Rumors surrounding Mitch Moses’ future with the Parramatta Eels continue to swirl, as the star halfback and his agent have yet to provide any guarantees that he will remain with the club through the end of his contract. Moses is currently signed with the Eels until the end of 2026, with options to extend his stay into 2027 and 2028. However, the Eels’ disastrous season, which has been further marred by the loss of some of their top junior talents to rival clubs, has sparked speculation that Moses might be growing disillusioned.
On Monday night’s episode of *NRL360*, The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield revealed that despite his efforts, he was unable to get a firm commitment from anyone involved, including Moses’ agent and cousin, Isaac Moses, that Mitch would definitely remain at the club until the conclusion of his current deal in 2026.
“I spent all Friday speaking to the Eels and Isaac Moses,” Rothfield said. “All I kept asking was, ‘Can you guarantee that Mitch will be with the club for the next two years?’ I even gave them until Saturday morning, before the column went to the lawyers, but they wouldn’t guarantee it.”
Fox League’s James Hooper weighed in on the situation last week, suggesting that Moses might be growing increasingly frustrated with the Eels due to the club’s poor form, issues with recruitment, and the sacking of coach Brad Arthur earlier in the year. Hooper also pointed to a reported “blow-up” in the Eels’ dressing room following a Round 17 loss to Newcastle, believing that Moses wouldn’t be the only discontented player at the club.
“The reason they won’t guarantee it is because they can’t guarantee it,” Hooper said. “You can trace it back as far as six weeks when there was a story in the *SMH* about Moses having a blow-up in the dressing room. He criticized club management, saying that both the players and the front office need to step up, and that their mistakes shouldn’t affect the team’s performance. Mitchell wouldn’t be the only unhappy camper at Parramatta.”
Rothfield noted that while the Eels have issued a “denial” of Moses potentially leaving, the fact that neither Moses nor his manager has made a public statement is telling.
“This is where Parramatta’s management is showing weakness. I spoke to Eels CEO Jim Sarantinos, and he said, ‘I’ve put out a denial. We’ve spoken to Mitchell, and he’s happy.’ But I asked, why not release a statement directly from Mitch saying, ‘I’m committed to Parramatta and looking forward to the rebuild’? Neither Mitch nor his manager was willing to do that,” Rothfield explained. “So, it’s easy for the club to issue denials, but when you approach the person at the center of the speculation and they don’t want to be involved, that speaks volumes.”
Hooper sympathizes with Mitch Moses’ hesitation to commit to the Eels, given the tumultuous year the club has endured.
The Eels were expected to be strong contenders for a top-four spot this season, considering the talent on their roster. Instead, they find themselves struggling near the bottom of the ladder, currently sitting in 16th place with only five wins to their name.
“From Mitch’s perspective, it’s understandable why he might be hesitant,” Hooper said. “A lot of his close friends at the club have been told to move on, and they’ve also sacked the coach who was instrumental in his development into the player he is today.”
Hooper also acknowledged the difficult position Moses finds himself in: “I get it. It works both ways. Clubs often make tough decisions to move players on, and that’s part of the business. But when a player starts to question whether the window is closing or if this setup is still the best for them, it’s a natural response.”
Hooper added, “Mitch is turning 30 in September, so it’s perfectly understandable that he’s weighing his options carefully.”
