NRL 2022: Eels winger Waqa Blake keeps his spot while ref Ashley Klein gets another finals go

Parramatta’s hopes of a first preliminary final in 13 years have received a huge boost.

Mitch Moses got through light duties on Monday but is expected to play. Picture; Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Mitch Moses is one step closer to playing in Friday’s semi-final against the Raiders while Brad Arthur has stuck by embattled winger Waqa Blake for their most important game of 2022.

But the biggest call for the first final of the weekend could be that referee Ashley Klein will control the match, having been backed in by league officials after he issued an NRL-record seven sin bins in last week’s fiery clash between the Rabbitohs and Roosters.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley on Monday defended Klein’s actions and said it was “clearly a lack of discipline by the players” with two suspensions also coming out of the game.

But the Eel’s inclusion of Moses is a massive boost for a side looking to advance to a preliminary final for the first time since 2009 after fears the key playmaker may have been ruled out after he was knocked out while trying to tackle Penrith’s Viliame Kikau last week,

Jake Arthur has been named on the bench in case the halfback is ruled out.

Moses still has to get through concussion protocols but said on Monday that he was feeling okay after getting his tackle technique horribly wrong.

Mitch Moses is on the mend after this scary moment. Picture; Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“I feel good,” he said.

“Obviously it didn’t look too good. I got my head in the wrong spot and was out cold.

“I didn’t really have any (symptoms). I actually wanted to go back out onto the field. Obviously with how it was, it didn’t look too good so I obviously couldn’t.

“I remembered all the game and I remembered the incident. I didn’t have any headaches so I feel pretty good.”

Eels coach Brad Arthur has named the same 17 that lost to the Panthers, with Blake retained despite dropping three Nathan Cleary bombs.

Waqa Blake is expecting another aerial assault on Friday. Picture; Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The Raiders have been forced into one key change with Adam Elliott ruled out with a pelvic injury, but Ryan Sutton is set to make a shock early return from hand surgery that he thought would rule him out for the rest of the season.

The Sharks have also named the same 17 that went down to the Cowboys, but the Rabbitohs have been forced to make one change with English veteran Tom Burgess taking the early guilty plea for his high shot on James Tedesco.

He’ll miss two games and won’t be available until the grand final, with his spot on the bench taken by Michael Chee Kam.

Originally published as NRL 2022: Eels winger Waqa Blake keeps his spot while ref Ashley Klein gets another finals go