight’s podcast live but can’t find a start time anywhere, pls lmk where I can find that?
The potential for swapping Lomax for an elite player is interesting, now that it’s out there that the Storm could be going there – what of the other clubs? Can we swap him for Payne Haas if we add Bailey to the deal, maybe we can throw in Penisini as well to sweeten the deal
Looking forward to seeing what could come from this
What about Nick Meaney? Off Contract can play any where from1 to 6 and can kick goals.
I personally just don’t want to see Lomax rewarded for breaking a multi year contract
He took a huge gamble in R360 And by all reports dragons + ppl in the know at the Eels
He originally came here to play “centre” and is known to have a very big ego
How martial arts teacher also alluded to the fact how big his ego on a video once done in a friendly but true manor
I like Lomax and he is an awesome player
But I DO NOT want ppl rewarded for shafting us on contracts
It also sets a tone – if Lomax can just leave and break Eels contract and join a better team…
You can bet other contracted star players will think they can do the same in future if they are unhappy
Eels MUST stand strong on this – he can come back on 200k less if he wants to return to the NRL
His* martial arts teacher
I don’t agree with this take, we can’t be cutting our nose in spite of our face when we have the potential to gain advantage- let’s sign someone elite
I agree with sixties, we would keep him in purgatory unless it’s to our advantage
The lomax situation smells very fishy but we won’t know exactly what has gone for a while. All we know is he tried to go to rugby 360 for coin, that rug got pulled and now union are offering peanuts so he’s not happy.
I hope parra seek a good player from Melbourne (a young gun back – but not Howarth who is slow, set to transition to back row soon and injury prone). Meany isn’t the right profile either as he’s Sean Russell but older and average at best. Coates would be ideal but that ain’t happening. Warbrick is a good player but huge risk with concussion history. Surely there’s some young gun that Billy slater has been mentoring that we can trade for lomax. Alternatively a young forward may be what we want – a prop (not blore who is bog average and injury prone).
Anyway, food for thought
for a first-year coach, Ryles is made of tough stuff and should be proud the club made this appointment, and hopefully this is returned with some wins in the coming years, from the high turnover of players and dealing with disgruntled players, (matto, simmo,lomax, etc) in 2025 would be no picnic
At the end of the day i think Lomax just did not want to be an eel, and sounds like the storm have been in discussions for some time behind the scenes, i hope our front office play hard ball here, storm are experts at this, just happened to have signed one of the best props in Utoikamanu then retire Welch suddenly,
And now Lomax high as a lawyer
Lomax will be at the Storm very soon. It’s just a matter of compensation.
For what it’s worth, I’ve been told ..
We are after Howarth but Storm don’t want to part with him and he’s not that keen either.
They have offered Warbrick but Eels worried about his past concussion issues which are worse than expected.
Storm actually looked into his retirement.
Discussions continue.
When he rocks up at the Storm, they will have a hell of a threat on both wings with Lomax and Coates.
If we are after Howarth we are kidding ourselves – he’s average and going to be in back row soon (too slow for centre). We are more than stocked with back rowers. He is also very injury prone.
Mate I agree with you. He is a very good defender in the centre but yes, very injury prone.
Just the scuttle butt I heard..everyone trying to get an angle on it at the moment.
Wasn’t trying to shoot the messenger. Just shaking my head if parra management bungle this situation. They need to use their leverage well and show they are professionals not ones that merely get walked over by bigger fish like Gould (re Galvin) and ponisi (re lomax)
Yeah Lomax can get stuffed tbh he came to us then saw the $$$ when it came up; good luck to him but he gets no favours from me. Unless we can get something of equal value
Let’s see how the media portray this one too…Will be interesting.
His name has a bad stench to it for me…not even an Ibis will show much interest
I generally side with players on issues vs clubs as they have a short career span and it can be pretty cutthroat for them. But that being said, Lomax cooked us on this one and if Melbourne want him we should be recognising we hold the best card and play hard ball. If Lomax misses out, then so be it, he can play rugby. I do think Melbourne and Lomax, or another club, could come up with something pretty good if pushed. Just not sure I have the faith in our front office to pull it off.
Melbourne apparently offering us Katoa for Lomax