Once considered the favourite for Reagan Campbell-Gillard's signature, an NRL club has reportedly exited the race for the NSW Blues representative.
All but certain to leave the Parramatta Eels and find himself at another team next season, Campbell-Gillard has been granted permission to leave the club at the end of the season despite being contracted until the end of the 2025 NRL season.
A NSW Blues representative, the front-rower is contracted on a deal worth approximately $750,000 per season, and his exit would allow the Eels to free up some much-needed room in their salary cap for next year and beyond.
This comes after the 218-game veteran has spent the last five season at Parramatta after joining from the Penrith Panthers and has gone on to represent the NSW Blues and Australian Kangaroos during his tenure at the club.
Unfortunately, he has struggled to find form this season like many of his teammates as the Eels look set to claim the wooden spoon after the Wests Tigers defeated the Manly Sea Eagles on Thursday evening.
After being seen as the frontrunner for Campbell-Gillard's services earlier in the week, the North Queensland Cowboys have now ruled out signing Campbell-Gillard from the Eels, per The Courier Mail.
While the Cowboys have the funds to sign him due to the departures of Chad Townsend (Roosters) and Valentine Holmes (Dragons), The Herald understands that they baulked at the front-rowers demand for a three-year contract and were only willing to offer a two-year deal.
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are also in the mix, but their interest is only preliminary at this stage as they will welcome Tom Amone and Still Tupouniua to the club next season.
This leaves the St George Illawarra Dragons as the favourites but it is understood that they have yet to table a formal offer to his management and are reluctant to offer him a three-year contract.
The Dragons have made the key acquisitions of Cowboys outside back Valentine Holmes and Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook for 2025 as Shane Flanagan's rebuild of the club takes full shape.
The Dragons' rebuild has been leaps and bounds ahead of expectations this season, with the club on track to play finals rugby league this season after their win over the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday afternoon in Wollongong.