Good news for Parramatta Eels coach

Following the retirement of veteran Englishman Josh Hodgson, a two-way battle to be Parramatta’s No. 9 also looks to be brewing at CommBank. Young gun Brendan Hands is likely to take the reins in Round 1 but if Joey Lussick doesn’t nail a spot on the bench, he will be pushing his teammate all season.

With contract negotiations surrounding halfback Mitch Moses, a potential positional switch on the cards for Clint Gutherson and five-eighth Dylan Brown missing rounds 15-23 due to an NRL Breach Notice, Parramatta were under pressure all season to shut out external noise.

But with Gutherson in career form at fullback, Moses locked in on a new contract and Brown putting a troubled season behind him with an impressive Kiwis campaign, that ‘core group’ will still be driving the hunger to break the 38-year premiership drought after coming so close in 2022.

The Eels still haven’t filled the void left by Reed Mahoney’s departure to the Bulldogs at the end of 2023, with the plan to have Josh Hodgson mentor the next generation of dummy halves brought unstuck by the veteran’s forced retirement due to injury.

Hodgson has moved into a role as the Assistant Coaching Director for the club’s Elite Pathways Program so players can still pick his brain but his experience will be missed.

Now the battle for the No.9 jersey rests between returning Super League hooker Joey Lussick and Penrith junior Brendan Hands.

Lussick was handed the reins from rounds 23-27 last season but Brad Arthur looks likely to give Hands first shot at the position if the 24-year-old can put in a strong pre-season and prove he has a big future in the NRL.