Moses, Eels refuse to provide guarantee over future

Silence can be deafening, and nowhere is that more true in rugby league circles at present than in the curious case of Mitchell Moses' future.

Rumours began circulating last week that the star halfback - contracted with the Eels until at least the end of 2026 with options in his contract for 2027 and 2028 - was growing frustrated with the way things are panning out in Sydney's west.

That has followed two years of turmoil for the club.

Sinking from their grand final high of 2022, the Eels missed the eight in 2023, and are barely avoiding the wooden spoon this year, with the club electing to sack Brad Arthur mid-season.

Jason Ryles has been appointed the next coach of the Eels, and a roster rebuild is underway. That rebuild has hit an enormous snag though given the departures of Matt Arthur, Blaize Talagi and Ethan Sanders, while Charlie Guymer had also reportedly asked to leave.

The club are also understood to have given Ryan Matterson and Reagan Campbell-Gillard permission to leave among others as they attempt to balance the salary cap, while Clint Gutherson is no guarantee of being fit enough to play fullback next year.

That has left Moses, still without a premiership and on the back of an excellent State of Origin campaign, reportedly weighing up his future, and speaking on Fox Sports NRL 360, Phil Rothfield said he couldn't get guarantees from either the Eels or Moses' manager Isaac Moses that the star halfback would remain at the club for the next two years.

“I spent all Friday speaking to the Eels and speaking to Isaac Moses,” Rothfield said.

“All I kept saying to them was ‘please guarantee that he'll be there for the next two years'. I even said I'll give you until Saturday morning when the column goes off to the lawyers and they will not guarantee he'll be there.”

It's not clear if the Eels would entertain a release at any stage given they have already publicly denied Moses wants to leave, or whether any club in the competition would have the salary cap space to take Moses on.

The Sydney Roosters were left 'baffled' when they were linked to Moses, and while other clubs would move mountains to secure Moses, it seems unlikely at best for 2025.