The developing story of Connor Watson's future has taken a dramatic turn, with the Sydney Roosters allowing the Origin star to head to the open market for 2027 if he can secure a long-term deal.
Watson's utility value may have been his downfall at the tri-colours, as he excels in both lock and hooker at a high level, and isn't playing the amount of minutes he probably deserves.
There will be plenty of clubs monitoring the situation carefully as he decides where to take his career next.
4. Parramatta Eels
A bit of a smokey selection, with Tallin Da Silva locked up until 2029, Watson would come to play lock if Dylan Walker were to retire and explore his options elsewhere. Watson can complement Jason Ryles' style of footy, including offloads, agile forwards and plenty of ball-playing.
The Eels could definitely shuffle a few players around to accommodate Watson, who would complement the rest of the pack perfectly.
Whether they have the salary cap space to compete on an offer with the likes of Manly or Perth is unknown, but I wouldn't rule them out.
