Parramatta Eels halfback Mitchell Moses’ message to coach Brad Arthur regarding the birth of his first daughter
Moses was the star attraction at the Eels’ fan day at Kellyville on Monday, which attracted about 3000 diehard fans desperate to see their team break the NRL’s longest active title drought.
Few would cherish the win more than Moses, a boyhood Eels fan who made his NRL debut at the Tigers before linking with Arthur at Parramatta midway through the 2017 season as Parramatta emerged from a salary cap crisis.
Moses was just 15 the last time Jarryd Hayne inspired the Eels to a grand final appearance, venturing to Sydney Olympic Park as the Storm ruined the Parramatta fairytale.
“I supported Parramatta since I was a little kid and grew up in the area,” Moses said. “I haven’t seen a grand final won by Parramatta and for me to be the halfback leading them to a comp, that would be unbelievable.
“I’ve been through [what the fans have been through] as well. It’s not just me that’s been through most of it, it’s every single player here. Most of us are playing in our first grand final, so we’re excited, pumped up and ready to go.”
The one-time NSW State of Origin representative will lock horns with the game’s best No.7, Nathan Cleary, in the western Sydney grand final against Penrith.
But Moses’ Eels teammates have spoken about the 28-year-old’s newfound maturity, dealing with a whirlwind week in which he farewelled his grandmother and then welcomed a baby girl into the world four days later.
Asked did he think Moses would stay in Townsville for the grand final qualifier, back-rower Ryan Matterson said: “To be honest, yes. Because that’s Mitch. He wants to win.
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“We’re grateful he made that big sacrifice. He’s a footy fanatic, and he’s been dreaming of a grand final for a very long time. He was never going to turn that down. He kicked two balls out on the full [in the first half], I was going to kill him. But he just flushed it and stayed in the game.”
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