Eels star Dylan Brown breaks silence after agreeing to join the Knights on $13m, 10-year deal

The Eels have had a horror 24 hours with star five eighth Dylan Brown informing the club he plans to join the Knights next season.

If Parramatta fans didn’t think things could get worse after being on the end of a 56-18 drubbing by the Storm on Sunday afternoon they were mistaken, with news on Monday emerging that Dylan Brown has agreed to join the Knights from next season.

On Monday afternoon the five-eighth informed the Eels that he had made up his mind to leave the club to join Newcastle on a mega $13m 10-year deal, instead of triggering a lucrative option in his deal at Parramatta.

And Brown shared the news to his social media followers a short time later.

“Hello everyone, I have decided to take an opportunity that is best for my family,” he wrote.

“To the Blue and Gold family... nothing changes. I’m locked in for this year and we have a job to do. Love You.”

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Having progressed through the Eels’ Pathway Program, Brown made his NRL debut in 2019 and has since played 124 games for the club.

In that time the 24-year-old has built himself into one of the best halves in the NRL at Parramatta and was seen as the club’s long-term term-leader.

Such was the faith Parramatta had in Brown his current deal with the Eels ran until 2031 but was littered with controversial get-out clauses.

The Eels made clear throughout negotiations that Brown was a focal point of their long-term vision but stated they didn’t intend to remove the player option clauses in his original eight-year deal.

And as stipulated in his current Eels contract, Brown had until Round 10 to opt out of his current deal if he wishes to do so, and that he has.

NRL 2020 RD02 Gold Coast Titans v Parramatta Eels - Dylan Brown Mitchell Moses

Brown was set to $1.1 million a season in 2026 at the Eels, but whether it be the direction the Eels are headed or the extra $200,000 a season on offer at the Knights, the Kiwi international has turned his back on Parramatta in favour of a move to Newcastle.

It comes after the Eels recently extended injured captain Mitchell Moses on a new five-year deal that took out his own player options and included a sizeable upgrade in keeping him until the end of 2029.

However, losing Brown is undoubtedly a huge blow to the club.

With Moses sidelined for Parramatta’s game on Sunday their only attacking output came through Brown who tallied three try assists.

And his exit leaves a gaping hole in the Eels roster.

Parramatta Eels GM of Football, Mark O’Neill, acknowledged Brown’s decision.

“Dylan has been offered what I understand to be the biggest deal in NRL history from 2026 onwards. Dylan is a class player, we understand his decision to take up the offer and no one could begrudge him for accepting this opportunity for him and his family,” he said in a statement on Monday.

“Despite agreeing to terms with another NRL club for future seasons, Dylan remains committed to the Eels in 2025 and we look forward to him playing his role in the team for the remainder of the year.”

Originally published as Eels star Dylan Brown breaks silence after agreeing to join the Knights on $13m, 10-year deal