Ronald Volkman opens up on move to Parramatt Eels, future, contract, shoulder injury at Dragons

Ronald Volkman knows better than most the value of a second chance.

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An NRL discard barely 18 months ago, caught in a bitter blame-game between two clubs over a contentious shoulder injury, the former Warriors prodigy thought his career was over.

Then Parramatta came along.

“I never thought in 2024 that I’d see an NRL game again,” Volkman told foxsports.com.au.

“This club has given me that second chance and I’ve tried to put my best foot forward – not only for myself but for this club and what they’ve done for me. They have revived my career.”

Now in his second year at Parramatta, it is Volkman with everything to play for ahead of the Eels’ season-shaping match-up against the Rabbitohs on Thursday night.

The 23-year-old has been slotted at five-eighth alongside Mitchell Moses in a playmaking structure pundits believe could be a viable solution for the Eels as they chase a finals berth.

It comes as the off-contract Volkman considers his playing options for 2027, amid whispers of interest from Super League and elsewhere in the NRL.

In this foxsports.com.au feature, Volkman opens up on his calamitous contract saga at the beginning of 2024, the influence of Moses on his playing career, and not wasting second-chances on and off the field.

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THE DRAGONS, A DODGY SHOULDER AND LIFELONG LESSONS

Volkman found himself deep within the scary confines of NRL obscurity at the beginning of 2024.

As the story goes, the-then 21-year-old was released from the final two years of his contract with the New Zealand Warriors to join the St George Illawarra Dragons on a one-year deal.

As part of the player transaction, the Warriors disclosed to the Dragons a medical report of January 2, 2024. It indicated Volkman was experiencing some “shoulder irritation” and that he had been involved in non-contact training for a week.

The Dragons publicly announced Volkman’s signing on January 3, 2024, coinciding with him commencing light training duties with the squad. But that all happened before his contract had been officially registered with the NRL.

What transpired was that Volkman was physically inhibited to the extent that he couldn’t easily pass a ball – hardly ideal for a playmaker. A routine medical examination by the Dragons revealed the extent of the shoulder injury, and scans later showed that two screws from a previous surgery had been displaced.

The club tore up Volkman’s contract, which was said to be worth around $250,000, leaving him without a club for 2024 – along with a hefty medical bill for required shoulder surgery.

The ultimate culprit behind the saga is clouded. St George Illawarra later copped a $40,000 NRL fine over its handling of the incident, and reportedly entered into a confidential settlement with Volkman.

The Eels signed Volkman in October of the same year for the 2025 season, later extending him for 2026. He has now made 11 NRL appearances in the yellow and blue, including nine games this year.

“It feels really good to finally fulfil my potential. I can’t really explain it to be honest,” Volkman said.

“I also know that I can’t get too ahead of myself, and that helps after being in the NRL for a few years now and getting some games under my belt. But it definitely feels good.

“My family has helped me dramatically. My partner and her family have been a big help, and my family has played a big part in what I do. My faith as well – that comes first.

“Family has been the backbone of my life and they help me do what I do.”

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THE MOSES EFFECT AND WHY RABBITOHS CLASH IS PIVOTAL

Volkman has made the most of his opportunity in the Parramatta halves since Round 6, effectively used as a third-string playmaker in place of Mitchell Moses (Origin, injury) and Jonah Pezet (mixed form, injury).

During the Eels’ Round 15 win over Canberra, Volkman deputised brilliantly for Blues-bound Moses with a strong performance at halfback, ably steering the side around the park, controlling the game with his kicking and even slotting an important field goal shortly before half-time to give his side key momentum into the break.

According to Volkman, it is Moses who has instilled him with the confidence to take control of games using a simple message.

“He just tells me to back myself, and that’s something that you want to hear from the older boys,” Volkman said.

“To hear that from him, it gives me a lot of confidence to do what I do. The performances that I’ve put in the past few rounds, it’s full credit to Mitch.”

The field goal against the Raiders marked a key development step for Volkman, a factor acknowledged by coach Jason Ryles immediately after the game. Just a week earlier, Volkman lacked the same conviction to secure the Eels a win during the tight tussle against the Bulldogs.

Volkman said he didn’t need a second invitation.

“We were in a similar situation against the Bulldogs. We had the ball with about one minute left. We got that chance again against the Raiders, the boys were calling for the ball but I got it and thought I’d go for it myself. I’m lucky it went over,” he said.

“It was pretty cool. I tried to be all nonchalant about it, when I kicked it I turned around and walked to halfway. It was pretty cool to have one in first grade though.”

Thursday’s game against the Rabbitohs looms as a pivotal one for Volkman, both in the context of the Eels season, and his own playing prospects.

According to former playmaker Cooper Cronk, the match marks a golden opportunity for Volkman to stamp his authority on the No.6 jersey for the remainder of the season.

“Mitchell Moses is the absolute key for Parramatta. That number six going forward needs to be a compliment Mitchell Moses. The jury’s out whether that’s Ronald Volkman. Jonah Pezet’s struggled to do that too,” Cronk said.

“I’m not sure who that person is, but Ronald Volkman has done enough this year when the club has been on the canvas at different stages to show that he deserves a crack at it at least.”

Cronk lauded the development of Volkman’s game over the past two months. He credits him for bringing added spice to the Eels attack in particular.

“He’s got that instinct where he can just do something out of brilliance. He can just do some really cool stuff with footwork or chip and chase and things like that,” Cronk said.

FINDING A FUTURE HOME AS EELS ROSTER SHAKE-UP EMERGES

The Eels’ long-term playmaking roster remains clouded.

The club is seeking a long-term playing partner to star halfback Moses: Pezet has failed to fire and is Brisbane-bound at the end of the season, Joash Papali’i has offered glimpses of potential but nothing resounding, while SG Ball prodigy Lorenzo Talataina has some development ahead of him to be a fully-fledged NRL player.

That leaves Volkman, a player with an excellent kicking game and a wonderful heads-up playing style befitting a halfback – but crucially missing the running game and support play that defines a five-eighth, and a defensive game that he himself admitted is a work in progress.

Volkman’s management would not comment on rumours the star has been in talks with English Super League in recent weeks, or rival NRL clubs.

Either way, you can rest assured the 23-year-old is leaving nothing to chance.