NRL 2024: The contenders to replace injured Eels star Mitchell Moses in the halves
With Mitchell Moses facing upt to three months on the sidelines, Parramatta coach Brad Arthur must solve a difficult halves puzzle. See the contenders to replace Moses and have your say.
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Parramatta have been rocked with halfback Mitchell Moses ruled out for up to three months with a fractured foot.
The Eels on Monday evening confirmed Moses had undergone scans which confirmed he had suffered a fracture to his left foot and would undergo immediate surgery. The club said he would be out for up to eight weeks, however it’s understood the recovery time could be as much as 12 weeks.
Losing Moses for potentially half the season is a crippling blow for the Eels, who were riding high after Sunday’s 28-24 win over Manly.
It is understood Moses sustained the injury in the final 15 minutes of the Sea Eagles’ clash at CommBank Stadium.
Moses’ absence comes after Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary was ruled out for four weeks with a hamstring injury suffered in last week’s 34-12 win over Brisbane in a grand final rematch.
It could leave NSW short of options heading into the Origin campaign.
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur will name his side on Tuesday for the Eels’ traditional Easter Monday game against a resurgent Wests Tigers team at CommBank Stadium.
Utility Daejarn Asi and rising NSW Cup halfback Ethan Sanders are replacement options for Moses, as is Brendan Hands, who played five-eighth in the Eels’ 40-20 reserve-grade defeat to Blacktown last weekend.
Asi played 10 NRL games in his first season for the Eels last year, with all but one coming in the halves as he deputised for either Moses and five-eighth Dylan Brown.
If chosen, it would mark a dramatic rise for Sanders, who would make his first-grade debut a week after fellow young gun, centre Blaize Talagi, celebrated his first NRL game with a try against the Sea Eagles.
Moses, who has been in stellar form as the Eels scored two victories in their opening three weeks, had scans on Monday and did appear at Parramatta headquarters.
Parramatta will welcome back winger Mika Sivo and centre Bailey Simonsson this week from injury and suspension respectively, replacing Talagi and Morgan Harper on the Eels’ left edge.
Parramatta and Wests Tigers were last-round winners and should attract a big crowd at CommBank Stadium.
Once news of Moses’ injury broke, Parramatta immediately drifted in betting for Monday’s game, going from $1.27 to $1.45, according to TAB, with Wests Tigers firming from $3.75 into $2.80.
Following the Tigers, the Eels face a daunting 10 weeks with matches against Canberra (away), North Queensland (home), the Dolphins (a home fixture in Darwin) and Manly (away), before a Round 9 bye.
After that they play Brisbane (home), Melbourne (away), South Sydney (away) and Cronulla (home).
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