SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 22: Reed Mahoney of the Eels scores a try during the round 6 NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers at Bankwest Stadium on April 22, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

A pair of champions from Parramatta's last premiership side have launched into the club in the wake of Reed Mahoney's big-money move to Belmore.

Ray Price, the skipper of the Eels' last competition win in 1986, and legendary goal-kicking centre Mick Cronin have claimed that the Queenslander's defection to the Dogs is an indication that their club has lost its way.

The duo's views have been made known following reports that Parramatta's $1.5 million pay-packet over three seasons to Mahoney was rebuked, with the Nambour-born rake instead opting to become the latest name to cross to Canterbury on an inflated deal.

According to reports from Paul Crawley of The Daily Telegraphthe financial details tabled by the Eels were eventually rejected by Mahoney on Thursday, with the rake instead opting for the lure of the Bulldog's four-year, $2.4 million contract.

While Mahoney will stay on with the CommBank Stadium side for the 2022 season, Crawley also claimed that the hooker's relationship with head coach Brad Arthur had been strained to an extent.

TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 18: Eels coach Brad Arthur speaks at the post match media conference at the end of the round 10 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Parramatta Eels at 1300SMILES Stadium on May 18, 2019 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

With Mahoney now becoming the third Parramatta player behind Isaiah Papali’i and Maratha Niukore to depart the club, Price was incredulous with his old club's retention policies.

“What are they doing?” Price exclaimed to Crawley.

“He [Mahoney] is a quality hooker. He is a very good player.

“But so is Papali’i.

“Jesus Christ.

“It can’t go on like this. They need players and they are just letting them go.”

Embed from Getty Images

The gnarly lock whose play earned him the nickname 'Mr Perpetual Motion' also lambasted the Eels' inability to make players from the past feel welcome within the club.

“There is not much we can do because they just don’t listen to anyone,” Price revealed.

“We are the only team that won something and they couldn’t give a s**t about us.

“The majority of the people that are having anything to do with the club and the side wouldn’t know a footballer if he picked his nose.

“They haven’t got a clue. They are pathetic.”

While Price was fuming with the current state of play, his long-term teammate in Cronin remained slightly further off the boil.

Embed from Getty Images

Still, Cronin was left disappointed at the contemporary player's refusal to remain loyal to their clubs, with the 216-game Eel citing several legendary names as those that had turned their back on healthy bottom lines to stay on in blue and gold jerseys.

“Blokes like Ella, Kenny, Price and Sterling would all come into that category,” he claimed.

“They would have all taken unders to stay.

“I am not going to be hypocritical because the club can get rid of you pretty quick.

“But it disappoints me from a game perspective that there is not a lot of loyalty. It is just the modern game.

“All I am saying is that the game has changed. It seems to be all about the dollar."

NRL Rd 8 - Eels v Cowboys
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 03: Reed Mahoney of the Eels passes during the round eight NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and the North Queensland Cowboys at Bankwest Stadium on July 03, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

However, the Gerringong giant was also willing to concede that the deal put forth to Mahoney was too good to deny.

“That is dead set a good offer and I can’t blame him," Cronin added.

“But as I said, it probably shows you to a degree now that it is just about the money.”

Although the Eels faithful will be left ropable with the fact they have lost another key member of their roster, these same diehards can take solace in the fact that skipper Clint Gutherson had previously signed on to stay under Brad Arthur's reign.