Revealed: Madge set for stunning Moses Origin gamble... and why it could burn Arthur and the Eels

New Blues coach Michael Maguire has reportedly indicated his plans in the halves after the devastating injury to Nathan Cleary.

Mitchell Moses and Jarome Luai.

Mitchell Moses could be parachuted into Michael Maguire’s Blues side for the State of Origin opener without having played a game following serious injury.

The Parramatta Eels halfback suffered a fractured foot in Rd 3 and has been sidelined ever since.

He was thought to be a chance to return for the Eels in Magic Roundd only to be ruled out and remains in doubt for the Rd 12 clash against the Bunnies, the final match before Game One in Sydney.

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Fox League’s James Hooper, however, revealed new Blues coach Maguire is open to picking Moses without a club game behind him.

Maguire is faced with a halves crisis after Nathan Cleary was ruled out of the entire series with a hamstring injury while Nicho Hynes is also yet to return.

“I’ve heard he wants Mitchell Moses to be in the side even if he doesn’t come back and get a game leading into Origin, which I have got to say surprises me,” Hooper said on NRL360 on Wednesday.

“But Madge will back himself. But I have heard without a game he likes Mitchell Moses and he sees Moses as the next best No.7 with Cleary unavailable.

“I’m sure Madge has spoken to Moses and I wouldn’t be surprised if he has even said, I don’t mind if you don’t have a club game.”

News of the move left the NRL360 panel stunned with both Braith Anasta and James Graham raising concerns.

Mitchell Moses could return to Origin without a club game.

“With an injury like that, you don’t even know how it will go until you get out there and put it under first grade intensity physicality,” Anasta said.

“You don’t even know. It normally takes a few weeks.”

“Those return to play protocols and tests that the physios and medical staff will put you under it is a box ticking exercise,” Graham added.

“But you know that first set when you are out there and you know if the medical staff have missed something or you know if you are sweet as well and it is a fine line.”

Hooper then shed light on an apparent setback Moses suffered in his bid to return to play.

“There was big mail at the Eels against the Broncos game last Friday night that Mitchell was 100% returning,” Hooper said.

“Then he’s gone and run on the Saturday morning and got through a pretty rigorous fitness testing regime.

“And whatever happened, it can’t have been overly positive because off the back of that, then the narrative switched to hold on, actually, now he might not be playing, and now he might not be playing against Souths the week after either.”

With Moses sidelined the Eels have plummeted down the NRL ladder, languishing in 13th place and leaving coach Brad Arthur facing increased pressure.

It has left the Eels “in two minds” over Moses’ possible Origin selection.

“They are torn,” Hooper said.

Jarome Luai is a chance at five-eighth. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“They are like, we want our players playing rep footy, but we also need him.”

The Daily Telegraph’s Dean Ritchie then questioned whether the Eels would be resistant to Moses’ selection.

“If you were Paramatta, would you be saying, hang on, we’ve just missed you for seven weeks? We’re three from nine. We’re down the bottom,” Ritchie said.

“You’re going to go play Origin, which means you’ve got weeks off, you come back from Origin physically and emotionally wrecked.

“In the meantime Brad Arthur’s career is slipping let’s be honest. He needs his playmaker.”

“Well, it’s hanging in the balance. He’s at the crossroads,” Hooper added

Originally published as Revealed: Madge set for stunning Moses Origin gamble... and why it could burn Arthur and the Eels