Mahoney welcomes hooker depth as Lussick bides his time

Having four other squad members with experience at dummy half at the Eels is nothing but good news for first-choice No.9 Reed Mahoney.

Off-season recruits Joey Lussick (from Super League club Salford) and ex-Warriors hooker Nate Roache are joined by utility pair Will Smith and Jordan Rankin as having played plenty of dummy-half in their careers.

With the 2021 season now a little over a week away, Mahoney doesn't feel like his spot is under threat.

"I don't think it changes for me at all. It's just good to have them there, last year I was out for a game with my shoulder and we really missed a genuine nine there in the hooker role," Mahoney told NRL.com.

"That's a good thing for our club, we've got the depth there if something happens.

"We all do kicking together, passing together. We're all here to achieve the same goal which is to win the comp and we've been helping each other out.

"There's always things you can learn off each other and I think we've done a pretty good job over the off-season. We worked together on a few things.

"Obviously, they came new to the club, they're asking questions about what we need to do on the field so it's been really good."

Returning Eels junior Lussick isn't worried about when or where an NRL chance might come his way.

He played in the Eels under-20s system before stints at the Roosters and Sea Eagles and three seasons at Salford.

The 25-year-old's older brother Darcy spent a couple of years as an NRL player under current coach Brad Arthur and the reports were positive.

"There was definitely an option to stay overseas but when Parramatta approached my manager it was something I took into consideration; the opportunity to come back home and have another good crack at NRL is something I couldn't turn down," Lussick told NRL.com.

"And obviously being back with my family so I'm really happy with the move.

"Darce was here the last year or two when Brad first came, Darcy's got nothing but good words for Brad.

"I was here for SG Ball and 20s so I knew a few of the people around and played with and against a few of the boys too so it wasn't too bad of a move for me."

Lussick was happy to declare the starting No.9 jersey as the property of Mahoney.

"He deserves that spot but if there's an opportunity for me to play that's definitely one I want to grab with both hands," he said.

"[Arthur] hasn't really spoken too much about how I'll be playing or how it's going to work this year, it's more just been things he wants me to work on.

"Firstly the most important thing is owning my role as a nine in the team, learning the structures. Little technique things across both attack and defence I have to keep improving on."