Mitch Moses’ teammates jokingly stood around as he did interviews on Tuesday afternoon hoping to catch some breaking news, but the Eels halfback was tight-lipped about his future that he hopes to have sorted in the next few weeks.
The flashy playmaker is the most sought after player on the market, with the Wests Tigers reportedly willing to break the bank to lure him back to the club that handed him his NRL debut.
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Moses and the Tigers parted ways midway through the 2017 season and it wasn’t the cleanest break-up, which is why the 28-year-old has taken a mature approach to the current contract situation.
He still has an option in his favour to stay at the Eels in 2024, but his preference is to get a deal sorted before the beaten grand finalists open the season against the Storm on March 2.
“I would like it done before the start of the year,” Moses told the NCA NewsWire.
“I’ve left everything up to my manager so all my focus has been on the new season. I’ve got full trust in him that he can do what he thinks is best to make sure I can play my best footy.
“I told him to do all the talking and look after all the meetings, and when he’s ready, he can let me know.
“I think I’ve handled this situation a lot better than what I have in the past. I’m fully focused on Parramatta and coming to training where I can rip in with the boys.
“Hopefully, everything else sorts itself out before the new year.”
This is the biggest decision Moses has had to make in his footy journey, with the Eels desperate to keep him after seeing what he and halves partner Dylan Brown were able to achieve last year.
The pair took Parramatta to its first grand final since 2009, and while they were well beaten by Penrith, there is a firm belief out west that they can compete for the next few titles if they can retain the core of their squad.
That was helped in December when Brown signed a unique extension, and the five-eighth hopes Moses will be there alongside him for many years to come.
“I don’t really have a pitch for him, but my main focus is to play good footy which will allow him to play good footy. We all owe it to him because he’s done so much for us as a team,” Brown said.
“I feel like if we continue to play the way that we have been playing then he won’t want to leave – whether that’s for money or any other reason. He loves Parra and we want him to stay.”
