The Parramatta Eels have reportedly granted skipper Clint Gutherson an immediate release from his contract as he is set to sign with a new NRL club.
Granted permission to speak with rival teams at the beginning of the month after Gutherson was informed that he wouldn't be offered a contract extension with the Parramatta Eels.
Ongoing injury concerns, Jason Ryles' arrival as head coach, and the recruitment of Isaiah Iongi from the Penrith Panthers have led to speculation about Gutherson's future for some time.
Since arriving at the club to take over from Brad Arthur and Trent Barrett, Ryles spoke about a potential position shift for the club's skipper, with Iongi coming into the squad and shaking things up.
Now, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, Gutherson has been released from the final year of his contract with the Eels and is set to secure a three-year contract with the St George Illawarra Dragons until the end of the 2027 NRL season.
Gutherson's reported decision to join the Dragons comes just 24 hours after their skipper Ben Hunt and the club agreed to a mutual termination of his contract, despite him being contracted for a further season.
It is understood that the 30-year-old will likely slot into the fullback position with Tyrell Sloan pushing to the wing. Thus, this will create a new-looking backline of Gutherson, Sloan, Valentine Holmes, Moses Suli and Mathew Feagai.
It also means that the club are still on the lookout for a new halfback to join Kyle Flanagan in the halves for next season.
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“If it was to happen, Tyrell's still got a big part,” coach Shane Flanagan recently said via The Herald.
“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.”
The Dragons have also been linked with Canterbury Bulldogs flyer Josh Addo-Carr. Addo-Carr's contract with the Belmore-based club could be terminated in the later this afternoon as he is set to meet with the club in a meeting after he tested positive for a roadside drug test.
Contracted on $550,000 a season at the moment, just like Gutherson, he has been granted to speak with rival teams for next season but has been unable to land a deal for 2025 at the time of publication.
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"That's an interesting one. You'd better go and talk to his manager. What I view a player is worth and what a manager views what a player is worth could be completely different," Flanagan previously said on Addo-Carr.
"I have never spoken to Josh about it. Our first priority is waiting to see what eventuates with the Clint Gutherson situation first.
"Maybe down the track we might possibly look at the Fox. He's a quality player, he's had a hiccup and we'll address it. But it's not on the immediate radar."
