Eels star Reagan Campbell-Gillard is allowed to leave, but a $750k catch emerges as a rival team makes a move
The Parramatta Eels performance on Friday night deserves enormous plaudits but once again it’s the front office at the famous club that’s making headlines.
For a spare parts Eels side to almost roll the triple premiers Penrith was as gutsy as it gets and what’s now emerged about Reagan Campbell-Gillard being the latest player to be tapped on the shoulder makes it even more significant.
With the Eels struggling to move Maika Sivo and Ryan Matterson on the club has now told RCG he’s also free to go next season.
All of the uncertainty about players coming and going as new coach Jason Ryles attempts to fine tune the blue and gold roster is hardly conducive to a united club causing an upset over the triple premiers.
The Panthers once-again underlined what a champion team they are with a phenomenal final ten minutes of football but the untold story of the night was RCG.
The ex-NSW and Kangaroo prop showed what a true professional he is to put aside contract talks and the reality he won’t be at Parramatta next season and take on the best forward pack in the NRL.
The North Queensland Cowboys are circling Campbell-Gillard but the sticking point is Valentine Holmes has now told the club he wants to remain in Townsville next season.
That means the deal for RCG to head north can’t happen for now but it hasn’t stopped other rival clubs crunching the numbers to try to accommodate the Eels front rower.
The Eels are prepared to chip in for Sivo or Matterson to leave but for now have said they won’t be chipping in any of RCG’s $750,000-a-season contract.
We’ll let you be the judges of how that’s been received amongst the Parramatta playing group.
Campbell-Gillard and Parramatta captain Clint Gutherson showed the Eels front office what true leadership looks like on Friday night by taking control and leading by actions against the Panthers.
The fact Gutherson’s also had to put up with talk of a possible positional switch and talk of losing the captaincy further underlines the depths of problems at the Eels.
The way the Parramatta senior players still galvanised the team deserves credit.
They didn’t win but they forced the heavyweight champion Panthers side to find ninth and tenth gear in an epic final ten minutes.
We can’t wait for Thursday night when the Panthers host the Melbourne Storm in a game that seems destined to decide the minor premiership.