Parramatta Eels star Dylan Brown shopped to 16 NRL rivals | Read the email

Dylan Brown’s management has fired up at NRL clubs, after emails were leaked showing the Eels star is being shopped to Parramatta’s rivals, spruiking a rare “franchise player”. See the full email.

Dylan Brown could join a rival club in 2026. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

• Inside Eels’ contract clause chaos

Parramatta star Dylan Brown is testing the open market with his agent writing to rival clubs to tell them that Brown was open to meeting with them.

The email goes on to label the 24-year-old a “franchise player”. Brown is technically a free agent at the end of this season with the Eels five-eighth having a clause in his contract which enables him to leave Parramatta at the end of this year.

The market will light up if Brown opts to leave Parramatta with no shortage of clubs expected to circle and offer him a rich seven figure deal to make him their marquee half.

He would be the biggest name on the market should he opt to leave Parramatta. His agent Chris Orr has fired off an email to clubs to kickstart potential negotiations.

Email from the Dylan Brown's management to clubs. Credit: Supplied.

Part of Dylan Brown’s package sent to NRL clubs.

“Please revert back to Gavin (Orr) and I on email to register your clubs interest in securing the services of Dylan Brown for season 2026 and beyond,” Orr wrote. “Once we finalise the level of interest we will work with you to set up an appropriate time to catch up with Dylan.

“These type of franchise players don’t come on the market very often.” Orr also attached YouTube highlights of Brown.

In the following hours, Orr hit out at clubs after his original email was leaked to this masthead.

“I am disappointed that my actual email to CEO’s/head of football/ NRL coaches/recruitment managers has been leaked within minutes to the media,” Orr wrote.

Dylan Brown's manager sent another email complaining about leaks to the media. Credit: Supplied.

Brown re-signed with the Eels in 2022 which guaranteed his future until at least the end of 2025 with the potential to remain at Parramatta until 2031.

The Eels remain confident that he will remain at the club long-term despite Brown having two get-out clauses in his current deal.

The first time he can activate the exit is this year with Brown having until round 10 to make up his mind.

He needs to tell them before Parramatta’s May 8 clash against the Dolphins if he wants to remain at the Eels for 2026 and 2027.

Eels head of football Mark O’Neill said they were confident they will keep Brown.

“It’s well publicised that Dylan has an option in his contract that expires in round 10,” O’Neill said.

“We wanted to be proactive and get a resolution earlier and preferably before the season begins.

“Dylan is happy at the club, he has been here since he was 16 and we have put a lot of time into Dylan during his career and we are confident he is going to stay and have a great season.”

Brown can opt to leave the club at the end of 2027 or stay with Parramatta until 2031.

He is one of several big-name players at Parramatta with contract options.

Parramatta are talking with star halfback Mitchell Moses about removing the clauses in his deal which allows him to exit the club at the end of next year.

Forward Ryan Matterson has already told Parramatta that he will take up his player option for 2026 while the Eels have until June to let new recruit Josh Addo-Carr know if they will keep him at the club for next year.

Centre Will Penisini also has an option in his way for next year. Brown has played 123 top grade games since making his debut in 2019 and has featured in six Tests for New Zealand.

Originally published as Parramatta Eels star Dylan Brown shopped to 16 NRL rivals | Read the email