Wests Tigers’ bid to poach Mitchell Moses while on World Cup duty is a terrible look

The Wests Tigers using Lebanon’s World Cup camp as an opportunity to prise Mitchell Moses away from Parramatta should ring alarm bells, DEAN RITCHIE writes.

Mitchell Moses and Robbie Farah.

They have done nothing illegal, but what about unethical?

Parramatta should be furious about an approach to their star playmaker Mitch Moses from Wests Tigers while he’s playing in England.

Moses comes off contract after next season – he is open to offers from next Tuesday – and met with Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens and assistant coach Robbie Farah while representing Lebanon at the World Cup, as was reported in The Daily Telegraph’s Sport Confidential column.

Lebanon coach Michael Cheika and Mitchell Moses. Picture: Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Here is the problem — Farah is also on the Cedars’ coaching staff and the pair are in camp together.

Is that a conflict of interest?

Has Farah used his status with Lebanon to urge Moses to meet with Sheens?

Was Moses put in an awkward spot?

I would have thought Moses and Farah are there for Lebanon – not their respective NRL clubs. Moses is cocooned away with the Lebanese – perfect if you have a bloke on the inside.

Farah is only doing his best for the Tigers – he is a winner.

Lebanon assistant Robbie Farah (left).

But Parramatta should be dirty that Farah used his position with Lebanon to advantage Wests Tigers.

The Eels, preferring not to complicate contract negotiations with Moses, elected against being critical of Sheens and Farah.

This is worth mentioning. Last November, Parramatta lost grand final stars Reed Mahoney, Isaiah Papali’i and Marata Niukore within a few weeks.

From Tuesday, rival clubs can sign 12 Eels players for the 2024 season – Moses, Dylan Brown, Will Penisini, Maika Sivo, Waqa Blake, Bailey Simonsson, Nathan Brown, Bryce Cartwright, Wiremu Greig, Josh Hodgson, Ofahiki Ogden and Mitch Rein.

They’re entitled to be edgy knowing Moses and Farah are in the same team and staying in the same hotel.

Moses is Parramatta’s gun. And while the Eels are sitting back in western Sydney, others are using their influence to try and poach him away.

It all smells a tad fishy.

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