James Hooper believes Eels powerbrokers are growing frustrated with Mitchell Moses’ management over his drawn out extension talks amid their $5 million contract offer.
Eels coach Brad Arthur called on the Eels to be patient and believes the club and Moses will eventually come to an agreement on a new deal, with the Parramatta’s current offer at fours years at $1.25 million a season.
“I don’t have any updates, but what I know in my experience over the last three or four years we have had to go through a bit of this and we have had to learn to be patient with it,” Arthur said.
“It is not personal. I think with most of these situations, it doesn’t always go the way you want it to, but with most of these situations when there is a genuine desire from the player that he wants to stay and a genuine desire from the club to keep the player, things eventually get sorted out.
“There is a bit of toing and froing. We want him to stay and I think Mitchell wants to stay and it will work itself out.”
However, Hooper believes the Eels are growing tired of the drawn out negotiations given their offer will give Moses more than a tenth of their salary cap over four years.
“I think at the Eels there is starting to be a bit of ill will and some frustration creeping into the negotiation process,” Hooper said on NRL 360.
“Not so much at Mitchell Moses directly, but certainly the puppet master player agent, his cousin Isaac Moses, who is handling the negotiations behind the scenes.
“I think there is a level of frustration because the money that has been put on the table when you crunch the numbers it works out as being more than a tenth Of Parramatta’s salary cap for next year.
“Every team has got $11.5 million to spend. They have offered Mitchell about $1.25 million.
“That’s a big chunk of your cap and you need to be locked away in terms of what decisions you can make when you are talking about that amount of money.
“There are some Eels powerbrokers that are getting quite annoyed with how long it is taking.”
Braith Anasta questioned if the Eels would consider pulling or reducing their offer if Moses continues to delay putting pen to paper and Parramatta keep losing.
“If they lose a couple in a row is there a chance the deal gets pulled or reduced?” Anasta asked.
However, The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis believes Mitchell’s player option for 2024 gives the Eels less room to move at the negotiating table.
“He has got an option his way for next year, so technically if it all blows up, that’s why Parramatta can’t withdraw the offer or anything like that,” Carayannis said.
“He has got an option in his favour for next year. Whether they can reduce the offer for beyond next year they could potentially do that, but I just don’t think it will get to that stage.”
However, Hooper believes the Eels need to take a leaf out of the book of Roosters supremo Nick Politis and put the pressure on Moses to make a call.
“You look at the Roosters situation with Joseph Suaalli and he had an option as well for 2024,” Hooper said.
“Nick Politis arguably the best negotiator in the business, he just had enough so he said to Isaac Moses, listen no more games, no more mucking around, he has told us he wants to stay, just get it done, I’m not talking to you untill the situation is resolved.
“So he put Isaac Moses in the freezer and lo and behold Joseph agreed to sign for the additional season next year.
“I think the Eels could play a little bit more hard ball in terms of their negotiating style. I think at times they are too passive and it is too much run by committee.”
Replies
I thought Hooper said parra offered $1.25 million lat night
Agree about the Jurnos half of there stories lack credibility.
I disagree with BA statement on time frame. Mitch has 2 offers on the table and have been there for quite a few weeks now. It's time the Eels put a deadline on the deal.
I believe Eels have done there maths and offered what they seem fair after 2 mths of negotiations.
There were a couple of back up halfs running around on the weekend who went alright, especially the Sharks 7.
I think Mitch is staying, just trying to push for 5 years. If it's 4 years make a decision.
It's all speculation
See how they denigrate the club because they reckon Uncle Nick says he will play golf with Suali'i so he will sign up quickly but we have a committee apparently.
Yeah, I don't buy the myth of Nick Politis. He knows Sualli'i is rugby bound at some point, he's just created a deal to keep Sualli'i at the Roosters till he moves to rugby. I doubt we'll ever see Sualli'i in the one jersey at the Roosters. He'll bide his time in the centres till he leaves for the 2026 season where Eddie Jones will fast track him for the 2027 RWC.
My take on this is, Moses wants to stay and Parra need to offload someone to get the cash to give to him.
Analyst If you are right I would involve Moses in making the decision about who they should offload(.Personal responsibility) I wonder what effects that would have on relationships in the "Team"
Why ?
That's nonsense Tad, no workplace would ever do that to an employee. We have a GM for that very reason, that's literally Mark O'Neill's job.
When it comes to salaries and contracts, every player understands and respects that it is every man for himself, as it should be.
Do you have a philosophy of everyman for himself in a team sport.? I suspect many are happy to pass the buck to someone else to do the dirty work.
When it comes to contract negotiations, yes. Do you seriously think that players think about anyone else when it comes to money.
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