Five months after his NRL future appeared uncertain, Ryan Matterson has resolved differences with the Parramatta Eels and is poised to make a major impact in the 2026 season.
The tall back-rower’s career seemed in limbo after being granted an immediate release in late July to join Warrington in the Super League, following a season in which he made just four appearances from the interchange bench under coach Jason Ryles.
However, a heart-to-heart discussion with Ryles has given Matterson renewed confidence.
“They mended fences and agreed to start afresh,” an Eels insider 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.”
A product of the Eels’ junior system, Matterson captained the club’s NYC team in 2014 before stints with the Roosters and Tigers. He returned to Parramatta in 2020 and earned selection for New South Wales in Origin football two years later.
With the departures of experienced forwards Shaun Lane, Brendan Hands, and Wiremu Greig, Matterson’s return from Super League is expected to provide timely leadership and stability for the Eels’ forward pack in 2026.
While Matterson plots his comeback, other young talent is also emerging in the NRL. Billy Beetson, grandson of league legend Arthur Beetson, has been selected in the NSW junior representative Blues U16 Koori team set to tour Vanuatu. The Roosters, who signed Beetson earlier this year from the Harold Matts Cup, see the burly youngster as a long-term prospect for the club.
Meanwhile, South Sydney has unveiled a curious parallel to its past glory, signing a 15-year-old New Zealand forward named Sam Burgess—sharing both the name and position with the club great Sam Burgess. In his debut for the Rabbitohs’ Harold Matts trials side, Sam II marked the occasion with a dominant try. He will continue his development at Keebra Park High School on the Gold Coast while progressing through South Sydney’s ranks.
With Matterson’s revival and these rising stars on the horizon, the NRL landscape is set for an exciting 2026, blending experience with the next generation of talent.
