The Parramatta Eels has officially lodged its squad with the NRL by naming 28 contracted players and three development players for the 2019 season.
NRL Clubs are required to name a minimum of 24 players by 1 November 2018 and 29 players by 1 March 2019, with finalisation of the top 30 squad to be completed 30 June 2019.
The squad includes new signings Blake Ferguson, Junior Paulo, Shaun Lane, Maika Sivo and Andrew Davey.
Club re-signings are David Gower (2019), Peni Terepo (2020), Kaysa Pritchard (2019) and George Jennings (2020) and have been officially added.
Blake Ferguson, a 2018 NRL Telstra Premiership winner with the Sydney Roosters, joins the Eels on a three-year deal. Last season he led the NRL with 5,039 meters gained at an average of 186 per match and scored 18 tries. He will join the Eels for pre-season in late November.
Junior Paulo returns to the Parramatta Eels after playing 55 matches with the Canberra Raiders between 2016 and 2018. He began pre-season training with the Eels this week and is signed through the 2022 NRL season.
Shaun Lane has bolstered the Club's second-row stocks by switching from the Manly Sea Eagles on a two-year deal. The 23-year-old scored nine tries last season, the most by one player at the Sea Eagles in 2018. He started pre-season training with his new teammates this week.
Winger Maika Sivo arrives at the Eels from the Penrith Panthers and second rower Andrew Davey played with the Townsville Blackhawks in the Intrust Super Cup last season.
The Parramatta Eels 2019 NRL Squad:
Daniel Alvaro, Nathan Brown, Andrew Davey, Kane Evans, Blake Ferguson, Bevan French, David Gower, Clinton Gutherson, Josh Hoffman, George Jennings, Michael Jennings, Oregon Kaufusi, Shaun Lane, Greg Leleisiuao, Manu Ma'u, Tim Mannah, Tepai Moeroa, Mitchell Moses, Marata Niukore, Corey Norman, Junior Paulo, Kaysa Pritchard, Jaeman Salmon, Maika Sivo, Will Smith, Ray Stone, Brad Takairangi, Peni Terepo
Parramatta Eels Development Players*:
Dylan Brown, Reed Mahoney, Stefano Utoikamanu
*Development players can be elevated to the top 30 before 30 June 2019.
