‘It’s a disgrace’: Photo exposes damning Eels truth after Blaize Talagi exit

Blaize Talagi’s shock exit from the Eels has brought the club under fire with some suggesting Talagi’s exit is “only the beginning.”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 26: Blaize Talagi of the Eels looks on during the round 21 NRL match between Parramatta Eels and Melbourne Storm at CommBank Stadium, on July 26, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Blaize Talagi’s departure has seen the Parramatta Eels’ come under fire for their inability to retain their best young players with fears it could be the beginning of an exodus of stars.

News broke on Wednesday that Talagi, one of Parramatta’s brightest prospects, had opted out of his player option at the Eels for next season and is set to sign with the Penrith Panthers on a three-year deal beginning in 2025.

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Talagi’s decision brings to an end one of the fiercest contract sagas of the season, and has seen the Eels heavily criticised for inserting player options in the contract’s of star players.

Speaking on Wednesday night’s NRL 360, Fox League’s James Hooper described the Eels’ inability to retain Talagi as a “shocking case of mismanagement.”

Hooper was immensely critical of the Parramatta front office’s decision to insert player options into the contracts of star players, such as Talagi, Dylan Brown, Mitchell Moses and Will Penisini.

“For whatever reason they’ve allowed them to put these clauses in their contract and it’s bitten Parramatta where it hurts,” he said.

As Hooper explained, such clauses dictate that when “it comes to a set season, in Blaize’s case it’s this year, he has until Round 10 or 11 to take up an option for next year or if he doesn’t he’s free to go.”

He questioned why Parramatta would “do that when you’ve got a local young gun junior,” particularly one of Talagi’s talents.

The outside backs decision to trade the Eels for the Panthers next season means Parramatta have lost three crucial elements of their 2023 SG Ball premiership winning side: Talagi, halfback Ethan Sanders and hooker Matthew Arthur.

Three of the key members of the Eels’ 2023 SG Ball premiership winning side have moved on.

Blaize Talagi, Matt Arthur and Ethan Sanders

NRL 360 host Braith Anasta labelled Parramatta’s inability to retain three of its highest rated youngsters as “a disgrace.”

“They can’t contain or maintain players at the club and they put clauses in their contract to give them an option of leaving. If I’m a Parramatta fan, I’m filthy,” Anasta said.

However, the trio aren’t the first Eels juniors to walk out the door before getting a chance to properly prove themselves in first grade.

Since 2020, Parramatta have lost juniors Greg Marzhew, Stefano Utoikamanu, Jaeman Salmon, Oregon Kaufusi and Sam Hughes.

For the struggling club, the most worrying fact of how they structure their player contracts is the fact it could mean Talagi isn’t the only star to depart the Eels in the coming years.

“I’ll tell you what, this is only the beginning of how bad it could get at Parramatta,” Hooper said.

“Mitchell Moses has got a clause (for 2027). I think he’ll be gone.

“Next year Dylan Brown has got the same clause (for 2026) and so does Will Penisini (for 2026).”

Should the trio exit the Eels, they would join the likes of Reed Mahoney, Isaiah Papali’i, Nathan Brown and Marata Niukore, all key members of the 2022 Eels squad who now ply their trade elsewhere.

It left Anasta sympathising with incoming Eels coach Jason Ryles, stating: “I feel sorry for what he’s walking into here.”

Hooper insisted there was one major learning to be taken from the Talagi ordeal.

“What’s been laid bare for everyone to see in this case with Blaize Talagi is the lack of rugby league IQ at the absolute top of Parramatta.”

Originally published as ‘It’s a disgrace’: Photo exposes damning Eels truth after Blaize Talagi exit