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Brad Arthur has no fears about Parramatta going into this season with the NRL’s youngest spine — but he has challenged star halfback Mitchell Moses “to step up” and own it.

And Fox League expert Braith Anasta reckons the often maligned Eels playmaker is more than ready for the challenge, with Anasta rating Moses “the most talented No.7 playing the game right now”.

Ahead of Saturday’s first serious hitout of the year when all the big names take part in the trial against Penrith in Bega, Arthur explained why he doesn’t see the average age of Clint Gutherson (25), Dylan Brown (19), Moses (25) and Reed Mahoney (21) as an issue.

“The plus to that is that we can really mould them to the way that we think best suits our team and our club,” Arthur said.

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Moses is the most experienced member of Parramatta’s young spine. AAP Image/David Neilson.

“And if they are locked in together for a period I think that can set us up better than if sometimes you have blokes who are set in their ways on how they want to play.”

But it still gives the Eels the NRL’s lowest average age of 23.12 years in the crucial positions of fullback, five-eighth, halfback and hooker.

It is surprisingly even younger than Canterbury (23.72), Penrith (23.74) and Brisbane (24.12).

Overall, the Rabbitohs have the oldest average aged spine (27.79) ahead of the Storm (27.31), Warriors (27.26), Sharks (27.18), Wests Tigers (27.01), Raiders (26.82), Roosters (26.68), Cowboys (26.65), Dragons (26.37), Titans (26.14), Sea Eagles (26.02) and Knights (25.92).

But while some see this as potentially Parramatta’s Achilles heel, Arthur argued: “With the help of Joey (Andrew Johns) they are really open to what we think can work best for them and our team. So I think that can be an advantage for us.

“Yeah, they are going to lack a bit of experience and maybe some big moments. But that is where it is up to Mitchell to step up.

“Instead of having four voices where they all want to take control, well, it comes back to a bit of accountability on Mitchell.

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Gutherson and Moses shape as crucial players for Parra this year. Picture by Phil Hillyard.

“And sometimes that can be better to have one clear voice instead of too many.”

Arthur says Johns’ influence has also made a significant difference after the league Immortal joined the coaching staff as a spine consultant.

“The thing I like about Joey is that he hasn’t come in with an ego,” Arthur added.

“He has come in and wanted to work with us. Not tell us what to do.

“We sort of have similar views on how we will play at our best and that helps.”

There is huge expectation on the Eels that this might be the year they finally break the game’s longest premiership drought that stretches all the way back to 1986.

In all those years the Eels have never really settled on a long term playmaker who could truly own the No.7 jumper like Peter Sterling once did.

But Moses just might be it.

Incredibly, his 64 games in his three seasons at Parra already make Moses the third longest serving halfback since Sterling, behind only Chris Sandow and Tim Smith who both played 71 games for the Eels.

Dylan Brown is still only 19. Picture by Brett Costello.

After claiming last year’s Dally M halfback gong, Anasta now ranks Moses’s skill-level at top of the halfback tree.

“He is the most talented No.7 playing the game right now,” Anasta said.

“The next level for him is winning a premiership, because his individual performances have been superb.

“It is now about the ability to turn those individual performances to benefit your team and get them to a premiership.

“That is the definition of a great half. Premierships and Origin. That is when you go to next level.

“Mitch turned a massive corner last year. You can see that with his maturity and his confidence.

“He is at that level now, so is Gutho, that they know they are good. They weren’t ready to win a comp last year. I am still not sure. But they are definitely closer.”