Parramatta Eels star second-rower and NSW Blues representative Ryan Matterson has reportedly made a decision on his rugby league playing future as he nears the end of his current deal.
A 2018 premiership winner, Matterson joined the Eels in 2020 following stints with theย Sydney Roostersย (2016-18) andย Wests Tigersย (2019), where he found career-best form and represented theย NSW Bluesย in the 2022 State of Origin series.
Linked with an exit from the Eels as late as July, the former Junior Kangaroo enters the upcoming season after a disappointing 2024, which saw the Eels finish in third-last - only ahead of the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Wests Tigers.
On a salary of around $600,000 per season, the 30-year-old is one of six players at the club who either have a club, player or mutual option embedded into their contract for the 2026 season.
As reported byย The Daily Telegraph, Matterson has informed the Parramatta Eels that he will take up the player option in his contract for the 2026 NRL season, which will be the final season of his current deal.
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The decision by Matterson comes after the Origin representative was granted permission last July to speak with rival teams as they looked to free up money in the salary cap following the sacking of former coach Brad Arthur.
More recently, he was linked with a potential move toย The Dolphins for their maiden season, in which they offered him a four-year contract, but he decided to remain at Parramatta.
While Matterson has confirmed he will stay, this isn't the last time a contract clause and the Parramatta Eels will be in the news cycle.
The Eels have until June to decide if they want to retain the services of Josh Addo-Carr for an extra season, whilst Dylan Brown will need to tell the club by Round 10 if he intends to stay there for the next two seasons.
It’s just like the Dylan Brown story.
He has an option; he looks around to see if anyone will give him better deal; when no-one offers him anything interesting he exercises the option.
Parramatta must have been mindless to agree to options.
It certainly makes long-term recruitment/retention way more difficult than it needs to be.
Does anyone know if the use of options came from the Manager of R & R (whoever he may be) or from Brad Arthur. ?