And just like that the Parramatta Eels and Jarome Luai have confirmed that their unlikely partnership for 2027 is very much real and official after the club put out a press release on Tuesday afternoon announcing that the premiership and Origin winning half was joining the Blue & Gold next year. Luai, a polarising figure in the code, has understandably split fans on whether it is the right move for the Eels but regardless of where you stand there it is ultimately the first major move Parramatta have made for next season since signing Jaydn Su’A. Sixties and Forty20 reflect on the news and the significance of the signing and ruminate on who could be next as the media link the Eels to Jack Howarth.
As always, the boys go around the NRL to scope out the latest happenings. The NRL is prepared to make an allowance for Mark Nawaqanitawase to play in the World Cup while Josh Hannay has unloaded on officials after his team went down to the Melbourne Storm in Round 19. All that and more in another live edition of The Tip Sheet.
Luai is a good get for a season as let’s be honest – If Moses is hurt again we have an elite leader there
Easts got DCE for a year and age is v different.
Parra need to also look at halves again on 12 months time.
Luai’s a good get for me.
I’m in your corner Milo. But if next year they still don’t think our pathways halves will be ready by 28 then they might need to revisit their long term plans.
Therein lies our issues. The more we go for short term options, the more pressure it ultimately applies to Talataina when he does debut. Right now the kid can only disappoint us now given the machinations the club is going through to pick him “at the right time”.
Hey Brett is this much different to what Easts have done with DCE? They’ve had him in the team and he’s played while origin is on and it’s allowed them to give other halves a go.
We have two kids playing Reggie’s who’ve not had a crack yet due to injuries this year. Luai is a proven winner and has more than enough runs on the board for me. We also hope the club adds more recruitment and depth
You misunderstand me, I’m not opposed to the Luai signing, just the opposite. My concern is that the move has been precipitated by the desire to not block the path for Lorenzo Talataina, without having any idea whether he can actually play at NRL level. What happens if we get to round 1, 2028 and Ryles doesn’t think he’s ready then ? Another short term fix ? Another year in a holding pattern ? If we think he’s the future, then why aren’t we giving him a chance this year to see where he’s at ? Surely we need to see him in NRL action to see if the potential is there ? It just feels like we’re placing an awful lot of faith in a kid who has no NRL experience.
Totally agree, put him in, you can only learn what its like in1st grade, by playing 2st grade, the other question is if hes not ready….why ?
1st grade my bad
Someone has written a piece for these exchanges listing the number of NRL matches prominent halves have played while younger than twenty. In some cases it’s a lot
I believe that Lorenzo turns twenty one next year. Certainly he’s big enough to cope.
I think it’s time to give him NRL experience off the bench, and take a good look at the extent we can rely on him for the future.
Yeah, agreed. At the end of the day you can’t be totally focused on the future, sometimes you’ve just gotta focus on being good next year. Luai will help us do that.
While the Luai signing is understandable given price and quality, this signing reiterates how badly the roster has been mismanaged.
We still haven’t replaced Dylan Brown.
Right now Brown, Talagi or Sanders should be our five eight. Instead it will be 2028 at the earliest until we have a long term 6. That’s 2 seasons of Moses prime wasted without a long term halves partner. Mark O’Neill was quick to put his name to the Luai announcement, he should be equally accountable for the mismanagement that got us here in the first place.
BP, we were no chance of keeping Sanders or Talagi. We maybe could have retained Sanders for an extra year when his last contract with Parra was done but he’s an out and out halfback playing regular NRL for the Raiders. He probably would be filling in for Moses at Parra. Ultimately both left for better opportunity because our halves appeared to be locked in for long term deals. Brown, as it turned out was not. There’s no need to revisit that. We all know about his contract.
Last year we had terrific choice for back up halves in Hawkins and Volkman plus Papalii. Moving forward, if Volkman doesn’t extend, there remains Papalii, Talataina and Fletcher. If the young ones still aren’t ready in Ryles’ eyes, then the planning and talent identification has gone wrong. But don’t forget, plenty of supporters are also backing the talent of those younger players.
I’m a bit exhausted by our ‘issues’, off-field it is what it is so I watch the games hoping for one of those 80%+ efforts. Sua will give us a bit of defensive competence and steel in 2027 and Luai will add value (define ‘value’,,,his record?). Is it enough? No, if Moses could play 20 games, that would be like another signing.We get Hopgood back, he’s been under rated, in our 2025 late season run he finally was fit, hard working and competent. Is it enough? No. But let’s see who else we sign. I don’t feel any worse than when Ricky sacked half the roster then drove back ti Canberra.
