WITH the clock ticking on a Mitch Moses contract decision it’s worth noting the $2 million difference in the tug-of-war between the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers for the services of the NRL’s most in-demand no.7
The Tigers – hell-bent on landing a marquee playmaker to help guide the club back towards the finals – are prepared to offer Moses a five-year deal valued at around the $1.3 million per season mark.
Parramatta – fresh off riding a September wave all the way into the club’s first grand final appearance in 13 seasons – are remaining slightly more fiscally-responsible with a four-year deal around the $1.1 million mark.
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Crunch the numbers and the Wests Tigers offer ends up being a $6.5 million deal compared to the Parramatta Eels offer of $4.4 million.
Despite the $2.1 million difference, Moses told the media as recently as last week the decision will be based on winning premierships rather than money.
Turning 29 in September, it makes sense as the playmaker moves into what should be the best years of his career.
But $2.1 million is still a hell of a lot of money and in many respects explains why the Moses contract negotiations have stretched almost all the way to round one of the 2023 season.
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Prior to Christmas, the word being pushed to Parramatta, Wests Tigers and at that stage the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs were still in the picture as well was Moses was expected to make a decision prior to December 25.
That deadline has now well and truly passed as Parramatta’s opening game of the season against Melbourne on March 2 rapidly approaches.
It’s easy to mount strong arguments about why Moses should remain in the blue and gold or conversely why he should return to his local junior club.
At Parramatta, the Eels have been one of the NRL’s most consistent sides for the past four seasons remaining in the top eight or top four since the low point of the wooden spoon in 2018.
They’ve also heavily-invested in Moses developing into the all-round no.7 he is today after signing him from the Wests Tigers midway through 2017 when the Eels went on to finish top four before the wheels fell off in 2018 and coach Brad Arthur had to undergo a major roster overhaul.
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On the flip side at the Wests Tigers the club is clearly finally beginning to take some steps in the right direction under Tim Sheens prior to Benji Marshall taking control as the head coach in 2025.
So if Moses was to make the switch he gets 12-months under Sheens and then another four seasons with Benji at the helm, Api Korisau at dummy-half and the Tigers on an upward trajectory for the first time in ten seasons.
Speak to people at both clubs and it’s a constantly shifting landscape where one day they genuinely think they’re in the box seat and then 24 hours later and it’s been completely flipped on its head.
From what Moses said last week the guessing game shouldn’t go on for too much longer.
When you strip it all back, there’s an argument the playmaker can’t lose either way.
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