Parramatta Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown has told the club he will leave at the end of the 2025 season, accepting a mega offer from the Newcastle Knights.
The five-eighth has a baffling array of player options built into his long-term deal at the Eels, and while he could stay in the west of Sydney stretching into the next decade, the Eels have now confirmed that won't be the case.
“Dylan has been offered what I understand to be the biggest deal in NRL history from 2026 onwards. Dylan is a class player, we understand his decision to take up the offer and no one could begrudge him for accepting this opportunity for him and his family," Eels general manager of football Mark O'Neill said.
“Despite agreeing to terms with another NRL club for future seasons, Dylan remains committed to the Eels in 2025 and we look forward to him playing his role in the team for the remainder of the year."
The star five-eighth has been chased by a handful of clubs after hitting the open market in recent months, but the Knights have always been the club believed to be at the front of the line for his signature, and the Sydney Morning Herald are now reporting that is the case.
Brown is reported to have accepted a monster ten-year deal worth a staggering $14 million - $1.4 million per year.
The move would make him one of the highest-paid players in the game, and comes the week after Parramatta confirmed the re-signing of current halfback Mitchell Moses through to the end of 2029 on a deal believed to be worth a similar amount.
The move made Moses the highest-paid player in the game, and Brown will now join him at the top of the tree, but from Newcastle.
The Knights have had salary cap issues in the recent past, but at the end of 2025, they will get a proper grip on those following the departure of Daniel Saifiti to the Dolphins ahead of this year, and a host of players leaving at the end of this year, with the likes of Jayden Brailey, Adam Elliott and Jackson Hastings all expected to leave the club.
The move to sign Brown will leave the Knights with a top heavy salary cap as Brown joins fullback Kalyn Ponga on seven figures for the coming seasons.
Newcastle have had a revolving door in their halves during recent times, so the signature of Brown will go some way towards adding certainty in the number six jumper at least.
Parramatta, meanwhile, will shake the enormous value of Brown's salary cap from their own roster and be ready to have a proper crack at the open market when players off-contract at the end of 2026 become available on November 1 this year, although they could still look to bring in a big name or two for next season as Jason Ryles begins his rebuild of the blue and gold.
What a dump by both parties, he’s not worth 13m, and for him by the time 6 years comes around players will be on way more then what the knights will be paying him. If he’s any good the eels wont finish in the bottom 4 which there will, im pegging them for the wooden spoon. G the storm put 46 on them b4 halftime i really think the knights r crazy.