Parramatta has signed Brock Lamb on a two-year contract, which will see him at the Eels until at least the end of the 2021 season.

Lamb will be a member of the Eels' development squad in 2020, before moving into their top 20 for 2021.

The 22-year-old has played for Newcastle and Sydney in the NRL, playing 33 games across four years.

“Brock provides depth to an already talented roster and will ensure competition for spots in our halves remain high," Parramatta's General Manager of Football Mark O'Neill told the club's website.

"Following his return from Super League, we’ve provided Brock with an opportunity to re-ignite his NRL career and we are grateful he has agreed to be part of the Eels for the coming two seasons.”

22 COMMENTS

  2. What is the criteria for being in the Development squad? First Frawley for Canberra and now Lamb for the Eels. Just asking.

  3. No offence Parramatta. Newcastle didn’t think he was worth keeping & The North Sydney ‘Chickens’ didn’t keep him for one full season of Canterbury Cup. So how is he even a half decent buy?
    There must be just as talented or better halves in the lower grades, or in other teams lower grades.

  4. Chalky, my understanding is development players are outside of the top 30 squad, and I’d assume earn/can earn less than the min (top 30) wage, but train with the FG team, can be used to cover a position at FG level if they are the only remaining option for a position (due to several injuries), pre June 30, or can be included in FG games post June 30 (at will), but if they are/do get included in any game/s their salary for that period is included in the cap. All that is “I think that’s how it works”, and could be totally wrong.

  6. He is there to provide cover for injuries in the halves. He is a solid reserve grader at best but won’t be applying any pressure for positions outside injuries or rep season rounds. Moses is safe that’s for sure.

  7. Thank you ”eels”, I was wondering if they had any games/age restrictions but it seems not. Tom Amone couldn’t play for Souths at one time before 30th June, perhaps he wasn’t a development player, jus a Canterbury Cup player. Anyway it doesn’t matter too much.

  8. It is a depth signing EOD, nothing more, at least for 2020. Perhaps the thought is with 12 months working with Joey as spine coach he may be able to develop his skills to become a capable backup in 2021.

  9. Definitely only there as another back up half and back up hooker.
    He has first grade experience and as he is signed as a development player, it isn’t costing us much.
    Very good pick up.
    Hell he might even get a 1st grade game when Moses takes over one of the Blues halves positions.

  11. If we have a spot in the top 30 he can be upgraded to the 1st grade squad which would allow him to play prior to June 30 eels47.

  12. Well, it’s worth trying I suppose Eels?
    Your Wentworthville team almost won the competition last year in Canterbury Cup & won the semi- professional competition.
    I’d have Johns working with the halves from those teams & forget about Lamb. That’s even cheaper.
    The Chickens worst game of 2019, was with Lamb at half & Mitchell at 5/8th. A miserable thrashing at Newcastle. I didn’t see any Lamb highlights there.

  13. That doesn’t mean he will be bad for us.
    Every team has different plays and different structures.
    Who knows, ours might suit him and he could reach great heights. You just don’t know unless you give him a shot.

  14. Ditto for the Wentworthville Halves Kev. Except , if they don’t get a fair chance & they happen to be good players. They will leave the club.
    Obviously Parramatta doesn’t think much of them.

  15. Who is saying they won’t get a fair chance? And how is it obvious Parra doesn’t think much of them? I would hope that the added competition for positions will bring out the best in those guys. If it doesn’t, and they don’t like another player coming in pressuring their spot, then they shouldn’t’ be there in the first place. We also have Rhys Davies in the development squad, who is very highly regarded at the club, and is the halfback for Wenty.

  17. Yes Kev.. Much the same sought of thing. Some people were saying Penrith should buy Josh Reynolds from Wests. I couldn’t think of a worse idea.
    I think Parramatta don’t think much of the other halves. As they’ve bought a very ordinary player to be a back up half. That’s just an opinion.
    The other halves won’t get much much of a go, as the club is blocking their way , with Lamb.

  18. East the issue is not that they don’t think much of them, the reality is they are young and inexperienced.
    The halves, if I am not mistaken, for Wenty at the end of the season were Davies and Salmon.
    Davies has been elevated to development player and Salmon is in the top 30.
    Salmon is highly rated and is bit of a utility, covering halves, centre and DH at a pinch.
    Davies is young and only came into Canterbury cup in 2019.
    The other option is Will Smith – another utility back.
    Under that there are only flegg players, and young.
    Lamb is just insurance cover I would think.

  19. Fair enough billy.
    Didn’t Parramatta just extend Brown’s contract at the club , with a new multi million dollar contract. The same player who came into first grade just about as soon as he was legally allowed to play first grade, age wise.
    Inexperienced & too young means nothing, if you’re good enough.
    Greg Alexander played first grade at 17 & was immediately the best player in his team .
    Would you not have had Brown come into first grade when he did, as he was just too young & inexperienced?
    There’s always two sides to any discussion .

  20. That’s right EOD there are always 2 sides to any discussion. You have used Brown and Alexander, fair enough, but how many players have been brought into first grade too early and suffered for it?

    Perhaps Lamb is one of those, but he is now being given a chance to redeem himself. He is not coming in as first string, not even second or third, so I honestly cannot see how his arrival says anything about Parra’s lack of faith in the young guys coming in. If Moses and Brown were to go down in the preseason we would probably star the year with Salmon and Taka, or Smith might fill a position, Or Gutho moves into the halves. As I said, Davies is also highly regarded at the club, and I would think he would be the first promoted from the development squad too. Or perhaps he is seen as depth for 9, which is something we don’t have?

    Honestly I think you are focusing way to much on a signing that is of little importance at the moment.

  22. It’s just a discussion Kev & Eels.
    The story was about that same player.
    It’s not an offence or a personal affront to discuss him is it? Or to discuss what that signing may mean.
    Good to see Parramatta supporters always like to defend their clubs buys. No matter who they are. 😁

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