Canberra Raiders outside back Harley Smith-Shields reportedly has his car packed and was ready to drive to Sydney, only for a loan deal to be pulled off the table at the last minutes.
The Eels, who are looking for an edge on the run to the finals, reportedly has the Raiders' back in their sights on loan for the remainder of the season.
Smith-Shields is contracted in the nation's capital until the end of the year, and while all the talk was that he would feature in the best 17 last year, an injury ultimately prevented him from making it onto the field in the top grade.
He has played just six games this year, taking his career tally to 15 in the nation's capital since his 2020 debut, stuck behind a mix of experience and talented youth for the Raiders.
The back, who can play wing, centre and fullback, would have added plenty to the depth at Parramatta, but according to Fox Sports, the Parramatta board pulled the offer off the table despite the desire of coach Brad Arthur to add him to the squad for the remainder of 2023.
It was understood that Ethan Sanders - a young gun half who has been linked with the Raiders after playing under 19 State of Origin for New South Wales this year - was set to move to Canberra at the end of the season in return.
All reports suggest that is likely to happen either way, with Sanders off-contract at Parramatta at the end of next year, but likely to move to the Raiders in one way or another.
It's understood Smith-Shields was set to be selected on Parramatta's wing this weekend, only to have the deal pulled.
While the report suggests it was the Parramatta board who pulled the offer, The Canberra Times report that it was in fact the Raiders who felt the move wasn't right for them.
Despite their own depth in the outside backs, the green machine were hesitant to jump at the move with both teams likely to be in the mix for finals and no player going the other way for the remainder of the campaign.
"It was explored and it didn't work out. With Monday the deadline, things get put to you and you consider them, you make a few phone calls and you try and work through it," Raiders chief executive Don Furner told the publication.
"But it's got to be the right deal for both sides and it wasn't. You owe it to your club to explore them, but you also have to do the best thing for your club and this wasn't for us."
The move not working means the Eels still have a spot to fill in their Top 30 before next Monday's transfer deadline for 2023, while Smith-Shields will continue to ply his trade in the nation's capital until the end of 2024.
He becomes a free agent from November 1 and will be able to sign with a rival club for 2025 from then.
