Jonah Pezet has been one of the most sought after playmakers this off-season, and earlier this week, it was reported that he opted into his loan/exit clause and would sign two deals with two different clubs.
The Melbourne Storm halfback stepped in for Jahrome Hughes and impressed with his man of the match performance against the Bulldogs that would help the club get into the preliminary final and have a week off.
Rugby league fans, particularly the fans of the Eels, have been in a frenzy with the news in which the 22-year-old would join the Blue and Gold for 12 months before heading to the Broncos on a multi-year deal.
Braith Anasta reveals details inside the decision in which Pezet felt like he needed to exit his current deal with the Melbourne Storm and explore his options.
MORE: The Eels’ ace up their sleeve in Pezet contract negotiations
On the latest episode of the BTFU podcast, Pezet’s agent spoke on a series of events leading up to the process and decision of taking his client to the open market and explore his NRL options.
During the negotiations of the playmaker’s deal to stay with Melbourne, Anasta revealed that he was told that Jahrome Hughes would play out the rest of his contract (end of 2026 season) and move back to Queensland from 2027 onwards with his partner.
“A year ago when we were doing Pezet’s extension, we were told that he [Jahrome] would most likely not be there, not because they didn’t love him…he was looking to move back to Queensland, his Mrs was keen and that they [Melbourne] were going to go with Jonah and Cam [Munster] in the halves,” Anasta said.
“We got blindsided by the signing of Jahrome, not because we don’t think he’s an amazing player or that they should have signed him or not, it was just that we didn’t expect it,” Anasta added.
With Jahrome’s injury that kept him on the sidelines late in the season, the opportunity didn’t open up for the young star to play, as he wasn’t getting named in the side.
Part of the plan to keep Jonah was for Melbourne to move Cameron Munster to fullback and play alongside Hughes in the halves.
Braith while revealing what Melbourne had in store for Jonah to keep him at the club, that the way that the 2025 season unfolded and the uncertainty around Ryan Papenhuyzen and Sua Fa’alogo, “the clarity wasn’t there.”
This led to Braith and Jonah executing the clause that would allow him to be a free agent immediately, which means he technically can’t be loaned out to other clubs, which were part of the initial conversations with Melbourne and the Eels.
“We’ve come together as a group, very hands on and strategic, with his dad who was a first grader, and a lot of the decision making was around opportunity and where he’s [Jonah] going to flourish and be a genuine number seven.”
“Him [Jonah] and Rylesy [Jason Ryles] talk on the regular, even since he left, it’s every couple weeks and they’re really close and where Jonah is, he gives Rylesy credit,” Anasta details on the relationship between Pezet and Ryles.
”We go to a club on the improve, evolving, knows the standards because he’s come from the same ones with Rylesy, plays along Mitch Moses for development…Jonah’s built different, he’s going there to win a comp, to get in the top eight, to partner Mitch and give everything to the club,” Anasta says as to why it’s a great deal for his client and for the Eels.
In terms of the contract with the Eels, Pezet’s agent said the club got the star talent “very cheap.”
”It had nothing to do with money, Melbourne would’ve kept going, like they didn’t want to lose him. It was not money based,” he assured.
”It was for opportunity and where Jonah can be best.“
Anasta also stated that Parramatta did want Pezet on a long-term contract, however, it was hard to pass up the Broncos interest.
“Brisbane was hard to knock back, the opportunity came a little bit later. To partner Ezra Mam and Reece Walsh, he’s only going to get better, and to be at the Broncos, a powerhouse club, the number seven taking over Adam Reynolds, like what else do you want, what better opportunity could you have, and it was really exciting to go through that process.”
Anasta said in regard to what’s being reported that the deal isn’t done or finalised, but leaning towards what has been said about the arrangements with being at the Eels and Broncos respectively.