Parramatta Eels outside back Bailey Simonsson may be on the move at the end of the 2024 season, with no guarantee of a new deal being signed in Sydney’s west.
The Eels are set to be a club on the move heading into 2025.
Following the sacking of coach Brad Arthur, Parramatta will likely look to rejig their roster if at all possible after an exceptionally difficult 18 months.
While the club made the grand final in 2022, they went on to miss the finals in 2023 and have had an abysmal start to 2023, although injuries haven’t helped their cause.
All that led to Arthur’s sacking, with Parramatta now turning their attention to finding a new coach ahead of 2025.
On-field though, the club have already signed Zac Lomax from the St George Illawarra Dragons, and News Corp are reporting that Simonsson may be one of the players on the move.
The report suggests Simonsson’s management will sit down with North Queensland Cowboys‘ management in the coming weeks to discuss a deal.
The Cowboys have made no secret of their desire to sign outside backs. They have already added Braidon Burns to their roster effective immediately through to the end of 2025, and are looking to add at least one or two more for next season.
Their depth has already been tested this year through injuries, with Zac Lyabutt’s season over and Tom Chester battling his way through an injury.
It’s understood the Cowboys may not be the only club chasing him, with the St George Illawarra Dragons – who missed the services of Sunia Turuva to the Wests Tigers – and Sydney Roosters also showing interest.
Simonsson, for his part, said he’d prefer to stay at Parramatta.
“I love being at Parra. I’ve enjoyed my time here so I’d like to stay here. Those things aren’t always in your control so we’ve got to see what happens,” Simonnson told the publication.
That doesn’t mean a deal will be in the offering though.
Switching from the Canberra Raiders in 2022, the outside back who can play at either centre or on the wing, has played 50 games for the blue and gold, but with Lomax’s arrival and more and more talk which suggests Clint Gutherson will need to find a home away from fullback in 2025, the race for spots will be tight.
Blaize Talagi is the other breakout star at Parramatta, although he too may well depart with his management currently testing the open market.