Gus says Gutho will make Ryles leave after his first signing, “making noise” in rival club circles.
It appears that Parramatta’s acquisition of promising Panthers fullback Isaiah Iongi may signal the end of Clint Gutherson’s tenure with the team, according Phil Gould. Bulldogs general manager of football Gould disclosed on the Six Tackles with Gus podcast that many teams were pursuing the 29-year-old and enquiring about his possible availability.
According to Gould, there is a good deal of backroom politics around Gutherson’s decision to leave Parramatta.
Gould disclosed, without giving too much away, that one team in particular was “making noise” about possibly signing the Parramatta captain. It comes as the Eels announced the signing of the extremely talented Iongi for a three-year contract that will start in the upcoming season. According to Gould, the 21-year-old is “a fullback and a fullback only.”
It’s hard to predict how this will affect Gutherson, Parramatta’s starting number one since 2019, and his future, but many are predicting Iongi to make a big splash in the first grade in the upcoming seasons after his impressive NRL debut in Penrith’s Round 22 victory over the Knights, where he ran for 171 metres and broke five tackles.
Gould does not anticipate the Eels captain to be plying his trade elsewhere next season, but he acknowledged that “rugby league is a funny game.” Gutherson is off contract at the end of 2025, meaning he is free to speak with potential clubs from November 1. He has been linked to a move to Shane Flanagan’s Dragons, who have already secured the major signatures of Damien Cook and Valentine Holmes for next season.
Gutherson stated earlier this year that he would be open to trading in his No. 1 shirt for Parramatta in order to make room for explosive rookie Blaize Talagi, who just inked a multi-year contract with the Panthers. “I simply enjoy playing, whether it’s on the wing, off the bench, or anywhere else,” he remarked.
Throughout his NRL career, Gutherson has played wing, centre, and five-eighth in addition to fullback; however, with Dylan Brown in the lineup, it is unlikely that he will move into the Eels’ No. 6 jersey. Zac Lomax, who is expected to be the best winger in the league in 2024, will also be joining the Eels the following season. However, it’s possible that the Dragons star will move back to the centres, forcing Gutherson to move to the wing.
In addition to perhaps changing positions, sources suggest that, should Gutherson stay with the Eels for the upcoming season, he might lose his captaincy, with Mitchell Moses of the Blues emerging as a strong contender to take his place.