Eels star Mitchell Moses has been dramatically rumored to be connected with the Roosters, with reports suggesting he might seek an early release from his current contract.
Moses’s existing contract, signed in May 2023, extends through the end of 2026, with options for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. According to Fox League’s James Hooper, “conversations have occurred” about Moses potentially leaving the struggling Parramatta club.
He thinks the Roosters would be a perfect fit for the current Blues halfback, especially with five-eighth Luke Keary set to leave the club at the end of the season.
“If Mitchell Moses hasn’t already requested a release from Parramatta, I believe he will very soon. It’s an issue for Jason Ryles,” Hooper commented.
“Moses’s agent is his cousin Isaac Moses, who also represents Blaize Talagi, who recently moved to Penrith.
“All signs point to the Sydney Roosters. Nick Politis is an exceptional deal-maker, as seen with Cooper Cronk and Sonny Bill Williams.
“If Uncle Nick wants to finalize a deal, he can. I’m not implying they’ve had any discussions or broken any rules, but I’m reading the signs from player conversations.
“Everyone’s talking about it… He’s 29 now and turns 30 in September. These aren’t just rumors; they’re conversations that have happened.”
Hooper also mentioned a major obstacle to any potential move for Moses to the Roosters, and it’s not related to their salary cap.
With Joey Manu, Joseph Suaalii, Luke Keary, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, and Sitili Tupouniua all departing at the end of the 2024 season, the Roosters will have significant financial resources.
“They’ve recently lost Blaize Talagi, and Ethan Sanders, a promising young talent, has signed with Canberra,” Hooper noted.
“Moses is represented by his cousin Isaac. The main issue with a move to the Roosters is that Nick Politis has a longstanding refusal to do business with Isaac. However, knowing the Roosters, if they want to make the deal happen, they will find a way.
“With $2.5 million set to leave the club, and Teddy (Tedesco) and Mitch being close friends who used to live together and now live only 10 minutes apart, there’s a strong connection.”
“They remain very close friends, and from what I’m hearing, there have been a few discussions,” he added.
Meanwhile, Michael Carayannis of The Daily Telegraph reported that the Eels are “comfortable” with Moses’s status at the club.
He noted that Moses has had talks with incoming coach Jason Ryles, who expects Moses to be part of his squad in 2025.
“They’ve definitely heard the rumors. You’d have to be living under a rock not to know what’s been going on recently,” Carayannis said.
“However, from speaking to people at Parramatta, they haven’t received any direct communication about this. They’re confident and at ease with the situation.”
