Rugby union are looking to poach Parramatta star Maika Sivo, according to a report by The Daily Telegraph.

It comes just two years after Semi Radradra quit the Eels to join the rival code.

It is understood that Sivo, the NRL's leading tryscorer, has been offered a deal to play for Australia at the Olympic Games, with an offer coming last week to play play rugby sevens for the green and gold.

The 25-year old only just moved down under four years ago to pursue his rugby league dream, who has been told he will play alongside the likes Lewis Holland and Tom Connor in the Australian rugby sevens team at the Paris Olympics if he makes the code switch.

It is believed that it Sivo could earn up to $100,000 for a 16-week stint leading up to the Olympics.

The impressive rookie can hit the open market from November 1 after after knocking back a new three-year deal that included an upgrade offer of just over $100,000.

And a number of rival clubs are expected to come calling, with one Sydney club reportedly valuing him at $600,000 a season.

Eels coach Brad Arthur was hopeful that Sivo would remain at the club.

“Right from the start I could tell we had a player,” Arthur said.

“From when we first got our hands on Semi to when we first got our hands on Maika, Maika was further along. And he knew the game better.

“He wasn’t as good physically but he had only done three or four weeks pre-season with us because he had the shoulder reconstruction.’’

17 COMMENTS

  4. And last time the Eels got the spoon it was very nearly ripped off us by Manly.
    Lucky for you (too) I think we’ll keep Sivo.

  6. Well, interesting to hear that he knocked back an upgrade to his contract.
    If he goes back to playing Rugby Union, it won’t seem so bad to Panthers supporters.

  7. Hey Eels…
    Penrith better lock down all of their wingers , the Eels may be looking for a new winger?
    Just a minute… Is Mansour available? Want him? I’m sure if he’s not, Whare could play wing ? How about him? 👍

  8. EOD, no and no,.
    I think they only meet half the requirements for a transfer to Parra. The half I think they meet is the Panthers have them on big money / long term contracts, so that’s a tick, but the half they no longer meet, that is a requirement for Parra, is the talent part. Sorry.
    As for Sivo, I can understand your perspective, but blame your club, not ours. We picked him up on min. wage, because in 4 years at your club he didn’t get an opportunity to play a FG game.
    As for Blake and RCG, you were offloading them. Your club went to market, very shortly after signing them to big money / long term deals, and we helped you out, by taking the player, and most of their salary.
    P.S, I think it would be very fair to say both Sivo and Blake would be extremely happy with their moves, and let’s hope RCG can rebuild his career at Parra too.

  9. Come on Eels.
    You got to say to be fair, that my second comment was Funny!
    If Sivo is very Happy with his move & hasn’t signed any new contract? He may be even happier with a bigger payday & a move back to Rugby Union? He may have asked a friend what to do? Sami Radradra..👍

  10. Would Blake be Happier about playing with all the former teammates from Penrith , at Parramatta. Or, playing to the same stage of the competition that he’d played to for the previous 3 years?
    Yes, it’s better than not making the finals at all. Still, its like dejavu ! 😁

  11. Yeah, I think it’s fair to say the Whare comment was amusing, and I’ve been taking your Parra Panthers comments as part tongue in cheek too.
    Re Mansour, I’d take him at the right price if we did lose Sivo. I think you underestimate him a bit, although he’s obviously not as fast (speed and foot work wise) as he once was.
    But better yet, and if you act now, you could sign young To’o to a big money / long term deal and still have time to shop him around at a discount over the pre season. I’d be keen, if we do lose Sivo.
    I didn’t say Sivo was happy to stay at Parra, although I obviously hope he does, but would be extremely happy with the move. The move has opened the door for him, and I’m not saying it wouldn’t/couldn’t have happened at Penrith, given I’m sure he would have got the opportunity to play FG by mid year at least, by it didn’t.

  12. Sivo was injured mid season last year, 2018.. That’s why they gave Crighton the chance on the wing. Otherwise Gould said it would have been him in first grade last year.
    Sivo didn’t get to play finals in Canterbury Cup last year either, as he required a shoulder reconstruction . There was no going back to the country for him at the end of 2018, as Fittler rattled on about ?
    Why Gould didn’t re-sign him is a mystery? Right up there with why he did re-sign some other backs & Katoa etc??
    So, just having a bit of fun about players going to Parramatta from Penrith obviously. Penrith are a mystery in many ways! I think I would do a better job of keeping the better players there & getting rid of those not up to scratch. As would most other people just off the street , who’d seen the game played before.

  13. EOD, I don’t think Penrith’s problems are necessarily who didn’t re-sign, but rather who did, and at the $$$ they were signed as you have alluded to. Big money being tied up in RCG, Cleary, Tamou etc made it very hard to keep some of the young guys coming through.

  14. That may have been the case thanks mostly to Phil.
    Given that at least 11 first graders are gone now from the 2019 squad, they would have more money to spend than any other club.
    DWZ, Blake, RCG, Maloney were all on good money.
    The other that are gone are all top 30 squad players. So plenty more money there. They could complete the job by pushing out Whare & Mansour.
    Only leaves Cleary on big money.
    If he plays as well as he did last game & leads the team around well. Than he’s worth it.
    Players they did re-sign though included Harawirra-Nera, Blake,RCG, DWZ etc. That’s a long list too! Then they’re gone as well.
    They have one of the best up & coming halves in Burton. The player of the year in Jersey Flegg in fullback Staines. One of the best young forwards around in Saun Blore. I think supporters would just like them to keep the best of the young crop of players each year, where possible.
    No one would complain about that other than Parramatta & the Bulldogs! 👍
    By the way Eels47. I think Parramatta’s halfback Moses would be on big Money. Brown’s is going up, Sivo’s will go way up , if they keep him, RCG big money, Blake’s not cheap etc. Overpaying players is certainly not a Penrith exclusive & Parramatta have gone over the cap by doing it.

  15. I agree with what you have said EOD. My comment wasn’t intended to have a dig at the Panthers, just my opinion on what may be the reason for some of the departures. On the Eels, I am well aware that we have a history of massively overpaying players. I think that has mostly been cleaned up now though. Moses, of course is on big money, which can be considered overs definitely, but unfortunately that is what happens when there is a genuine lack of quality halves in the market.

    What the Panthers do need to be careful with though is releasing too many of their experienced players and leaving it all on the young guys. A good mix is needed there.

    I did actually have a bit more depth to my comment, and even mentioned how I think it is a good thing when the Panthers are successful, but it kept getting blocked and I couldn’t figure out why.

  16. I’d like to see any team from the West win it some time soon! Would make a nice change.
    It’s fair to have a dig at the Panthers recruiting, player retention etc. as it’s clearly been crap for years.
    I actually don’t think they need more experienced players. Other than 1 prop who’s a good player perhaps.
    Fisher-Harris, Tahmou , Leota, Yeo Koroisau & even Cleary have been in first grade for some years now. How many years do you need , before you’re considered to be an experienced player? They’ve all played several Finals seasons too.

  17. Fair call. Guys like Fisher_Harris and Yeo seem to be guys that others can follow and will hopefully warm to the more senior role. I guess sometimes it is easy to forget how long a player has been in first grade, especially when it isn’t for the team you follow.

    Agreed though, a quality prop is needed for sure.

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