Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Sport
Jasper Bruce

Upcoming farewells to spur Eels on: Brown

Dylan Brown says the title-chasing Eels are mindful six players will be leaving at season's end. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Parramatta five-eighth Dylan Brown says the difficulty of farewelling six teammates gives the Eels even more motivation in their sudden-death semi-final.

Of the six clubs still in contention for the premiership, the Eels are preparing to part with the most members of their playing group.

Isaiah Papali'i, Reed Mahoney, Oregon Kaufusi, Tom Opacic, Marata Niukore and Ray Stone are set to leave the club, with all but Stone named to face Canberra on Friday.

The list of departures could grow longer as well, given Samuel Loizou, Uinitoni Mataele, Solomone Naiduki and Hayze Perham are without deals for next season.

The Eels' desire to break their semi-final hoodoo has been well documented - Parramatta have bowed out in the second week of the finals series for the last three years.

But Brown said there'd be more than that spurring Parramatta on this week.

"It motivates us, players leaving," he told AAP.

"There's a fair chunk, six boys going. We understand that with how well we are playing, it'd sort of be a waste to stop now."

Brown goes way back with Kaufusi and Mahoney, to their progression through Parramatta's junior system as teenagers.

"I've played with Oregon since SG Ball and I lived with Reed back then," he said.

"(Mahoney) was full of energy and carried on. He was clean but he was always getting up to some mischief or whatnot. He was good to have around."

From here on, any game could be Brown's last alongside Dolphins-bound Kaufusi and Mahoney, who is joining Canterbury.

While his focus is on the Raiders, Brown hasn't been able to help casting his mind forward to next year.

"It's going to be weird, knowing they're not going to be there, you're going to have to change the way you play," he said.

"It's just going to be way different.

"Hopefully they can leave us on a good note."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.