Sport Confidential: Parramatta bid to secure Wests Tigers forward Joe Ofahengaue in mid-season switch
Armed with their cheque book and roster places to fill, the Parramatta Eels are looking to prise a former Origin star out of the Wests’ Tigers.
Parramatta have made a play to sign Wests Tigers star Joe Ofahengaue in a shock mid-season switch.
The Eels are on the lookout for a middle forward with the Tigers’ reigning player of the year now on their radar.
Discussions have progressed this week but Ofahengaue is yet to decide if he wants to leave the Tigers early. Ofahengaue still has two years remaining on his current deal.
Parramatta have salary cap space and a roster spot to accommodate the 27-year-old immediately, while they are also in the market for an outside back.
Parramatta recently secured former Eel Andrew Davey in a mid-season switch from Canterbury to aid their edge forward stocks.
The North Queensland Cowboys also expressed an interest in Ofahengaue, a former Queensland Origin forward who has endured a disjointed start to the NRL season.
He was dumped to reserve grade after the Tigers’ round 3 loss to Canterbury, but has reclaimed his spot in recent weeks, where he has played off the bench.
Ofahengaue is averaging less than 40 minutes in his third season with the Tigers, having spent the previous six years with the Brisbane Broncos.
The Tigers, meanwhile, are planning to blow the New Zealand Warriors out of the water by offering halfback Shaun Johnson a two-year to join the club from 2024.
The Eels’ forward stocks have taken a hit this season with prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard (groin) and edge back-rower Shaun Lane (hamstring) sidelined with injury.
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i know it is Newscorp and we should believe salaries but nrl360 Michael caryannis seems to think Joffa is on 450k this year and 600k a year for 2024 and 2025.
If true on that type of salary for a bench forward I would let joffa go to Parramatta
Reports about Joffa say:
- both parra and cowboys are interested,
- and that Joffa is still undecided if he wants to leave
which both suggest WT admin have floated the idea of him leaving. Which may mean I not linked with a swap at parra but is opening a top 30spot for someone
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Sport Confidential: Parramatta bid to secure Wests Tigers forward Joe Ofahengaue in mid-season switch
Armed with their cheque book and roster places to fill, the Parramatta Eels are looking to prise a former Origin star out of the Wests’ Tigers.
Parramatta have made a play to sign Wests Tigers star Joe Ofahengaue in a shock mid-season switch.
The Eels are on the lookout for a middle forward with the Tigers’ reigning player of the year now on their radar.
Discussions have progressed this week but Ofahengaue is yet to decide if he wants to leave the Tigers early. Ofahengaue still has two years remaining on his current deal.
Parramatta have salary cap space and a roster spot to accommodate the 27-year-old immediately, while they are also in the market for an outside back.
Parramatta recently secured former Eel Andrew Davey in a mid-season switch from Canterbury to aid their edge forward stocks.The North Queensland Cowboys also expressed an interest in Ofahengaue, a former Queensland Origin forward who has endured a disjointed start to the NRL season.
He was dumped to reserve grade after the Tigers’ round 3 loss to Canterbury, but has reclaimed his spot in recent weeks, where he has played off the bench.
Ofahengaue is averaging less than 40 minutes in his third season with the Tigers, having spent the previous six years with the Brisbane Broncos.
The Tigers, meanwhile, are planning to blow the New Zealand Warriors out of the water by offering halfback Shaun Johnson a two-year to join the club from 2024.
The Eels’ forward stocks have taken a hit this season with prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard (groin) and edge back-rower Shaun Lane (hamstring) sidelined with injury.
Could be proven wrong, but this report seems like putting two and two together (Parra needs middle/Joffa not getting minutes) and getting 5. Joffa hasnt decided if he wants to leave? Has anyone asked if the Tigers would let him leave if he did?
@tiger5150 Api was asked on chanel 7 tonight and said "he is not going anywhere I won't let him leave"
Reports about Joffa say:
- both parra and cowboys are interested,
- and that Joffa is still undecided if he wants to leave
which both suggest WT admin have floated the idea of him leaving. Which may mean I not linked with a swap at parra but is opening a top 30spot for someone
Well that's what I was wondering - how any of this could come to fruition without the Tigers being willing to consider a move / trade. Because Joffa is still on contract, no-one can legally approach him yet, and even if we assume clubs work around this "limitation" in the shadows, it's all quite public for Tigers not to be willing to consider letting him go. Otherwise Tigers would douse it immediately.
MOST people predicted it and it’s ended up being bang on the money – new Wests Tigers head of recruitment Scott Fulton and ex-Wests Tigers recruitment manager Warren McDonnell have had their first blow-up.
And it’s happened in the very first meeting between the pair.
Fulton is a can-do operator and had heard McDonnell had been talking out of school about him.
So the Tigers new head of recruitment simply put it to McDonnell.
They both laid their cards out and there were certainly no backward steps.
Rest assured the differences have been resolved and neither is in any doubt about who sits in what role.
Fulton is now entirely responsible for the Wests Tigers top 30 list and has been busy trying to find some circuit breaking signings for the struggling club.
McDonnell will now be working in junior pathways.
It’s says a lot about the Wests Tigers front office that they’ve sacked McDonnell twice and then re-hired him.
Does that mean they’ve got it wrong three times?
James Hooper/Fox Sports
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
Joe Ofahengaue is poised to sign with the Parramatta Eels on a three-year deal, effective immediately, according to News Corp newspapers this morning.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
Joe Ofahengaue has agreed to join Parramatta effective immediately on a 3 year deal. Ofahengaue has been shopped to rival clubs over the last month by WT (Telegraph)
Joffa gone guys immediately, hope we are not kicking in much if any of 24 and 25 supposed 650k salary
Joffa gone guys immediately, hope we are not kicking in much if any of 24 and 25 supposed 650k salary
As I said on the latest edition of the pod, if we were lined up to pay him $650,000 a year - moving him on is a win.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
Joffa gone guys immediately, hope we are not kicking in much if any of 24 and 25 supposed 650k salary
If those numbers are correct that's a bad contract for us. With the young guys coming through you would have thought his 1st grade time would be limited over the next two years so it's for the best he's moved on.
Joffa gone guys immediately, hope we are not kicking in much if any of 24 and 25 supposed 650k salary
As I said on the latest edition of the pod, if we were lined up to pay him $650,000 a year - moving him on is a win.
This is true... I just hope we are not paying too much for someone to pick him up!
