With 2023 NRL pre-season training underway, six new recruits have officially joined the Parramatta Eels.
Josh Hodgson, Jack Murchie, J'maine Hopgood, Daejarn Asi, Matt Doorey and Jirah Momoisea have all reported for duty and are building towards their first seasons with the Blue & Gold.
Get to know our latest additions below!
Josh Hodgson
D.O.B.: 31 October 1989 (age 33)
Position: Hooker
NRL Appearances: 138
Hodgson brings a wealth of experience to PARRAdise. The English hooker has made 274 first grade appearances across the NRL and Super League, as well as 23 Test caps with England and Great Britain.
He established himself as one of the NRL’s premier hookers in his eight seasons with the Canberra Raiders, recording 72 try assists and leading the Green Machine to the 2019 Grand Final. After suffering an ACL injury in early 2022, Hodgson has returned to fitness and is set for a full pre-season with the Eels.
Jack Murchie
D.O.B.: 26 June 1997 (age 25)
Position: Second Row
NRL Appearances: 40
Hailing from the South Coast of New South Wales, Murchie made his NRL debut with the Canberra Raiders in 2018. The hard-working second rower joined the Warriors midway through 2020 and was a mainstay in their side over the past three seasons.
Murchie has made 40 NRL appearances for a return of seven tries, bringing healthy competition to the Eels’ back row stocks.
J’maine Hopgood
D.O.B.: 11 May 1999 (age 23)
Position: Lock, Prop, Second Row
NRL Appearances: 9
Capable of playing lock, prop and second row, Hopgood is an exciting addition to the Eels. The Queensland-born forward joined the Panthers junior system as a teenager and became a lower grade star before signing a two-year deal with Parramatta.
Hopgood has made nine NRL appearances to date and joins the Eels on the back of an incredible end to 2022. He captained the Panthers' reserve grade side to the NSW Cup title, before scoring two tries and being named man of the match as he lifted the NRL State Championship the following week.
Matt Doorey
D.O.B.: 27 June 2000 (age 22)
Position: Second Row
NRL Appearances: 18
Doorey returns to his hometown on a two-year deal, having progressed through the Eels junior ranks alongside the likes of Dylan Brown and Haze Dunster.
He scored a memorable try on his NRL debut with the Bulldogs in 2020 and has made 18 appearances to date. A knee injury disrupted his 2022 season, but a successful return via NSW Cup sees him rejoin the Eels fully fit.
Daejarn Asi
D.O.B.: 15 August 2000 (age 22)
Position: Five-Eighth, Centre, Fullback
NRL Appearances: 18
22-year old utility Daejarn Asi adds a new dimension to the Eels squad. Versatile and skilful, he has played five-eighth, centre, fullback and off the bench in his NRL career to date.
Asi made his debut with North Queensland in 2020, marking the occasion with a try against Penrith. He then joined the Warriors midway through last season and produced several impressive performances before signing on with the Eels.
Jirah Momoisea
D.O.B.: 2 September 1998 (age 24)
Position: Prop, Second Row
NRL Appearances: 8
Standing 193cm (6’4”) tall, Jirah Momoisea brings size to the Eels’ forward stocks. The towering forward was born and raised in New Zealand before spending time in the Melbourne Storm and Newcastle Knights junior systems.
He rose through the ranks at Newcastle to make his NRL debut for the club and recorded eight first grade appearances before signing a two-year contract with the Eels.
