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NRL legend Billy Slater is baffled by a report claiming the Parramatta Eels are looking for a new fullback, the same position played by skipper Clint Gutherson.
The Eels have been working the phones around the league in recent days in an attempt to sign a “gamebreaker” or “X-factor” at the fullback position, according to Nine’s Michael Chammas.
Slater, one of the game’s most prolific fullbacks ever, was astounded by the prospect of Gutherson being punted from fullback.
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“I can’t believe it, to be honest. I think Clint Gutherson is one of the best fullbacks in the game,” Slater said on Nine’s NRL coverage.
“Sometimes we look at the shiny, bright stuff that the fullbacks can do, and Gutherson adds so much more to that team than the bright, shiny stuff.
“I look at that position and think, ‘Can that team win a competition with that player at fullback?’, and I can see that with Clint Gutherson.
“So I can’t believe that they would be looking elsewhere.”
Gutherson, 28, has been a mainstay in the Eels’ line-up since joining the club from Manly in 2016.
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The Eels have been transparent with Gutherson in their pursuit of a new fullback and the star No.1 has “given the club his blessing”, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
The Eels have denied that an incoming fullback could force Gutherson out of the No.1 jersey, with the club insisting the player could instead be a spark off the bench.
Gutherson penned an extension with the Eels at the end of the 2021 season. His current deal sees him earn in excess of $850,000 per year until the end of 2025.
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