The Parramatta Eels have reportedly informed former Blues representative Ryan Matterson that the club won’t stand in the way of him leaving if an offer from elsewhere comes his way.
That is according to The Sydney Morning Herald’s Michael Chammas, who explained on Channel Nine’s 100% Footy that the 29-year-old is likely to be one of the first casualties of Jason Ryles’ reign.
“Nothing’s happened as of yet, but the conversation has occurred with his management to give him basically a little tap on the shoulder that, if there’s anything out there, it might be worth having a look around,” Chammas said.
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Matterson played one game for the NSW Blues back in 2022, the same season he was a key feature of the Parramatta side that eventually lost the Grand Final to Penrith.
However, since then Matterson’s form has been largely indifferent, with the towering forward averaging the lowest amount of minutes per game of his entire career in 2024, although his season has been hindered by the effects of a concussion, which saw the forward undergo several neurological examinations.
Despite being contracted until 2025, with a player option for 2026, Matterson is reportedly deemed surplus to requirements at the struggling Eels, who have spent much of 2024 towards the bottom of the NRL ladder.
On a reported salary of $600,000, Matterson is just one of the Eels underperforming stars the club would be comfortable to let leave, with winger Maika Sivo believed to be in the same boat as Matterson.
It comes as incoming Eels coach Ryles is expected to be released early from his duties as Storm assistant coach to begin his preparations for next season.
A core component of Ryles work will be assessing Parramatta’s salary cap and roster, with the coach expected to evaluate the performance of the club’s forward pack, as well as prioritise the re-signing of young gun Blaize Talagi.
While Matterson’s services are deemed surplus to the Eels’ requirements, The Daily Telegraph’s Brent Read told Monday night’s NRL 360 that the club’s forward pack rebuild won’t see Junior Paulo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard depart.
It led to host Braith Anasta questioning whether the decision to retain the ageing props, two of the club’s highest paid players, is in the best interest of Ryles.
“Say Jason comes in and he’s thinking ‘I want to change up the forward pack here’, he can’t because they’re on such big dollars,” he said.
However, Read explained the club will have room to manoeuvre in the coming years, due to a host of forwards’ contracts expiring at the end of next season.
“They’ve got so much money to spend in 2026,” he said.
“If he (Ryles) can make some subtle changes this off-season, bring a couple of guys in, freshen it up. The year after they’ve got a ton of room to move.”