Parramatta are set to lose another player ahead of the 2023 season with centre Tom Opacic reportedly signing with Hull KR in the UK Super League.
Opacic, 27, joins the club on a reported $500,000 a year deal, while he is the latest Eel to sign with a rival for next season alongside Reed Mahoney, Isaiah Papali’I, Oregon Kaufusi, Ray Stone and Marata Niukore.
With a raft of quality players set to leave the club, The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis pondered whether the Eels’ premiership window is close to slamming shut.
“Tom Opacic, it looks like he’s going to join Hull at the end of the season,” Carayannis said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“He’s been serviceable for Parramatta over the last few years coming from the Cowboys, he’s done his job in the centre role.
“It just poses the question I guess with Marata Niukore, Isaiah Papali’I, Oregon Kaufusi, Reed Mahoney of course, is this it for Parramatta’s shot at the title?
“We’ve seen how good they can be on their day, it was all on display against the Roosters, but we saw how bad they can be against the Bulldogs.
“I just wonder if this is it for Parramatta for the next couple of years.”
While Carayannis still expects Parramatta’s stars to keep them afloat, he believes their best chance of winning a premiership is right now in 2022 when their squad still has considerable depth.
“I think so,” Carayannis said in response to whether the Eels’ premiership window is nearing its end.
“I think you move from that top-four sort of potential to the bottom of the top eight.
“They still have a good side, they still have (Dylan) Brown, (Mitchell) Moses and (Clint) Gutherson, obviously Josh Hodgson comes in to play hooker … it’s still a good side that can run hot.
“But they lose a bit of that cover, a little bit of that depth that they’ve had over the last couple of years.
“They’ll still be there or thereabouts but this is their best shot … probably for the next couple of years.”
Parramatta will hope to build off their stirring Round 15 Roosters win when they face the Rabbitohs on Saturday week at Accor Stadium.