The Eels were planning to have Dylan Brown as their No.6 for the next six years, so could they offer Lachlan Galvin a mega deal to replace him or should they use the funds elsewhere?
Brown’s eight year contract was set to expire in 2031, but clauses allowed the Knights to swoop and lure him to Newcastle on a historic $13 million 10-year deal.
It has left the Eels with a large chunk of cash in their salary cap to sign players with the money they had allocated for Brown.
Braith Anasta asked where Parramatta go now on NRL 360: “The Eels have been left with a wart chest, so who do they go after?” he said.
Brent Read believes the Eels should make a play at Tigers-five-eighth Lachlan Galvin, who is off-contract at the end of the 2026 season.
“I think the obvious guy is Lachlan Galvin,” Read said.
“He has got another year on his deal at the Wests Tigers and the Tigers are trying to convince Lachlan Galvin to stay long-term.
“But he’s the obvious one. He is a Parramatta kid, grew up supporting the club.”
However, Anasta doubted whether the Tigers would let that happen.
“They wouldn’t let him go would they?” Anasta said.
“Well in 12 months time they might not have a choice if they can’t convince him to stay,” Read replied.
“He’s only got next year left on his deal.”
Phil Rothfield believes the Eels need to make a similar offer to Galvin that Newcastle made to Brown, an offer too good to refuse.
“I would be offering Galvin a Newcastle-type contract,” Rothfield said.
“People like Phil Gould are on record as saying that guy will win Premierships, he is a very, very special player.
“And I know he didn’t show it necessarily against Newcastle the other night, but I think he’s closer to a million dollar plus player than Dylan Brown.”
However, Read believes Galvin still has plenty of development left in him to reach Brown let alone the elite playmakers in the NRL.
“He’s had one year of first grade, he’s not worth more than Dylan Brown with all due respect,” Read said.
However, after their 56-16 loss to the Storm in Round 1, it is clear the Eels have more holes to fill in their roster than simply five-eighth, so they could use the money to bolster other areas of their squad.
“Do they automatically try and replace Dylan Brown like for like or do they use that money for a No.9?” Dan Ginnane said.
“Do they actually need a big money No.6? They’ve got a class halfback that has won an Origin.
“There are clubs that don’t even have one class halves player. Do they put their money somewhere else or do they go for the five-eighth?”
Anasta believes Brown’s decision to join the Knights on such a unique contract, will have repercussions for the rest of the NRL halves market.
“This is a flow-on effect here in the halves market,” Anasta said.
“There is a lack of high quality halves going around and every team is after one.
“The majority of the sides outside the top six are looking for sevens and sixes.”
The imminent threat of expansion throws another spanner in the works, with Papua New Guinea joining the NRL in 2027 and potentially the Perth Bears soon after, which will have a dramatic effect on the player market.
“We’re not ever considering there’s an expansion team coming and they’re going to throw stupid money tax-free,” Ginnane said.
