Reports are circulating on Wednesday afternoon that Wests Tigers star half Mitchell Moses has asked for an immediate release from the club to join the Parramatta Eels.
Fox Sports are reporting the decision for Moses is not about money, but rather the fact he will develop more as a player at Parramatta, where he can link with a team on the rise and a strong forward pack, and can learn from the experience of Beau Scott and coach Brad Arthur, who has plenty of job security.
Whether the Tigers let Moses join the Eels or not is very much up for debate and speculation, but the request for a mid-season release may catch them by surprise.
Moses has reportedly been offered a three-year, $3 million contract to remain at the Tigers, but the prospect of playing for Parramatta has evidently drawn him in.
The Tigers’ 2017 season has been marred in negativity, with coach Jason Taylor getting the sack after just three weeks, and interim coach Anthony Webster holding the fort for two rounds before the club announced former New Zealand Warriors and Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary would be taking over effective immediately.
Cleary’s first act as coach of the club was to tell players they needed to work out whether they wanted to be in it for the long-haul at Balmain or not.
The Tigers have been terrible on the field to start the season, with the black and gold outfit rooted to the bottom of the ladder, struggling at both ends of the park and looking a long way from a side that was tipped by some to finish in the top eight.
With speculation surrounding the futures of their ‘big four’ of James Tedesco, Moses, Aaron Woods and Luke Brooks, it’s been anything but a good start to the season for the Tigers, but for fans who see Moses as the future, things could be about to get a whole lot worse.
While Luke Brooks has reportedly put pen to paper on a new deal on Wednesday morning, the future of Moses has become a lot less clear.
The battle for the Tigers is now to lock down the rest of their stars, with James Tedesco reportedly being offered more than $1 million a season.
heather burrow
Guest
He id am eels junior
Birdy
Guest
Hows that Max? Just saw the tigers have as good as lost all 3 players. Tedesco to easts. I bet one of his conditions by politis will be to dump his manager. Quite odvious isaac has caused a lot of this.hope wests seek legal advice against him. How long before the RLPA take over from these money hungry clowns who only prioritise their own interests . Looks like we'll have more money to spend than any other club next year but no one will want to play for us.
Nostradamus
Guest
and to think they could of kept tierre Martin for prob half the price
Birdy
Guest
Totally agree Max. All the agent wants is his 10%. Whats the use of being the highest paid on the factory floor if the factory goes broke?
Parrafan
Guest
Yes these terrible players. Not like the club will turf them as soon as their bodies start to break down. It's give and take and both sides give as good as they take.
kk
Roar Pro
Incidentally, no commission payable. All costs absorbed by NRL.
kk
Roar Pro
Birdy, The most sensible post of the week. There was a time when actor's agents nearly wrecked Hollywood with their abuse of power. Rugby League is entertainment. The RLPA should be in total control of player management including contract negotiations.
Rob
Guest
It's definitely got a certain ring to it!
mushi
Guest
Yep not sure you'd have much luck trying to get a bulldog to chase a bull
Birdy
Guest
I wonder how long before all clubs refuse to deal with certain player managers.
Birdy
Guest
Bull dogs don't chase cows, bulls or anything else, they sit around licking themselves.
Birdy
Guest
It's now black white and orange. Nothing is sacred.
Agent11
Guest
when channel 9 talk these young tigers up all the time and make up fluff pieces about them being the next slater, cronk and smith perhaps you can't blame them for falling victim to believing their own hype.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I'm definitely going to abbreviate their name to the "North Queensland Boys Who Chase Cows" now...that's much better.
Joey Johns
Roar Guru
Ivan Cleary withdrew the $1m a season offer. And tabled one at $650k. This isn't Moses knocking back a $1mil deal, it's Cleary saving the Tigers $3mil.
TigerMike
Guest
Reportedly? Really, do tell Reporter where you got this fact.. Alternatively .. From? You're trumped
Worlds Biggest
Guest
These proposed figures being floated around for Moses are absurd. IF the Tigers were reportedly offering him 1 million a season, that is downright negligible. I wouldn't pay half that for him. The only fella at the Tiges worth close to that is Teddy. This release request is nonsense and a ploy to drive up his price tag.
soapit
Guest
ah yes that famous chant "what type of boys are we!?"
BigJ
Roar Guru
he is just gong from bad to worse
Deano70
Guest
How typical of this generation, expect everything to be handed to them on a platter. Not prepared to do the hard yards. Jason Taylor just made a very valid point on TV about how it reflects poorly on the four players that they disrespect a club that has given them their shot, and how if they were true leaders they wouldn't have stuffed around for 12 months (conclusions I made from Taylor's talk) in contract negotiations rather than focussing on the footyand leading the team into the future. Feel sorry for Taylor one win away from finals footy last year and Tedesco was out for 7 weeks. They could've made it this year if they'd worked hard and manned up