Mitchell Moses begins the next phase of his NRL career as a Parramatta Eel

AS Mitchell Moses joined his new Parramatta teammates, the Eels will focus on preventing their new recruit becoming a blue and gold speed hump.

New recruit Mitchell Moses training with Parramatta Eels for the first time, a day after being released by Wests Tigers. Picture. Phil Hillyard

PARRAMATTA’S big focus this week will be trying to prevent new recruit Mitchell Moses from becoming a blue and gold speed hump.

Moses finally had a smile back on his face as he joined his new Eels teammates at training for the first time just after 10am on Wednesday.

A day after finally being granted a release from the Wests Tigers, the playmaker — wearing short socks and fluorescent lime boots — shared a few jokes with former Tigers teammate Nathan Brown and his old buddy from Parra’s Harold Matthews team, Kaysa Pritchard.

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Mitchell Moses looked to be in a happy mood at Eels training. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Mitchell Moses going through his warm-up at the Eels. Picture. Phil Hillyard

The new halfback also had the giggles when beating Kirisome Auva’a in a 20m foot race.

Heading into his first clash for the Eels against Canberra on Saturday, Moses and his teammates will work overtime to ensure he does not become a defensive liability.

For all of his attacking potential, Moses has missed 40 tackles this season, botched eight against South Sydney last Friday, and the same amount the last time he met Canberra — and their barnstorming backrower Josh Papalii — in round three.

Even Eels backrower Manu Ma’u conceded he had made a point of trying to “run over him and take (Moses) out’’ when they played against the Tigers a month ago.

Good friend Tim Mannah said it was up to the forwards to be Moses’ new “bodyguards’’.

The likes of Tepai Moeroa and interchange forward Kenny Edwards are more than happy to protect the club’s latest halfback.

Mitchell Moses making his way down to the training paddock. Picture. Phil Hillyard

“Like any half, you need your bodyguards around you helping you a lot,’’ Mannah said.

“The halves are traditionally not making their money whacking people. Their job is to create with the ball, and they need a lot of help in defence.’’

Mannah said Moses was like “a kid at his first day of school’’, and clearly looked relieved to have the Tigers’ dramas behind him.

Edwards said the coaching staff mentioned one thing that had appealed to Moses was the energy and way the Eels backrowers protected their playmakers.

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While Moses chatted with coach Brad Arthur — who at one stage was running with his new recruit in the defensive line — and getting to know his fellow Eels, Tigers coach Ivan Cleary was at Sydney Airport explaining why he finally granted the release.

Cleary had initially wanted a replacement before setting Moses free, and thought he would receive Warriors youngster Tui Lolohea at the start of the week.

“His last two performances and general demeanour suggested he just wasn’t happy, the logical conclusion was for us to part ways and that’s what we’ve done,’’ said Cleary, before he flew out for Brisbane where the Tigers play the Broncos on Friday night.

Mitchell Moses taking instruction from coach Brad Arthur. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Cleary then took aim at Moses’ manager Isaac Moses and accused him of “manipulations of the media to drive a personal agenda’’.

The biggest gripe was the agent’s claims he was concerned for the player’s welfare after being told by Cleary he was free to go, only for the coach to have a change of heart.

“I’ve been transparent and forthright with my conversations with Mitchell. They’re personal and I’ll leave it at that. It’s a bit disappointing some of those conversations have ended up in the media — I don’t want that to happen from my end,’’ Cleary said.