The Parramatta Eels have confirmed Dylan Walker will be rested this weekend for the club's clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Walker, who heads to the English Super League at the end of the year, has been one of the most important players for the struggling and injury-ravaged blue and gold outfit off the bench throughout the year.
That will be cut this weekend though, with Parramatta electing to bring Saxon Pryke onto the bench in his place, with Walker then expected to play through the closing weeks of the season, which will mark the final games of his career in the NRL before he takes up a three-year deal in England.
The resting decision will raise eyebrows given the Eels only had a bye two weeks ago, with a close to the Parramatta Eels and narrow win over the Wests Tigers since then.
The game against the Tigers on Sunday came on the back of a ten-day turnaround, while this week's game against the Rabbitohs is a six-day turnaround.
The decision could well be that Ryles wants to get more minutes into the legs of some of his players who will be around next year, with the club now out of wooden spoon danger following their win over the Tigers.
The Eels have also confirmed half Jonah Pezet's miserable season is continuing, with a new two-week layoff expected to fix a shoulder problem he sustained playing in the NSW Cup over the weekend.
Pezet has spent a large portion of this season either injured or suspended.
On a one-year contract between his time at the Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos, he was brought in to be a stable halves partner to Mitchell Moses, but has struggled to get on the field, let alone perform once there.
Pezet may be lucky to play another game in the blue and gold despite being set to return in Round 25 given he won't be at the club next year, when Jarome Luai arrives on the same contract Pezet had this year before linking up with the PNG Chiefs in 2028.
