Stick, don't twist: Why Mitch Moses should put legacy above bank balance and stay with Eels

Reputations are everything in sport. There’s the money you get paid, of course, and that helps over time, but in the end, you leave a legacy.

It’s something worth considering for Mitchell Moses as he sits, presumably, with several contracts in front of him. The Parramatta half is free to discuss with other clubs for next year and, as you might expect, there’s a few takers for his services.

Wests Tigers, from whom he joined the Eels, are high on the list, with a desperate need for a halfback and cash to burn, with Luke Brooks’ long-term mega deal set to expire at the end of this year.

The Bulldogs, too, are interested: their rebuild is sorely lacking an upgrade in the 7 jersey, as Kyle Flanagan was statistically the worst regular halfback in the comp in 2022.

Canterbury supremo Phil Gould has tweeted that they “have other priorities at this time” when asked about acquiring Moses for 2024.

Their decision to poach Broncos youngster Karl Oloapu means they are now likely out of the chase for Moses, though that seems unlikely as half the reason that he left Brisbane was to play five-eighth and the kid is just 18.

Canterbury also have Khaled Rajab, who impressed in the World Cup, waiting in the wings and likely to debut in 2023 and released back-up half Brandon Wakeham to the Tigers this week, presumably in the hope that the Lebanese playmaker can step up if required.

Parra, too, would love to keep Moses on staff but appreciate that, with this likely to be the biggest contract of his career as he reaches peak age, they might not be able to compete with other clubs financially.

The club has already hitched its wagon to Dylan Brown, who was extended to the end of 2025 and given a player option for the next decade. Much as they want to keep their halves pairing together, for another year at least, there is an acceptance that they are behind the eight ball.

Perhaps the more interesting question is what Moses wants, both in the now and in the future. He’s currently 200 games deep into a career that has had more downs than ups, with last year’s Grand Final appearance the highlight.

Mitchell Moses (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Grant Trouville)

He might point to the pride of representing Lebanon, or his one game of Origin – filling in for the injured Nathan Cleary – but beyond that, it’s fairly thin soup for a man of his talents. He was Dally M Halfback of the Year in 2019, but his team were thumped in the Finals when it mattered.

Halfbacks can often be like this: perhaps above all positions, they are the men tasked with winning the comp for their team and, so the adage goes, you can’t win the comp without an elite number 7.

This has to inform the decision-making process. If Moses wants to make money, then moving to a Tigers side that is more than willing to pay overs is the way to go, period. He became a father late last year and has a family to look after, so nobody could begrudge taking the megabucks.

It’s the Api Koroisau route, and one that makes total sense in the grand scheme of things. Koroisau, however, moves on the back of two consecutive premierships (and a third won with Souths in 2014) and is perfectly entitled to cash his cheque at the age of 30.

If Moses wants to win, it rules out the Tigers. They’re the worst team in the comp and, while they might improve in 2022, it’s from the lowest possible base. They’re not winning anything soon.

A more interesting mix of money and potential might be at the Bulldogs, where coach Cameron Ciraldo is assembling a squad that could well be set to challenge in the near future.

Their hooker and five eighth are pencilled in long-term and need a halfback and fullback to go with them. It’s realistic to think that those parts might arrive sooner at the Dogs than they will at the Tigers, but still, it’s a project. He’d be getting on at the ground floor rather than in the basement.

The Eels remain the best option for legacy-building success. Having lost last year’s showpiece, they are poised to have as good a chance of breaking their Premiership drought as any Parra side since Brian Smith’s 2001 vintage blew the chance to an Andrew Johns-inspired Newcastle.

Moses is pretty much at the peak of his powers, but with him comes Brown, only improving at 22, plus the key forward rotation of Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Junior Paulo, 29 and 28 respectively and well within their peak age bracket.

Clint Gutherson at fullback is also in that cohort and only incoming hooker Josh Hodgson is over 30. This team should only get better as it plays together more.

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

‘Premiership window’ is an annoying buzzword, but the concept applies perfectly to where the Eels are right now. Theirs is as open as anyone’s other than the Panthers, who, logic would dictate, should fall back to the pack at some point.

The ideal contract decision for Moses would be a one-year extension,taking him to the age of 30 and on the precipice of falling from his peak.

That contract with the Tigers – or whoever the worst Sydney team is in 2025 – will still be there for an elite halfback with experience to pass on.

Indeed, he could position himself as the last piece in the puzzle for a team like the Bulldogs at that stage, or market himself as the old hand to lead a young team, much like Adam Reynolds has at the Broncos.

Either way, this is the time to stick, not twist. The chips are on the table now but the best bet would be that they still will be in 2025 – when Moses might be holding an even better hand.