BDon, we need at least 2 more quality signings for 27, plus another 3 for 28 to continue the build. I’m locking in SL at this stage. We then need much better injury fortune for next year. That would be nice!
SL being Spencer Leniu ? What about Jack Howarth ?
I’m on with Luai signing for now because we need more than 1 experienced half on the roster
But HERE is the issue: “Parramatta are set to launch the most comprehensive internal investigation in the club’s history after yet another season of dismal performances.
From the ball boys to the boardroom, no area will be spared as the Eels look to improve their efforts both on and off the field in 2027.“
Any of us who aren’t afraid to speak the blunt truth have been saying this off and on, not just now, but for years, there’s people running the club who are to put it simply… NOT competent to run parramatta & turn it into a successful NRL team.
It’s almost like Stockholm syndrome. People stand up for this board, CEO, and head of football, even while they FOR YEARS have not been even remotely competitive at signing high quality players if there is ANY competition for signatures.
We are literally non competitive on the player markets. If a player has any interest elsewhere when they hit the market, they simply go there. The eels WILL NOT EVER win the premiership again so long as they have this competitive disadvantage.
Moses, Ryles, even Luai coming is not the problem. Even though all of those men will be scapegoats if we have a bad 2027 like 2026.
The reality is, star halves, competent coaches, quality Eels jnrs trying to break into NRL successfully – none of this can possibly work successfully if the club is ran poorly and they are unable to sign quality experienced NRL talent to help build out a competitive squad.
I am very pleased to hear that FINALLY the club is running an investigation. It’s well over due. Complete shambles on roster and recruitment since 22 grand final.
My only concern? Is that the CEO is running it or has his influence over it. Because his penny pinching policy’s and staff he’s installed are actually what the problem is at the club. This club needs a major shake up.
Inability to sign quality players = failure for any NRL club… and we are literally the worse club at it. Let’s hope for change.
Muz, I get the frustration. We have missed too many targets, and in some instances we probably should have dropped more coin to get players across the line. In retrospect I can look at that and specifically identify that for a deal like Kaloamatangi. He left Souths and rejected us because of the size of the deal at the Dragons. At the time I agreed with the club at drawing the line at a certain point. A few months down the track and I view it differently.
Are the club Penny pinchers? Or do you mean player valuation?
You could argue that they needed to spend more to get certain players across the line for contracts. See KK. Maybe with some retentions too. Eg Isaiah Papali’i. Of course, the cap is a defined amount that every club has to spend, so it comes down to the valuation of all players on the roster. Spending big or too much on some means not spending enough on others. So is it player evaluation? Is it talent identification? Is it talent development?
What is fact is that the Eels are close to the top of the tree in terms of money spent on the overall football program. So penny pinching it is not.
60’s the penny pinching starts with only being willing to pay unders for players who are available on the open market.
Let’s not all pretend or cover for the club that they are some type of team of individuals who are generous when it comes to attracting players on the open market.
You are spot on with them investing heavily into overall football program & facilities, I totally agree.
But the parramatta eels lose out on every single signature when it actually matters… they cannnot sign elite talent unless it’s a player in desperate circumstances, or becomes available at a time when no other club can strike a deal with them.
We must all stop doing this overly optimistic view of our club like they are our mates or something, the eels is a failing organisation. 40 years no premiership. We both may never see the eels win a title if we are being completely honest.
The fact there’s an internal investigation going on at parramatta shows that there’s problems. All of us showing blind faith will not help our club. Even if it makes us feel more united in the short term.
We will never win the premiership if we cannot compete for elite players on the open market. I support Jason ryles, I support our jnrs.
But the bottle neck causing us to have the worst R & R in the NRL is not a joking matter. This must be addressed and fixed. Or parramatta continue to be a failing football club. It’s sad to say it. But that’s a highly likely scenario unfortunately. We need to fix it.
I’d rather us all have hard conversations and share uncomfortable opinions until the club listens if it means we change or remove bottle necks holding us back, rather than remain comfortable and sit back while our club is literally the least successful team at attracting talent.
Muz this is the second time in a row that I have agreed with you. The first issue is that it’s an internal investigation. What will an internal investigation disclose that they don’t already know.
