Major 'worry' that could erase Eels 'facelift'

Few clubs have had a bigger facelift than the Parramatta Eels over the summer - and boy did they need it. After coming 15th with a strong squad and having the second-worst defensive record in the competition behind only the Wests Tigers, officials decided enough was enough. Long-serving coach Brad Arthur was sent packing mid-season and his replacement, Jason Ryles, cut loose the Eels' two most experienced players - fullback and skipper Clinton Gutherson and prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard. Crowd favourite Maika Sivo has followed Arthur to Leeds, but his replacement Zac Lomax from the Dragons or Josh Addo-Carr from Canterbury should be top signings. Fellow recruits Isaiah Iongi (Panthers) and Jack Williams (Sharks) should also bring plenty to the club, but there's plenty of pressure on young Iongi, who will have to fill Gutherson's role at the back. Scoring points has never been a problem - they actually posted more last season than the Bulldogs and Knights, who both played finals footy - but Ryles will be looking for a huge improvement in defence after the team leaked closed to 30 points per game. Halves pairing Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown remain the Eels' trump cards and there are few better playmaking combinations in the league. They were responsible for the high scores the team was able to post and gave the likes of Will Penisini and Bailey Simonsson time and space to work their moves. There's class aplenty in the forwards with the likes of Shaun Lane, J'maine Hopgood, Ryan Matterson and Junior Paulo all accomplished offloaders who can put teammates through holes in the line. The hooking spot is a bit of a worry, with several contenders but no clear standout - and that could bite the Eels.

2025 gains - Zac Lomax (Dragons), Isaiah Iongi (Panthers), Dean Hawkins (Rabbitohs), Joash Papalii (Bulldogs), Jordan Samrani (Bulldogs), Jack Williams (Sharks), Kitione Kautoga (Bulldogs), Josh Addo-Carr (Bulldogs), Ronald Volkman (Dragons).

2025 losses - Ethan Sanders (Raiders), Blaize Talagi (Panthers), Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Titans), Maika Sivo (Leeds Rhinos), Clint Gutherson (Dragons), Daejarn Asi (Castleford), Ky Rodwell (Wakefield Trinity), Makahesi Makatoa (released), Morgan Harper (Warriors), Ofahiki Ogden (released), Tevita Taumoepenu (released), Zac Cini (Castleford).

'They don't want me': RCG lifts the lid on Parra exit

Reagan Campbell-Gillard has lifted the lid on his exit from Parramatta, admitting that "shit happens" and he is looking forward to starting fresh at the Titans. In one of many surprising moves made by new coach Jason Ryles, the 31-year-old was pushed out by the club immediately after winning the Player of the Year award. Campbell-Gillard has since put pen to paper on a three-year contract with Gold Coast and explained to the media on Saturday how the decision came about. "I'm not going to go into too much details, but I said to Ryles, 'tell me how it is' and he felt like he wanted to go in a different direction," he said. "I understand that - it's a business and everyone needs to understand that as well. "I still had one more year left, but at my age to secure my future, that was sort of main thing and having that security as well. At my age, three years is a lifetime. "Shit happens, you know, that's just rugby league and how the business works. They don't want me, then that's alright. I'm fully okay with that and I've landed up here." Campbell-Gillard will add plenty of experience to a developing roster at the Titans, while also complementing an already-strong forward pack. The former NSW and Kangaroos enforcer admits one of his main goals at the club will be to ensure skipper Tino Fa'asuamaleaui can ease back into things after missing the majority of the 2024 season due to an ACL injury. "I've come to take the pressure off Tino," he said. "Tino's coming back from an injury and a bad one as well. "So with myself and Moe [Fotuaika] and the other boys on the bench with Jaimin [Jolliffe] as well, I think if we could take the pressure off Tino, then he's not doing a lot of work to get the team forward. "I'm happy to do that role and I'll do it for him." Campbell-Gillard will have to wait a little longer than most clubs to get on the field next season, with the Titans receiving a bye in the opening round.

RCG move leads to exit as Arthur pulls off raid

Reagan Campbell-Gillard's arrival at the Gold Coast Titans has led to the departure of Keenan Palasia as the former Broncos prop heads to the Super League. The Samoan international will join forces with former Eels coach Brad Arthur at Leeds Rhinos on a two-year deal. "Keenan arrives with a lot of experience of playing in the NRL, with nearly 70 games under his belt, and I think he will complement the options we already have in our forward pack," Arthur said in a statement. "Having spoken to him, I know he is excited about starting his new life in England with the Rhinos and I think he will become a firm fan favourite with his style of play." Palasia played 53 matches at the Broncos, including the 2023 grand final defeat to Penrith. He featured in 15 matches for the Titans but appears to have been deemed surplus to requirements by coach Des Hasler. The Titans agreed to release Palasia from the final year of his contract so he could head to AMT Headingley immediately. "I'm excited for a fresh start and to begin my next journey in a new country but most of all, I am looking forward to wearing the Rhinos jersey," Palasia said. The prop could feature in England in November if selected for Samoa's Test series against England.

