SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JULY 15: Isaiah Papali’i of the Eels thanks the crowd after the round 18 NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and the New Zealand Warriors at CommBank Stadium on July 15, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Isaiah Papali’i might be about to play his first grand final, but that hasn’t stopped continuing questions over his future.
The star second rower, who was signed by the Eels ahead of 2021 on a cut-price two-year deal that saved his career, is due to move to the Wests Tigers in 2023 on what will be a mega upgrade.
The deal signed mid-year, before the sacking of Michael Maguire, has taken a twist since though, with the second rower considering whether he should abandon the club he signed with.
The news that he was weighing up a potential switch out of the deal came as a shock to the Tigers, and an enormous blow, given he will replace Luciano Leilua in 2023.
The ex-Tigers forward signed a deal with the North Queensland Cowboys and was ultimately handed a mid-season release to shift north early where he became a part of the team who lost in the preliminary finals to Parramatta last week.
Speaking to News Corp at an open media day on Monday, Papali’i suggested that he wasn’t thinking about his future this week, but refused to commit to the Tigers, instead suggesting he would talk about it with his manager next week.
“(Waiting to make a call) has worked for us. I’m definitely going to have to stick that,” Papali’i told the publication.
“We are just focused on this year. I don’t want to be worrying about that in the biggest week of my career to date.
“But as soon as Sunday rolls over, I’m sure me and my agent will touch base as soon we can. So we can stop all the questions.”
It’s understood the Eels have the money in their salary cap to make a play to keep Papali’i at the club following the departures of Oregon Kaufusi, Ray Stone, Reed Mahoney and Marata Niukore among others.
It’s unclear at this stage whether they have put an offer on the table to keep the second rower, although there is little doubt they would like to given the number of forwards set to head for the departure gates at Parramatta
Source:: ZeroTackle
