Eels coach has announced the signing of a key player who is expected to make a significant impact on the team’s performance.
The new addition brings a wealth of experience and skill, promising to enhance the Eels’ competitiveness in the upcoming seasons. The coach expressed confidence in the player’s ability to contribute to the team’s success and integrate seamlessly into the squad. This signing is part of the Eels’ strategy to strengthen their lineup and aim for higher achievements in the NRL.
Jason Saab will remain with the Sea Eagles until at least the end of the 2029 NRL Telstra Premiership season, having extended his contract with the club. Previously signed through 2026, Saab and Manly have now agreed on a new deal that extends his tenure by an additional three years on the Northern Beaches.
Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold expressed his belief that the 23-year-old is on the path to becoming one of the league’s top wingers. “Jason’s improvement over the past 18 months has been remarkable. I believe he is now capable of becoming an elite and representative-class winger,” Seibold said. “He has always had the potential.”
This news follows the Sea Eagles’ acquisition of Jake Simpkin from the Wests Tigers, effective immediately, on a contract through the 2026 season. Simpkin, a 22-year-old hooker, had played 41 NRL games for the Tigers since his 2021 debut, including four matches this season. His signing addresses a gap left by first-choice hooker Lachlan Croker, who sustained a neck injury in Round 9, currently preventing a safe return.
Elsewhere, the North Queensland Cowboys have signed Kai O’Donnell on a two-year contract for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. O’Donnell, a former member of the Cowboys Academy system and Proserpine Brahmans junior, returns to North Queensland after three seasons with Leigh in the UK. He made his NRL debut with Canberra in 2020. The Cowboys also secured prop Coen Hess on a new three-year contract, keeping him in Townsville until the end of the 2027 season. This follows the re-signing of prop Tom Mikaele on a two-year deal, with an option for 2027.
Additionally, the Panthers have announced a two-season extension for back-rower Luke Garner, ensuring his stay with the team until at least the end of 2026.
