BREAKING: worst regime “Oh No! Not again” Parramatta has gone beyond frying pan to fire” another big Exodus” selling of the club might be the next action……
Given the situation the Parramatta club finds itself in, there are worries that Eels star Mitch Moses would try to push his way out of the city. The Eels, who are predicted to compete for a premiership in 2024, have had a difficult season in a number of ways, most notably the firing of coach Brad Arthur after Magic Round back in May.
Their performance on the field has been dismal, as the Eels are battling it out for a wooden spoon with the humble Tigers. The fact that Parramatta juniors Blaize Talagi, Matt Arthur, and Ethan Sanders are all expected to go at the end of the season has further brought attention to their recruitment difficulties.
James Hooper of Fox League questioned Moses’ desire to remain with the Eels in light of their terrible season and the lack of hope for team success in the near future. Moses, like many other players on the team, has a contract clause that lets him depart if he so chooses at the conclusion of 2026.
“There is a get-out clause for him. I don’t think Braith will continue at Parramatta for the long run, and that’s just my opinion, which bothers me,” Hooper stated on NRL360.
“He’s 29 now, 30 in September. He’s done everything in the game, won a State of Origin series, the last piece of the puzzle is winning a premiership and in my opinion he’s good enough to drive a team towards a premiership.
“There’s mail around that there are conversations going on and of course he’d be restless, have a look at the way the joint has been run at the moment.
“They’ve lost all their gun juniors, Will Penisini has a get out clause next year, Moses has a get out clause after 2026.
“My opinion is that I don’t think he’ll see that out.
“I don’t know what they do, all I’m saying is that I have a genuine belief is that he doesn’t see out that contract.”
With the Eels needing a new coach from next season, Jason Ryles was picked to lead Parramatta out of the hole it’s in.
The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield said the Moses chat is premature given Ryles hasn’t had time to prove his worth.
“I think we’ve got to hold fire for six weeks as Jason Ryles is a very, very impressive fella and I think Rylesy needs to come in and if you give him some time, he’ll win these players over,” Rothfield said.
“I don’t know that, but I just know he’s impressive.”
It has been a rough start for the incoming coach with highly touted rookies Talagi and Arthur announcing their desire to play elsewhere since he was signed as coach for next year.
The loss of Talagi is a hard one to swallow, given he was handed his first crack in the NRL earlier this season and the platform to strut his stuff before ultimately turning his back on the club.
The loss of gun juniors like Talagi, Arthur and Sanders is a hammer blow and one could set the Eels back.
“Are Parramatta going to be in premiership contention in the next three-four years?” Hooper asked Rothfield to which the veteran journalist replied with: “I think they could be. Look at what the Bulldogs and the Dragons have done (this season).”
“But they were slow and long rebuilds. It took them a long time to get to that point,” Hooper said.
“With all due respect to Rylesy, I feel sorry for him because I feel like the Eels have absolutely sold him a pup with the way with what they’ve shown him under the bonnet and with the mess the club is now in, and the administrators are to blame.
“I don’t think it’s a quick fix.”
Hooper’s Moses concerns come after it was revealed by Rothfield that one of the key members of the under fire Eels front office would be leaving his position at the club at the end of next season.
“Long suffering Eels fans, probably some good news to reveal here is that their chairman Sean McElduff will finish up next year,” Rothfield said.
“This is how their constitution works; you can only do nine years on their board before stepping aside for fresh people.
“His ninth season is next year so this time next year he’ll be packing his bags.
“I’ve been banging on about their corporate governance. No footy nous, too many bean counters.
“This is an opportunity for a business savvy ex legend to come onto this board and steer them better than what the current guys have been doing.”
