Dylan Brown has been rewarded with a new contract at Parramatta, and has been upgraded to the top 30 squad.
The 18-year-old was previously on a development deal, but has impressed to the point where an NRL debut is expected sometime this season.
Eels coach Brad Arthur has said that he believes Brown could be ready as soon as round one.
"It was always going to be around the physicality and I thought he handled himself OK," Arthur said to nrl.com.
"But round one is going to go to a whole new level. We stuck to the plan and we were disciplined and patient so that's what it's going to take early in the piece.”
The Eels face Penrith away in the first round on March 17.
Excellent news.