Parramatta Eels went into 2026 carrying one of the thinnest rosters in the competition, despite the additions of Jack de Belin and Jonah Pezet.
It was never going to be a quiet year for the club, with Jason Ryles coaching the blue and gold for his second season, a chance to prove the retooling period was real and that Parramatta were ready to compete after finishing 11th at the end of last season.
The Eels have 26 players in their top-30 squad, and a forward pack that has struggled to match it with the competition’s elite, the club finds itself in the position that no recruiting department wants to be in mid-season scrambling.
With twelve players injured for a significant period of the season, including two players out for the rest of the season with ACL injuries, the market has options, a combination of expiring contracts, frozen-out stars and players looking for opportunity.
Here are six player the Eels should target for the remainder of this season either for loan or for long-term security.
