Eels playmaker’s snub is biggest slap in the face for Newcastle

Newcastle’s month from hell has plummeted to a new low with news leaking out about Dylan Brown the last thing the club wants to see.

Newcastle has been dealt another black eye with reports Dylan Brown turned down an opportunity to join the club early last month.

With the club in crisis following revelations Kalyn Ponga is exploring a move to overseas rugby, the latest news about the Eels playmaker is the last thing the club needed.

As revealed by Code Sports on Tuesday, Brown was told Parramatta would not stand in his way if he wanted to join the Knights early before the June 30 deadline.

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With a 10-year deal reportedly worth around $13m on the table, Brown and Ponga are the one-two punch the club has gambled its future on.

Now it appears neither of them want to be there.

The staggering report from Code Sports, suggests Brown elected to remain in the Blue and Yellow colours even after being informed by Eels coach Jason Ryles he would be dropped to play in NSW Cup this season.

With the Eels’ 2025 campaign already in tatters, Ryles has reportedly been given the green light from the front office to shake things up and test junior talent Joash Papalii in the halves alongside Dean Hawkins before Mitchell Moses returns from a calf muscle injury.

Dylan Brown reportedly elected to remain with the Eels instead of joining the Knights early. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Brown was moved to hooker during the club’s loss to the Panthers and has been dropped for their clash with the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday.

This is the decision Brown made when he had the option of starting his new life in Newcastle on the front foot.

Brown’s decision has left some NRL commentators staggered.

Leading NRL journalist Andrew Webster said on the Off The Record podcast there has been a lot of angst from former players at the Knights about the fat contract given to Brown.

“I’ve been told Parramatta were prepared to let Dylan Brown go to Newcastle early,” Webster said.

“Even telling him that he would be playing NSW Cup. And he preferred to stay.”

Webster went on to say: “Don’t you think it says more that he didn’t go? He had the opportunity to go there and there’s so many questions.”

Ryles told Code Sports there is no lingering resentment between himself and Brown with both parties understanding they are on different paths.

It makes Brown’s decision to remain with the club for the next three months even more staggering.

Dylan Brown will join the Knights in 2026 after signing a lucrative contract. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Eels coach Jason Ryles is experimenting with his squad as he awaits Moses’ return. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

Brown’s apparent disinterest in the Knights is another public relations nightmare for a club that is already facing reports coach Adam O’Brien is circling the drain and Ponga is looking for the exit sign.

Knights centre Bradman Best was on Tuesday left to be the person answering all the tough questions from reporters after the Ponga bombshell dropped on Monday.

Best said hasn’t heard anything definitive from Ponga or O’Brien.

Ponga still has two years left on his deal, but reports suggest the injured skipper has linked up with a New Zealand rugby agent to scour the market for a potential code switch.

The Maroons fullback joined the club in 2018, and while they’ve made finals in four of the past five seasons, they’ve never threatened for a title since he’s been there.

Scoring points has been a major issue for the Knights, with Brown’s arrival next year on huge money meant to sort out those issues.

Fairly or unfairly, Brown’s decision to see out his season with the Eels also does not reflect well on O’Brien when the coach is fighting to save his job.

They are just one win above the bottom-placed Titans and have scored the fewest points in the competition with a stack of changes in the halves over the past two years.

The news about Ponga’s itchy feet must also be difficult for Brown to hear.

The opportunity to play with one of the best players in the game was one of the biggest selling points the club had to get Brown to sign on the bottom line.

NRL legend Cameron Smith on Monday night said: “I’m sure he (Ponga) was a big reason why he’d want to move to Newcastle.

“One would’ve been the money, but two when you’re playing with one of the best talents in the game.”

Responding on Channel 9’s 100% Footy, Phil Gould said: “I’m sure that (playing with Ponga) would have been raised with Dylan when they tried to sign him.”

If the Knights weren’t in crisis before, they are now.

Originally published as Eels playmaker’s snub is biggest slap in the face for Newcastle