7th Tackle: Could Bulldogs rake answer Eels SOS?

It’s Red Alert for Parramatta in the hooking department this week, with both Kaysa Pritchard (knee) and Isaac de Gois (concussion) unlikely to feature this season.

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The Eels look set to rely upon reserve grade utility Cameron King – who has played extremely limited NRL thanks to an absurd run of injury over the past five-and-a-half years.

But there could be a left field solution. Before Pritchard’s injury on the weekend, Parramatta were considering whether to chase Bulldogs rake Michael Lichaa for next year.

Those discussions could be expedited should the Eels coaching staff decide King needs a hand in the middle.

That raises the possibility of Lichaa requesting a release pre-June 30, should Parramatta offer him a long term deal.

The big question is whether Canterbury would grant the release, given its slim depth at No. 9.