Brisbane's Matt Lodge will not sign with the Eels ahead of the June 30 deadline, according to The Australian.
Parramatta are expected to be active in the player market over the next fortnight, with interest in a number of players.
Eels captain Clint Gutherson has a lengthy relationship with Lodge dating back to their under-20 Origin days.
"He was always a star," Gutherson told The Australian.
"He is the same size (now) as he was back then. He has always been a big, skilful thing. He has brought that to the NRL. He is a big bopper and he just keeps going and going."
Lodge is expected to have made his decision on his future later in the week as the Eels offered him their big deal ahead of the June 30 deadline.
However, the Broncos remain confident they can retain their star prop by signing him to a long-term deal. It's likely that he would want to put the contractual discussion behind him as he prepares for his State of Origin debut in game two in just under a fortnight.
“He is playing some of the best footy he has (played),” Gutherson said. “He would be a handy addition but who knows? Every time I turn on my phone there is someone else leaving. What have they got — two weeks to get it sorted?”
As he prepares so his SOO debut? What have I misses something the teams aren’t announced u till Sunday
Is there any player Gutho isn’t mates with???
yeah! what the? – “as he prepares for his State of Origin debut in game two in just under a fortnight.”
i mean, he wouldn’t be the worst prop picked, but I’m sure Freddy is aware of his past issues which might cause distractions in camp, which we know he against.