Titans meet prop's demands as Des lands big signing

The Gold Coast Titans have met the demands of Reagan Campbell-Gillard, signing the prop to a three-year deal. The former Blues star had met with other clubs including the Broncos, Cowboys and Dragons but his insistence that the term of the deal be three years was a deal-breaker for each of them. Ultimately coach Des Hasler and the Titans decided they wanted him long-term. Campbell-Gillard was given permission to leave the Eels after Jason Ryles signed as head coach with speculation rampant about where he would end up. Now he'll join a front row that already features Origin stars Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Moeaki Fotuaika. "It's great to have Reagan join us in 2025," Hasler said in a club statement. "He's a no-nonsense front rower with a high work rate and has been a mainstay in the NRL for the past decade. "It's not every day a 200+ game Origin and international prop like Reagan becomes available and his experience will be a welcomed addition here at the Titans." Campbell-Gillard joins the Titans on the back of 221 NRL games with Penrith and Parramatta. Speaking in September, Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould was shocked the Eels were letting the prop go. "[He was] easily the best player of the year," he said on Wide World Of Sports' Six Tackles With Gus. "I cannot understand how they are letting him go, it just doesn't make sense to me. "I must watch a different game, I really must. I think he's got two or three clubs that he's talking to at the moment, but he's rejected an offer from the Dragons."

Speculation swirls as Eels confirm prop's exit

Reagan Campbell-Gillard has been granted a release from the final year of his contract with the Parramatta Eels. After weeks of speculation regarding his future, the club confirmed on Tuesday morning that the prop will pursue opportunities with a rival club. Campbell-Gillard has been heavily linked with several clubs, including the Broncos, Cowboys, Dolphins and Bulldogs. The Dragons were also interested in his services but have since announced that he will not be wearing the Red V in 2025.

The front row regret facing Eels

Will the Eels live to regret letting Reagan Campbell-Gillard walk away for 2025? After the disappointments of this year, there's no doubt that incoming coach Jason Ryles needs to make changes, but cutting cult hero Campbell-Gillard loose could come back to bite the club. I think RCG offers far more than fellow big boppa Junior Paulo, who did little this season but looks likely to stay. In the Spoon Bowl against the Tigers on Friday night, Campbell-Gillard was the most effective forward on the paddock. He led the tackle count as Parra carved out a big win, ran with great power, scored a determined try and even kicked a farewell goal for good measure. Changes are needed - but this big guy's presence will be missed.

Major concern over Eels after key spot left bare

The Eels were the great enigma of the NRL in 2023, beating premiers Penrith twice yet going on to become only the second team in the past decade to go from grand finalist to missing the top eight.It's clear Parramatta has the roster to make the finals - the fact that despite the disaster of 2023 they signed just two fringe first graders in Kelma Tuilagi (Sea Eagles) and Morgan Harper (Sea Eagles) shows that.But they need to put it all together more consistently in what shapes as a make-or-break season for coach Brad Arthur and several of his big names.Go-forward has been a highlight of the Eels' performances in recent years but was sadly lacking last season - only the veteran Reagan Campbell-Gillard and new boy J'maine Hopgood had productive campaigns in the engine room.Youngster Wiremu Greig should provide some more firepower up front but the man the Eels really need to reproduce his best is the giant Junior Paulo.The big man with slick hands can be a match winner but was well down in stats in both running metres and post contact metres in 2023 and hopefully with a good off-season behind him, will come out of the blocks firing and help the Eels pack regain that hard edge.

Guru's gripe with off-season boxing

Players boxing in the summer months has become a hot topic - and the respected NRL Physio, also known as Brien Seeney, is not a fan."NRL players boxing in their off-season is a real talking point for mine," Seeney posted on his social media."The evidence keeps building that the overall load on the brain via head impacts (and not just solely concussions) has the most influence on brain health, and the RLPA and NRL are looking to monitor this."Many other sports have moved to limit the amount of contact training (load on the brain), particularly in the off-season. NRL aren't there yet, but surely inevitable."So if/when that happens - can contracted NRL players be unable to tackle each other at training, but able to punch each other in the boxing ring?"He raises a good point, with several players happy to put their long-term health at risk for the sake of a few dollars.