Simonsson a no-show at Eels training, granted leave of absence

Bailey Simonsson has been granted a leave of absence by Parramatta officials after details of a split between the outside back and club management were revealed on Thursday.

This masthead reported that Dylan Brown’s likely recall to the Parramatta starting side this week reignited a dispute between Simonsson and coach Jason Ryles, prompting the outside back to request a release for the third time in the last month.

Simonsson spoke to club officials on Thursday night and was granted time away from the club to deal with the situation that could end his time at the club. Simonsson wasn’t at training on Friday and isn’t expected back around the group until next week, at the earliest.

He has missed the August 1 cut-off to sign for a Super League club this year and cannot join another NRL club in season 2025 after missing the June 30 trade deadline. Simonssonis contracted at the Eels until the end of 2026 but has requested a release on multiple occasions over the past month.

The most recent request came this week after Simonsson was told by Ryles he would not be selected in the NRL team to play against the Cowboys on Sunday, and that the departing Brown was ahead of him in the battle to replace the injured Sean Russell in the centres.

Simonsson was dropped by the Eels after the 40-16 loss to Canberra in round 20. He has since lodged three requests for a release. He also informed the club that his preferred position was on the wing, not in the centres – where he was playing before he was dropped.

Ryles has been playing Simonsson on the wing in NSW Cup since then and did not consider him to play in the centres for the Eels NRL team this weekend given his previous request to play on the wing.

Simonsson, however, has privately maintained that he did not want to exclude himself from playing in the centres, and only presented a preference to play wing when asked his ideal position by coaching staff.

Simonsson was informed that Brown and Jordan Samrani, who has been named at No.4 but is expected to make way for Brown, were being considered to play in the centres ahead of him.

Sources close to Simonsson who spoke on the condition of anonymity told the Herald the player is furious with his treatment from the Eels and that he had again demanded a release this week after learning Brown was likely to return to the NRL team before him.

The Eels are considering bringing Brown back into the NRL team this week despite Ryles having indicated he may have played his last game for the club given his forthcoming departure to Newcastle at the end of the season.

The Eels had knocked back Simonsson’s two previous requests for a release but are now giving strong consideration to releasing him given his behaviour in recent days.

Ryles showed faith in Simonsson by handing him a two-year extension at the end of last season as he recovered from a season-ending ACL injury.

He returned to the NRL in round six this year and played four games before breaking his foot, missing the next two months of the season.

He returned in round 19 and played two games in the centres before he was dropped after a disappointing performance against the Raiders in round 20. It’s when he asked the club for the first of three releases.

The club declined to comment when contacted on Thursday afternoon.

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