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<\/p>\nWhat if?<\/p>\n
What if the Eels won the grand final in 2022? What if Mitchell Moses wasn\u2019t knocked out in the qualifying final?<\/p>\n
And what if the following year they were able to keep the nucleus of their squad together?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Watch every game of every round of the NRL Premiership LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n If they didn\u2019t lose Reed Mahoney, Isaiah Papali\u2019i, Marata Niukore and Oregon Kaufusi, would things have been different? <\/p>\n Or if Moses, Shaun Lane and Reagan Campbell-Gillard avoided injury, while RCG, Dylan Brown, Maika Sivo and Ryan Matterson stayed on the field instead of serving suspensions? <\/p>\n And if you go back even further: what if Moses never joined Parramatta at all? <\/p>\n What if, after deciding to leave the Tigers in 2017, he signed elsewhere \u2014 or joined the Bulldogs when they came knocking in the 2022 off-season.<\/p>\n All of this, of course, is now in the past. <\/p>\n But on Wednesday night, when Moses runs out at Accor Stadium in sky blue once more, it will be yet another reminder of what could have been for the Eels halfback. <\/p>\n A reminder of just how dominant he can be on the biggest stage with the talent around him.<\/p>\n A player who, when he retires, will hang up the boots as one of the best to wear the blue and gold. And yet, he may not have a premiership ring to show for it. <\/p>\n Not that it\u2019s the only thing that matters. <\/p>\n Try telling that to Andrew Ettingshausen, Stacey Jones, Wally Lewis or even Nathan Hindmarsh, one of Parramatta\u2019s best ever. <\/p>\n But when you watch Moses on the field, whether he is spraying Tallyn Da Silva like he did last year<\/a> or gesturing to the referee by turning into the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man, you can tell that he cares. <\/p>\n Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n Moses is as passionate a player as there is. (Photo by Chris Hyde\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a winner,\u201d as former Parramatta Eels consultant Michael Ennis told foxsports.com.au. <\/p>\n A winner who was so close to breaking Parramatta\u2019s premiership drought in 2022 but came up just short, and now he may never get back there again \u2014 at least in the blue and gold. <\/p>\n \u201cHe loves big moments, he walks towards them, he wants them,\u201d Ennis said of Moses.<\/p>\n \u201cI only had 12 months there at Parramatta but if you look at the quality around him that year at Parramatta \u2014 you had Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Junior Paulo who were in great form.<\/p>\n \u201cThen Reed Mahoney, who\u2019s a threat out of dummy half, took pressure off Moses. When you\u2019ve got a threat out of dummy half it takes eyeballs away from a half and allows him to pick his moments rather than trying to manufacture them. <\/p>\n \u201cDylan Brown and Shaun Lane were phenomenal together down that left-hand side that season and Clint Gutherson had a great year. <\/p>\n \u201cThen there was Isaiah Papali\u2019i with Mitch down that right-hand side \u2014 they were devastating.\u201d<\/p>\n Moses looks on during the 2022 NRL Grand Final match. (Photo by Cameron Spencer\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n Looking at the state of the Eels roster, it seems clear this current squad is still a few good years away from really challenging for a title. <\/p>\n Ryley Smith and Da Silva are a handy tandem at hooker. They have very different playing styles and complement each other quite well, with Smith getting through more of the dirty work early on as a tackling machine before Da Silva comes on to add a dynamic edge later in the game.<\/p>\n But, as was the case last year in that game against North Queensland and again in Parramatta\u2019s most recent loss to Melbourne, at times Da Silva isn\u2019t on the same page as his halfback. <\/p>\n Those growing pains are normal for a young team. It\u2019s just the unfortunate reality for Moses that he is still having to work his way through them in what is the prime of his career. <\/p>\n Sure, there may be the odd game where Moses put the Eels on his back and single-handledly carries them to victory.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you can\u2019t win comps that way,\u201d Braith Anasta said on the Fox League Podcast earlier this year.<\/p>\n \u201cNot in the modern day… we\u2019ve seen it with Hayne, you see these guys that have these runs as individuals more so than the team. That doesn\u2019t win you comps. <\/p>\n \u201cThat will be the challenge at Parramatta \u2014 that if he\u2019s out or not man of the match they still win.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n CRAWLEY: Gutho move Dragons must make; Gus move backfires<\/a><\/p>\n TALKING PTS: Dogs\u2019 fresh spine shock as Bellamy gets \u2018filthy\u2019 at Storm<\/a><\/p>\n ‘Too many cooks’: Moses-Cleary dilemma | 02:49<\/p>\n So far, the Eels have four wins this season. Moses has collected three Dally M points in three of those games and the maximum six in one.<\/p>\n For two-time premiership winner and Fox League expert Luke Keary, it is clear that Moses needs more help from his Eels teammates. It just may not come as consistently as it would at another team with big-game experience in the key positions.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a hooker you need to read the game. You need to get the ball to your halfback in those critical moments,\u201d Keary said during Fox League\u2019s coverage of the Storm game.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really difficult. Mitch is touching the ball three, four times a set when you get down there but you can\u2019t do everything yourself. He\u2019s actually playing really good footy, kicking the ball really well. It\u2019s on every individual to execute.\u201d<\/p>\n At the moment, that just isn\u2019t happening at Parramatta. <\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re just in a really tricky period,\u201d added Ennis.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was an aging roster at Parramatta and Jason Ryles felt like he needed to make change and he\u2019s made change but at the moment Mitch just doesn\u2019t have that high level quality around him, particularly in amongst the spine. <\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve dearly missed Isaiah Iongi, he\u2019s fast and a threat around the ruck and he\u2019s a tackle breaker and he makes linebreaks and he\u2019s always pushing around Mitch so they\u2019ve missed him. <\/p>\n \u201cEven the constant disruption in the backline. Sean Russell\u2019s been in and out at times with injury, Will Penisni\u2019s been in and out with injury, they\u2019ve lost Bailey Simonson and then through the middle losing J\u2019maine Hopgood is a massive blow for them because he\u2019s such a good player and gets through so much cleanup work that goes unnoticed. <\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re in 15th position at the moment and it hasn\u2019t been easy going for Mitch but I\u2019ve got no doubt the self-belief and the winner inside him will stand up on Wednesday week.\u201d<\/p>\n