Parramatta have locked in their Reed Mahoney replacement signing veteran Canberra hooker Josh Hodgson from the 2023 season.
Hodgson, 32, will join the Eels on a two-year deal after next season which is when Mahoney will head to the Bulldogs on his own four-year contract.
While the hooker has plenty of NRL experience with 137 Australian first-grade games to his name, The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio believes his age could be a worry by the time his deals kicks off.
“The big issue for the Parramatta Eels is solving their dummy-half problem,” Riccio explained on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“That is Josh Hodgson, who’ll head from the Canberra Raiders to the Eels for the 2023 season.
“The big problem surrounding this is the age of Hodgson, he’ll be turning 34 at the back end of the 2023 season.
“He’s 34, I expect it to be a two-year deal, so he’s going to be 35 or 36 by the time he finishes up at the Eels.
“Cam Smith played until 37, Chris Heighington 36, Paul Gallen 38, it’s not outside the realms of possibility.
“But there’s certainly a lot happening at the Parramatta Eels.”
SEN host Andrew Voss felt similarly, believing Hodgson is no longer the player he was when the Raiders finished runners-up in 2019.
“I love him as a player, Josh Hodgson,” Voss said.
“I quite like his personality as well, he’s quite easy to talk to, but I have to admit hand on heart, he’s not as good now as he was at his best at Canberra.
“Where he’s going to be in a couple of years? You’ve got to wonder.
“I’m not getting much positive reaction from Parramatta fans.”
Hodgson will bring a wealth of international experience to the Eels having played 19 times for England in tests.