Kiwis star reportedly eying new pastures from 2026

Kiwis five-eighth Dylan Brown is reportedly seeking expressions of interest from rival clubs for the 2026 season.

The Parramatta-based player’s management company today emailed prospective clubs for next season despite having an option in his favour to remain with the Eels until 2031.

The 24-year-old, Whangārei product is reportedly on a contract worth close to $1 million and has a player option to leave the Eels that he must take up before round 10 this season to guarantee his stay in Sydney’s west. Even if he triggers the option, he may not stay until 2031, with another option in a few years to get out of the contract.

The Sydney Morning Herald says the Eels and Brown’s manager Chris Orr had been in discussions for months trying to remove the options from his contract but the club hasn’t found a resolution. It said Orr’s email also included a link to highlights of Brown and is believed to have been sent to rugby union clubs.

In July last year, Brown was suspended for four matches and fined $40,000 by the NRL after being found guilty of sexual touching. He had already been stood down for three games after touching a woman’s breasts without her consent at The Golden Sheaf Hotel in Double Bay, Sydney. Brown pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual touching.

He was also unavailable for the Kiwis after the end of the NRL season in 2024 after suffering a partial ACL tear in the final game of the season.

In 2020, Brown revealed his desire to play for the All Blacks later in his career.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, the then 20-year-old Kiwi said he still dreams of returning to rugby union, a sport he played growing up, and represent the All Blacks at a Rugby World Cup.

“That’s probably the best thing you can do in team sport from my point of view, winning the Rugby World Cup,” Brown said at the time.

“Who knows? I will definitely keep my books open if the All Blacks want me. If the All Blacks scream my name, I’ll definitely be running. I’m open to anything. (I’ll consider it) down the track. I’ve got three more years here. I just want to focus on that and when the time comes I’ll be ready (to make a decision).”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission