Jason Ryles’ start to his career as an NRL head coach has been dealt a huge blow, with Parramatta captain and halfback Mitchell Moses ruled out of the first-round clash against the Storm with a foot injury.
To make matters worse for Ryles, his back-up playmaker, Dean Hawkins, is also unavailable because of a leg injury, which has forced the Eels to seek clearance from the NRL for train-and-triallist Ronald Volkman to be promoted to the starting side for Sunday’s daunting trip to Melbourne.
Moses, who last week inked a five-year $6.5million deal that will keep him at the Eels until the end of 2029, felt soreness in his left foot a few weeks ago. It was the same foot that kept him out of action for a couple of months last season.
Moses’ absence will present Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown with a golden chance to prove his value to potential suitors. Brown, upon whose shoulders the bulk of the playmaking responsibilities will now fall, has opted to test the market and attracted interest from Newcastle on a potential ten-year, $13million contract.
Brown will need to take control of the team given Volkman is new to the Eels and not played in over a year because of a shoulder injury, which ended his career at St George Illawarra before it started.
“Mitch is experiencing soreness from a previous injury, we’re taking a cautious approach to ensure his foot heals properly and he can play his best football for the team,” Ryles said. “We will continue to monitor Mitch’s recovery and make an assessment on a return date next week.”
The Storm, who have a brilliant record in season openers – they are chasing a 23rd successive round one victory – are almost at full strength, with only Nelson Asofa-Solomona missing through suspension.
MItchell Moses won’t figure in the Eels’ season opener.Credit: NRL Photos
Ryles, who was working with the Storm as an assistant to Craig Bellamy until midway through last season, said after the Eels’ second and final trial that Moses had “every scan under the sun”, and had been cleared of anything serious.
“Because of where we were in the pre-season, we didn’t want to push him through whatever he didn’t need to,” Ryles said at the time. “But he’s all clear, he’s happy and he’s training – we expect him to play round one.”
Eels officials confirmed Moses was likely to be fit for Sunday week’s game at CommBank Stadium against Wests Tigers. Junior Paulo will step up as Parramatta captain at AAMI Park.
Ronald Volkman will wear the Eels’ No. 7 jersey.Credit: Getty Images
Moses told this masthead at the NRL season launch last month he had arrived at the point of his career where “I feel like the game has slowed down a bit for me”.
Meanwhile, Broncos coach Michael Maguire has turned to the NSW Blues to help inspire Queensland’s biggest club.
Brisbane arrived in Sydney on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s clash against the Sydney Roosters, and are scheduled to complete their captain’s run at the home of the Blues in Sydney Olympic Park on Wednesday.
Maguire enjoyed Origin success with NSW last year before he agreed to return to clubland after the Broncos parted ways with Kevin Walters.
It now means Brisbane’s Maroons stars, including Pat Carrigan, Reece Walsh, Selwyn Cobbo and Ben Hunt, will have to walk past a giant poster of former NSW skipper James Tedesco scoring the match-winner in 2019 that hangs in the Blues’ gym before taking the training field.
In other NRL round one team news:
- Jarome Luai, Sunia Turuva, Terrell May and Royce Hunt will make their Wests Tigers’ debuts against Newcastle, but fullback Jahream Bula (shoulder) will miss the Campbelltown opener with Heath Mason to wear the No. 1. Queensland Cup hooker Tristan Hope will debut off the bench;
- Christian Tuipulotu and Mat Feagai will start on the wing for the Dragons in Saturday’s clash against the Bulldogs, with Tyrell Sloan named in No. 18;
- And Robert Toia will debut in the centres for the Sydney Roosters against the Brisbane Broncos.
