The Parramatta Eels have confirmed the re-signing of Joash Papalii through to the end of 2027.
The fullback, outside back and half made the shift to the west of Sydney ahead of the 2025 campaign from the Canterbury Bulldogs and was expected to push for a spot straight away.
It has taken him time to get into first-grade, but he made his debut in Round 12 off the bench after sitting as 18th man on seven occasions, and has now played five games.
One of those came at five-eighth in a Round 16 win over the Gold Coast Titans, with that being the position he is tipped to play next year once Dylan Brown leaves the club to join the Newcastle Knights.
He will have to bide his time for the remainder of the campaign, but a contract extension ensures Jason Ryles can now work towards Papalii as the plan in the halves for at least the next two seasons as Parramatta’s rebuild and hopeful push up the NRL ladder continues.
“Joash is an exciting talent and someone the whole Club genuinely loves having around,” Eels director of football Mark O’Neill said of Papalii’s re-signing in a club statement.
“He brings energy, skill, and a team-first mentality that fits perfectly into what we’re building here at Parramatta.
“He’s continuing to develop his game under Jason Ryles and the coaching staff, and we’re really excited to see how far he can go in the years ahead.”
The 21-year-old Auckland-born talent has spent most of the year in the NSW Cup where he has excelled, before scoring a try during his NRL debut off the bench, where he played 79 minutes thanks to an early injury.
While his minutes, outside of his start at five-eighth when Brown was suspended, have otherwise been limited in the top grade, he has shown plenty, and could prove the perfect foil for Mitchell Moses next season in a new-look Eels’ side.
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