The Parramatta Eels are set to sign former Titan Bryce Cartwright on a one-year deal, reports The Sydney Morning Herald's Adrian Proszenko.
The Eels will reportedly throw the 25-year old a lifeline with a guarantee of a top 30 spot for 2021 on a heavily reduced contract from what he had at the Gold Cast.
Cartwright has reportedly trained hard by himself since moving back to Sydney, leading the Eels into believing he could be a great bargain buy.
The playmaker was released by the Titans last month after an indifferent three seasons at the club in a bid to return to New South Wales.
He has played a total of 112 NRL games, originally crossing from Penrith to the Gold Coast at the end of 2017.
Cartwright made 43 first-grade appearances for the Titans, including just seven in 2020.
It comes after Eels halves coach Andrew Johns told Wide World of Sports'Â Immortal Behaviour in September he was unsure if Cartwright was the right fit for the club.
"If I was a club, I'd be very wary," Johns said.
"It's up to Bryce. The problem with Bryce is he's had so much talent.
"Everyone can see how much talent he has. You look at rugby league history in the professional era in the last 20 years, some players who have so much talent, it just doesn't do them service because they don't have to work that hard.
"They get on the field and they can do things which take your breath away, but they haven't got that hard edge about working tough and working hard."
The Eels signing a Panthers junior. Now there’s something new! They just went the long way around with this one. Instead of signing him straight from Penrith, he’s being signed after he’s been at another club,
brad arthur will bring the best out of him like he did with rcg
He played well at Penrith bradhs. Without always tackling well. He just had an off field problem , with young ladies & their families. As he kept getting them pregnant.
Will Brad Arthur be able to do something about that?
Maybe there’s some drugs that they can get from Michael Jennings supplier, that can control the urges ? Plus some others to assist on field.