He won't be lacking in motivation as he seeks to help Parramatta end their 36-year title drought, but Parramatta Eels half Mitch Moses will also have plenty of personal history to fall back on after the ugly end to his time with the Ivan Cleary-led Wests Tigers.
Cleary had the reins at the Tigers when Moses was told he was surplus to requirements after four years of service at NRL level.
Moses was furious after sitting down with Cleary and then-Tigers football manager Kelly Egan and seeing his lucrative contract extension withdrawn.
“It ripped my heart out, what they did,” Moses told NewsCorp at the time.
“I didn't see a point in staying if they didn't see a future with me.”
But the Tigers' loss was the Eels' gain – with the Concord club still chasing a return to finals action in 2022 as Moses prepares for a date with grand final destiny.
“We thought that Mitch could eventually be the leader of a premiership-winning team,” coach Brad Arthur told the Telegraph.
“You need a good controlling halfback. I was keen on Mitchell, I liked his running game. He (also) had a strong kicking game back then. He's obviously matured.
"He needed some work, but he was brave and willing.”
The context of Moses' departure from the Tigers shouldn't be ignored ahead of this Sunday's game.
At the same time his contract extension was withdrawn, the club was engulfed by rumours that they were going to bring Nathan Cleary to the club to reunite with this father - a plan that never came to fruition after Cleary deserted the Concord club for a Penrith return.
Though Moses' first request for a release was rejected by the Tigers, a downturn in results and a clear fracture between the player and coach eventually forced their hand.
“Everybody seemed to be aligned that (a move) was a good thing for Mitchell,” Eels CEO Bernie Gurr recalled to the Telegraph.
“You had to work through and respect the Tigers' position. We did that. Luckily, on the second go, he got his release.”
Though Moses finally secured his departure from a toxic environment, his then-coach couldn't resist a parting shot – a shot that may be replayed in both parties' minds come full-time on Sunday.
“His last two performances and his demeanour suggested he wasn't happy and the logical conclusion for us was to part ways and that's what we've done,” Cleary said at the time.
Moses hit back: “You can't put the results down to one player. That's what hurt me the most. I have a lot of respect for Ivan but to come out and say that, I was pretty filthy.”
Despite the ugliness of the situation, the Eels were happy to wait for their man – a decision that has ultimately been justified.
“(The Tigers) realised you can't start pulling deals and indicating you don't want a player and then say you won't release him,” Gurr said.
“I think it was a good play by us to pursue it.”
“Hopefully (Moses) will be there for the rest of his career because he's really matured into an elite player.”
