‘Too big an ask’: Mitchell Moses unlikely to be ready for State of Origin series opener

Michael Maguire may have just lost another playmaker, with Eels coach Brad Arthur effectively ruling Mitch Moses out of the State of Origin opener.

Eels coach Brad Arthur says Mitchell Moses is unlikely to be fit for game one of this year’s State of Origin series. Picture: Richard Dobson

Eels coach Brad Arthur has delivered a brutal reality check to Blues fans hoping to see halfback Mitchell Moses in the State of Origin opener, declaring “it’s highly likely that he’s not going to be ready” as he continues to recover from a broken foot.

Moses hasn’t played since the round 3 win over the Sea Eagles back in March, with the teams for game one in Sydney set to be named after next week’s matches.

The halfback hasn’t been named for Magic Round and Arthur said it would be unfair to pick him next week if he wasn’t fully recovered from an injury that required surgery.

Mitchell Moses has only been able to get through light training. Picture: Brendan Read

“The one thing about Mitch and the one thing we love is that he’s busting his backside to be back out there with his teammates,” he said, with the club hopeful last week that he’d be right to face the Storm.

“Maybe we were a bit optimistic and he was getting a bit excited, but he’s running in joggers doing straight line running, so he’s still a while away.

“We’re not going to rule it out (him playing next week), but we’ll wait until next week. It’s unlikely.

“It’s unfair on him to put him out there with a lack of work. He’s going to want to play and try to play, but it’s unfair on him and unfair on the team, and he’s too important to us moving forward to risk now.”

Arthur said he and Moses hadn’t discussed the prospect of getting one game in before the Origin teams are named, with NSW coach Michael Maguire unlikely to pick someone who hasn’t played in 10 weeks.

Moses would be the obvious frontrunner to replace the injured Nathan Cleary, but his fitness concerns add another level of intrigue given Adam Reynolds is also unavailable, while Nicho Hynes (calf) didn’t play last week.

Moses played a key role in the Blues’ game three win last year. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

The Eels star played in the final two games of last year’s series with Cleary out injured and has shown he can more than handle himself at that level.

“It’s a pretty elite level playing Origin football, and Mitchell’s an Origin player every day of the week. If he’s fit, then he’d be picked in the team,” Arthur said ahead of Sunday’s crucial game against the Storm at Suncorp Stadium.

“But if he’s not fit, I don’t think Madge (Maguire) is going to risk anyone going in without playing. By then it’ll be seven or eight weeks out, so it’s too big an ask of him in my opinion.

“All I know is that Mitchell is 100 per cent committed to getting back on the football field as soon as he can. We are as well, but we’re not going to risk putting him back out there until he’s right to play.”