Veteran rugby league journalist Phil Rothfield expects Mitchell Moses and Joseph Suaalii to make a call on their futures this week.
Both Moses and Suaalii have options in their favour for 2024 at the Eels and Roosters respectively.
The Eels and Tigers are the two clubs vying for Moses’ signature after the Bulldogs dropped out of the race.
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Parramatta have reportedly tabled a $1 million-a-year offer to the 28-year-old, but the Tigers’ have topped that with $1.2 million a season.
Moses has to weigh up the options of staying put with the club he steered to a grand final last season or returning to the club he started his career with.
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Rothfield is tipping the superstar halfback will go with the former after the Tigers made roster move that could impact Moses’ decision.
“I’d expect they will both announce their intentions this week,” Rothfield told Sky Racing’s Big Sports Breakfast.
“Mitchell Moses is on the record as saying that he wants it done before the start of the season.
“If you’re framing a betting market I’d have him as a slight favourite to stay at the Parramatta Eels, I’d have him at about a $1.80 and probably $2.10 to join the Wests Tigers so it is tight.
“The money as we’ve reported for weeks after weeks is a far better option at the Wests Tigers.
“I don’t see though and I don’t know, how they can re-sign Adam Doueihi, keep Luke Brooks and then pay Moses $1.2 (million) it’s a lot of money tied up in halves.
“The appeal for Mitchell Moses to join the Wests Tigers, apart from the challenge and the enjoyment of playing under Benji and Tim Sheens was he is so tight with Luke Brooks.
“If he went to the Wests Tigers he’d want to play with Brooks and that’s where they’ve extended Doueihi….. Doueihi can play centres, Doueihi can play, he’s a very good football player.
“It’s interesting to see how it’s going to pan out.”
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As for Suaalii, rival NRL clubs wanting to secure the Roosters prodigy isn’t the only worry for the Roosters.
With the announcement of Eddie Jones as the new Wallabies head coach the tricolours are aware of the pressures coming from rugby union — the sport Suaalii grew up playing.
“The other interesting one is Joseph Suaalii, he’s off-contract, he has an option in his favour until May,” Rothfield said.
“I know, it’s no scoop that Eddie Jones is all over this one and the kid’s probably the hottest (talent). He’s 19, probably the hottest property in either code rugby union or rugby league.
“He’s got a decision to make and I think the Roosters want an answer, they can’t wait until May.
“I think Nick Politis plans to speak to (Suaalii’s) manager Isaac Moses this week and is looking forward to getting a decision on that.”
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Despite the Roosters’ desire to retain the Samoan international, they don’t have the salary cap space to throw huge money at him given there’s already so many stars on the roster for the coming years.
Rothfield suggested a new deal — without options — that increases by $100,000 every season.
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“Joseph’s obviously an outstanding young player but they’ve also got (Joseph) Manu they’ve got (James) Tedesco, they signed Brandon Smith, they’re about to extend Radley and give him a pay increase,” he said.
“I know they lose (Jared) Waerea-Hargreaves at the end of the year but they can’t go overboard for Joseph.”
“It’d have to be done over four years, I wouldn’t accept this year by year deal which South Sydney eventually let him go because he wanted the year by year with options.
“Next year I’d pay him $700,000 but I would bump it up $100,000 each year, so I’d go seven, eight, nine, a million.”
