Joey floats shock switch for $1m star in Eels shake-up

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Andrew Johns has floated a shock positional switch for one of the NRL’s highest paid players.
But it all depends on a boom rookie who has played just one game in the top league and hasn’t even landed at Parramatta yet.
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The Eels are in a holding pattern as incoming coach Jason Ryles works away at shaping his roster for the 2025 season.
A couple of players are reportedly on their way out, while some who are staying still don’t know exactly where they fit into the line-up.
One of those appears to be long-time captain and fan favourite Clint Gutherson.
Dylan Brown of the Eels chats to captain Clint Gutherson. Getty
While only 29 years old, Gutherson’s future has been under a cloud of uncertainty amid the emergence of Blaize Talagi and now the recruitment of Isaiah Iongi.
Iongi was poached by the Eels as retribution for the Panthers pinching Talagi for next season, but the club switch hasn’t done much to shore up Gutherson’s place in the jigsaw puzzle.
Iongi, 21, was the 2023 NSW Cup fullback of the year and was a standout when debuting for the Panthers last month in the No.1 jumper.
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While Gutherson is pocketing upwards of $850,000 a year he could find himself squeezed out by the rookie recruit.
“There are high hopes for Iongi, and if that’s the case maybe Gutho goes to 13. You could put Gutho anywhere because he competes,” Johns told Wide World of Sports’ Immortal Behaviour.
“What keeps getting said about Gutho is they need some X-factor at fullback, and Gutho has lost a couple of yards, everyone knows that.
“But he competes every week so he’s got to be somewhere in the team. I still see him at fullback, depending on the young guy Iongi… he looks a good player.
“I would probably start the season (with Gutherson) at fullback and then bring on the young fella if he shows enough promise.”
But there is a third party adding intrigue to the situation, according to Johns.
He says star five-eighth Dylan Brown could even switch spots in what would be a monster gamble for rookie coach Ryles.
According to Rugby League Project, Brown has never started an NRL game at fullback in more than 130 games.
But Johns believes the gun Kiwi could don the No.1 jumper until Iongi is ready to step up to the plate.
Clint Gutherson and Mitchell Moses. Getty
“If the young fella is showing real promise then he goes to fullback and Gutho… you could even move Gutho to five-eighth and maybe move Dylan Brown to fullback,” Johns said.
“(Mitchell) Moses and Gutho in the halves, Dylan Brown at fullback… it all depends on Iongi, how he will go.”
Brown is on a lucrative contract at the Eels believed to be worth more than $1 million a season over its entirety.
Meantime, the Eels need to upset the Dragons on Saturday to have a chance of avoiding the wooden spoon.
It’s likely they will do battle with the Tigers in the last round of the season to decide who finishes last.