Clint Gutherson’s career at Parramatta is over with the long-serving skipper set to ink a three-year deal with St George Illawarra on Thursday.
The Eels board met on Wednesday night an after previously telling Gutherson that he is free to negotiate with rival NRL clubs after being granted the fullback permission to test his value on the open market, they released him from the final year of his deal.
Gutherson has an offer until the end of 2027 waiting for him at the Dragons and the deal is expected to be sealed on Thursday. The request for an immediate release came from Gutherson’s management and the Parra board agreed to part ways, effective immediately, on the condition that the club will not have to pay any part of his contract for 2025, reportedly worth $875,00.
Ben Hunt’s abrupt end to his time at the Dragons means the club has the cap space to absorb Gutherson’s salary for next year and they don’t have a lot of players on long-term deals for the following two years as well.
Gutherson has been one of Parramatta’s best performers for several years and led the Eels to the 2022 grand final but incoming coach Jason Ryles had suggested Gutherson’s future heading into next season would be as a utility and the Eels were therefore unable to offer him a long-term deal until they had seen him adapt to that role.
The incoming Parramatta coach said in an interview last month that Gutherson was “one of the biggest effort players in the competition” and was a “big part” of his plans.
Gutherson has repeatedly stated he has no concerns over where he plays and the 30-year-old could be used in his preferred position at fullback at the Dragons or switched to the halves alongside Kyle Flanagan.
“I couldn’t care less (where I play), I’ve said it my whole career,” Gutherson said in July.
Clint Gutherson charges into the Cronulla line. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“I just love playing, whether it’s off the bench, on the wing, anywhere. I just love playing footy, and from the get-go I’ve always said I’ll move if the coach thinks it’s right.”
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan indicated in a Sydney Morning Herald interview last week that Gutherson would be thrown the No.1 jersey with Tyrell Sloan thrust to the wing.
“If it was to happen, Tyrell’s still got a big part,” Flanagan said.
“I think it’d be fantastic for Tyrell’s development to have someone like Gutho around. Tyrell could play on the wing. So if I need to have that conversation with Tyrell I will, but I haven’t as yet because it’s a little bit pie in the sky stuff at the moment.”