I have been told by plenty that the current run of injuries is just the luck of the draw and I would be hard pressed to argue with that view. However notwithstanding I feel that they should look into the current injury crisis to see if it’s something that is not working.
But the recruitment and retention issue is a major problem. At least Matt Beach has got rid of the player options something that has been a major problem for a long time
Don’t forget that MON was employed off the back of an indepedant review and the new CEO part of an external process as well.
You guys would not be happy if Jesus Christ did the review. So how how do you frame it?
I am surprised that this review is taking place in the “formal language” of constant failure…..I could do this review and give you any answer you want, depending on your politics and what you want to achieve. i.e this year is a disaster owing to injuries,
Yes, now look past that!
Answer this question: is the want to achieve a placation or an exercise in quality management. The wording of the desperation of constant failure says placation!
I would approach it as an internal review being conducted by the executive with the handing over of that summation to people that do not need to get lost in the chatter.
Yes an external reviewer could be more enlightened as to the problems by having them review the process. That’s not conduct the review but to assess it and reply with an action plan.
It is always a sham when the reviewer is given a set of parameters to meet the needs of the incumbents. This is cynical? You bet it is, because that is how it will be seen.
It may be hard for some to accept the result of a review because who handled it….i.e. who judges the judges.
My process just to explain it on a different level is have a internal review conducted by whatever executive committee you think is approporiate and then have someone external to look at the results and objectives.
The choice of this person or their appropriateness to do so, I will leave to the minds of people that know who is available, but the credability has to be something that becomes agreeable to all parties, including the current management. i.e I will throw a name in a hat, but don’t get lost on it….Peter Sterling….he could bring anyone into it to help him!
Are we capable of being that honest?
The area of review outcome that will most interest me is the recognition and retention of junior talent. Had we retained all of the junior talent that has emerged over the past decade we would have a formidable team. I have no personal knowledge of the situation but I have read with concern accusations that some junior teams never see anyone from the club at their games; could this be true? Isn’t it the case that Brown did a fairly recent review of our Pathways structures and made recommendations? We are an area where we have a lot of people who have played Rugby League at a junior level, coached school kids. It would seem to me that putting together a volunteer group of people informed enough about the game to be able to make reliable recommendations would not be all that difficult – treat them with a bit of respect, shout them a lunch and afternoon at the football every year.
It’s also clear that we lacked leadership with sufficient agility of mind to recognise that the entry of The Dolphins caused a significant inflation in the market for elite players so that we suffered a loss of leaders from which we have not to this point recovered. That fact needs to be a focus, especially given the claim that we have significant unspent budget this year. Getting beaten on money when we have unspent money is a strange situation.
It will be interesting to see who does the review, the process used and what they come up with. I think that the suggestion that Peter Sterling be involved would have the support of most of us; maybe successful business men like Mick Cronin and Peter Wynn also could play a role.
We are a stronger team next year for the signings of Su’A and Luai, absolutely no question. I can’t say that I’m optimistic that we’ll see more of Mitch than in this season or the previous two; he’ll be 33 before the end of next season. When we manage to put our potential best 19 on the park we’ll be very presentable – it gives us progress ahead of 2028.
Noel, hopefully we get two or three more for next season and don’t suffer an injury toll like this year. Look at how the Storm have been impacted by just two key injuries. A back rower and a winger missing for a year has thrown out their balance. With the signings we will improve. How much, I’ll think about that when the roster is complete.
I’ve read the various comments, both positive and negative. Luai in black or pink was a bit of a jerk but let’s face it, he’ll be great in blue and gold. Here’s what I think is good.
1. He’s a $1.3 mill player that we get for $700K. Good deal.
2. He’s intensely competitive so he will put in. Excellent short kicking game and elusive ball runner.
3. He takes the pressure of Moses so Mitch becomes much more dangerous with ball in hand.
4. Any ambitious young half is going to learn a lot from him.
5. We will win more games and the culture and morale at the club will improve.
6. I will want to attend some games at the Stadium because we will be competitive no matter who we play, especially if we can snag a top line centre.
So what’s not to like? In 2028 there will be ambitious juniors itching to wear the number 6 for the Eels.
Well done, Eels. Good move.
And, later in the season we can blood Talataina off the bench, move Hopgood to centre field, Luai to lock and have Talataina on the field with both him and Moses – what a learning base for a young man!
