Ronald Volkman holds "no malice" as he prepares to face St George Illawarra for the first time since the contractual debacle that threw his NRL future into doubt.
Volkman is enjoying a breakout year at Parramatta, who signed the five-eighth after a hellish 2024 triggered by the Dragons' messy attempt to sign him.
The 24-year-old secured a release from his Warriors contract to join the Dragons in late 2023 but was found to be carrying a serious shoulder injury once he began training with his new team.
Despite the Dragons publicly announcing they had signed Volkman, the club had not officially registered his contract with the NRL. They then cut him loose.
The NRL eventually handed the Dragons a suspended $40,000 fine for their mismanagement of the saga.
Volkman spent the 2024 season in limbo, unable to sign with a rival club due to his injury, but has since shown himself an electric playmaking talent with the Eels.
Sunday's round-27 match will be his first against the Dragons since the ordeal.
"To be honest, I don't hold any malice against the Dragons. Everything happens for a reason," he told AAP.
"Saying that, it's just going to be another game for us next week. We obviously want to finish off (the season) strong."
Volkman's emergence has been a bright spot in another tough year for the 13th-placed Eels.
He scored a brilliant individual try in Sunday's upset defeat of Cronulla, bursting past Nicho Hynes and Will Kennedy on a 55-metre tear.
Volkman has managed to dislodge prized recruit Jonah Pezet from the starting side at the Eels, but may follow Pezet out the door following Sunday's game.
Parramatta had initially been consigned to losing him as Jarome Luai arrives for a one-season cameo next year en route to PNG.
The Eels are now back in contract negotiations with Volkman's management, but Canterbury are also reportedly interested in signing him.
"I'm not too sure (where I will sign) at the moment. It's still early days for myself," Volkman said.
"I'm sure whatever happens, my management will take care of it."
Volkman enters round 27 with 10 try assists from 17 games this season, more than NSW five-eighth Ethan Strange and only one behind Queensland captain Cameron Munster.
He credited his form to finally enjoying a long stretch of health and fitness.
"I've had a pretty bad run with injuries," he said.
"Just to get my body right, my nutrition, I had to put that up first.
"To get the opportunity when Rylesy (coach Jason Ryles) gave it to me, I had to take it with both hands."
