Talks that reignited exiled Eels star's NRL career

Five months after his Parramatta career appeared to be over, Ryan Matterson has patched up his differences with the club and is set to take 2026 by storm.

Things didn't look good when the tall back-rower was granted an immediate release in late July, moving to Warrington in Super League.

But Matterson, who had just four appearances from the interchange bench in Jason Ryles' maiden season in charge of the Eels last season, is a man reborn.

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A heart-to-heart talk with Ryles has given Matterson new confidence in his future at the club and he has been a leader at pre-season training.

"They mended fences and agreed to start afresh," an Eels source told Wide World of Sports.

"Ryan is a senior player now and still has a lot of good footy in him.

"He is set for a big season."

An Eels junior, Matterson captained the club's NYC team in 2014 before stints at the Roosters and Tigers.

He re-joined the Eels in 2020, playing Origin football for New South Wales two years later. With the loss of experienced forwards Shaun Lane, Brendan Hands and Wiremu Greig, Matterson's return from Super League could prove very timely for the Eels in 2026.

PLAYER QUITS AFTER COACH SPRAY

Who was the player who quit his club at the end of the season in the wake of receiving a fearful spray from his coach after their final game?

The player was hurt and embarrassed by the verbal barrage in front of the entire team and staff by the angry coach moments after the season came to an unfavourable conclusion.

The player mulled over the incident for a couple of weeks… and then decided it wasn't worth the angst.

He packed his bags and left and hasn't been seen at the club since.

ARTIE'S GRANDSON ON THE RISE

The grandson of league legend Arthur Beetson has been selected in a NSW junior representative team.

Billy Beetson, a rising star in the Roosters system, has been named in the Blues U16 Koori team to tour Vanuatu soon.

Roosters scouts are well aware of Billy's ability and he has been earmarked for a long career at the club.

Earlier this year, the club signed the burly youngster, who has been playing in the Harold Matts Cup, to a three year deal.

UNCANNY EMERGENCE OF SAM BURGESS II

Fifteen years after the great Sam Burgess signed for South Sydney, Sam Burgess Mark II has joined the Rabbitohs.

That's right - a player with the same name and who plays in the same position in the forwards, made his red and green debut last weekend.

A strongly-built 15-year-old from New Zealand, Sam II celebrated the occasion with a powerhouse try in his team's win over Manly in the Harold Matts trials at Erskineville Oval in inner Sydney.

Souths see a big future for the youngster with the even bigger name - he is moving across the ditch to renowned league nursery Keebra Park High School on the Gold Coast next year as he continues his journey through the grades at Souths.