Love that.
Hi McFersie,
Well i agree he has a decent short kicking game and will take some pressure off of Moses. No doubt he takes more pressure off of Moses than say a Joash or a Volkman who presumably continues to improve in 27 – but really, how much more? He is competitive? He can be for sure. But he has zero motivation next year remember – none.
Any ambitious half is going to learn a lot from him? Maybe. But what do you base that on? If that were the case, you would imagine the Tigers would have kept him around. And for us, well he doesn’t play within structure – that isn’t his strength. And we have Mitch Moses. Are we saying, our halves can’t learn what they need to learn from Mitch (without the indignity of watching their place in the team and their salary being given to a 1 year player)?
We will win more games and the culture will improve? We may win more games. Won’t be enough to win a comp. How many more wins is an unmotivated Luai worth than say an improving Volkman? 1.5, maybe 2 over the course of the year? Maybe. That is hardly a culture shifter. Again, certainly hasn’t been enough wins at the Tigers to create a positive culture shift. And again, if he was good for culture and moral, why wouldn’t the Tigers keep him around?
So, IMO, that’s some of what isn’t to like. In 2028 I hope there are still ambitious juniors wanting to wear the 6 jersey. It will have been well and truely cheapened by allowing a mercenary to play in it in 27, I don’t know how anyone can argue that. But who knows, maybe I will be wrong. Hopefully I will be.
BA,
I hear you but the relentless optimist in me sees it in the way I wrote. Time will tell. If I am wrong, c’est la vie. Meanwhile
“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –
I’m singing the tune without the words.
Poetically appropriate McFersie
Luai will also make his tackles and not be a liability in the defensive line for back rowers to run at like Volkman and Pezet are.
He is a relatively strong defender, agreed.
Luai tackle percentage is actually 2% worse than Volkman’s this year…
Volkmann obviously has worked hard on his tackling this year and he’s certainly improved. Anyway, he’s moving on so I guess it’s irrelevant
Hey BA. We did mention you in the pod for your logical opposition to the signing. Your opinions are always respected.
Cheers Sixties. Friday morning commute is usually my chance to listen in.
We don’t all have to be in agreement all the time to want the same outcome – a team playing for a premiership.
Heck, it would be boring if we did.
I’ve got my take. I obviously hope I am wrong.
Good to know you’ve gamed out the whole season already, no need to play the games then.
Nailed it McFersie
I love how people are expecting Moses to play next year, has he announced his retirement from rep footy?
Until that happens then I’m of the opinion that Luai will probably be our 7 for most of next season.
Great, just great.
To state the obvious, Luai is an outstanding, competitive footballer. He demonstrated conclusively at The Tigers he is not and never will be a 7. To me his natural role is as a ball playing lock. His recruitment, in my opinion, strengthens us but Mitch will be 33 by the end of next season; we need cover for him. I thought Volkmann was the obvious contender.
Volkman rejected the offer. The numbers aren’t public knowledge but I’d assume it was pitched between fill in half and full time half – maybe closer to fill in. If so, given history and performances would that be fair or unfair?
@Noel exactly, Luai is not a 7, who is Mitch’s cover for when he’s having a break?
We should have got Pezet for more than a year or not at all and kept Volkman, it’s just mess everywhere
Poor fans
Bastard Betoota Advocate commentary, minutes after Argentina 2 – England 1 SF:
“Never ever.
Hahahaha.
After 60 long years of carry on, the English have once again proven that they are the Parramatta Eels of world football.”
Hit ’em where it hurts.
Interesting appearance Roger. Not sure what this England performance is that you speak about.
In the final analysis? At the quoted figure of $700,000 a season, a proven elite player probably at the height of his powers, even for just one season? We would have been crazy to say no.
For me the main question for 2027 isn’t around luai it’s going to be around Mitch Moses. There’s no more excuses if he can’t fire some shots in 2027 I honestly think it’s done. This is an elite half’s pairing and with that results will need to come and if he can’t manage it with luai I don’t think it is going to happen.
It’s a huge year for the club if we can’t get some results I honestly think it might be worth a discussion around a post Moses era. There’s a lot of quality coming off contract in 2027 so the discussion might need to had
I can’t believe we let dogs sign Connor votano. Would of been a good young centre or wing prospect for us but we have such little acumen around identifying and signing talented young backline players at other clubs