Brad Arthur throws down Origin challenge to Corey Norman and Mitchell Moses

BRAD Arthur has thrown down the challenge to his Parramatta halves Corey Norman and Mitchell Moses to prove they are “worthy of an Origin opportunity” this year.Arthur is adamant both playmakers are now ready to take that next giant step in their blossoming careers and he said the job ahead for Norman and Moses was to “take control and own” the Eels’ fortunes in 2018.There will be a changing of the guard in the Queensland halves this year following the representative retirement of Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk, while another failed series for NSW has only put more pressure on Mitchell Pearce to retain his spot.Asked if he believed his two halves were ready for Origin, Arthur said: “Yep. Definitely.“To me that is evident in their training and their attitude.“Corey needs to put his hand up to show that he is worthy of an Origin opportunity, and the same with Mitch.Norman and Moses struck up an instant combination last season.“The opportunities are there and they have a good team around them so there are no excuses.”Queensland is blessed with a strong list of halves contenders in the absence of Thurston and Cronk with the likes of Michael Morgan, Cameron Munster, Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt, Daly Cherry-Evans and even young Ash Taylor all challenging Norman for the opportunity.For NSW, James Maloney would have to be a near certainty if he stays fit, and his combination with young Nathan Cleary at Penrith this season could ultimately determine which direction new coach Brad Fittler takes.If Maloney and Cleary can strike up an immediate partnership at club level for the Panthers it would have to favour their Origin hopes.Other options for the Blues would include Matt Moylan who’ll be playing five-eighth at Cronulla, along with the Sydney Roosters’ Luke Keary who was outstanding in 2017 and South Sydney’s Adam Reynolds.Fittler has always supported Pearce and no doubt his move to Newcastle will give Pearce plenty of motivation to come out firing for the start of the season.ATTITUDE: Hayne has turned it aroundINJURY: Inglis could miss season launchBut Moses also made a big impression on Fittler during their time together with Lebanon at the World Cup.As soon as Fittler was announced as Laurie Daley’s successor he immediately pushed Moses’s name forward as a possible debutant in 2018.“He was awesome … he came up with some really big moments so he was outstanding,” Fittler said at the time.“And what it does is it puts pressure on the current halves and the halves that are in contention.“If he can have that sort of attitude under that pressure, and the fact is that he was playing in a team that was going backwards most of the time and we were sort of just hanging on, and he came up with big moments.“He showed so much more than I thought he had, and on and off the field as well.”Norman turns 27 next week and Moses is 23.Can Moses and Norman take the next step?Arthur believes both now have the NRL experience behind them to assert their authority.“They need to take control and own this team,” Arthur said.“That is what they need to do.”At his best Norman has proven he can dominate like the very best playmakers but his week-to-week consistency will be the key.Moses has always carried plenty of expectation but in the back-end of last season after joining Parramatta he took his game to another level.Arthur has no doubt a full pre-season working alongside Norman will benefit both after the Eels’ top four finish in 2017.“Mitchy has had six months with us already but now he gets a pre-season so it just gives us a bit more stability in our ranks,” Arthur said.“The more time they get playing together and training together hopefully the better we will become.“I didn’t know him before he came to our club but Mitch has a real sense and belief that he wants to run a team.“He wants to control a team.“That is what we need.”

"Thats exactly right LB, no one has stood up to them in the way that we have. We have kept infront of everything theyve thrown at us and kept our cool which has annoyed them even more. I feel once this is all done and dusted the NRL will have…"

"Plus, he thought we are weak and will toe the line as we and many other clubs have for the last so many years. Finally one has cracked and they do not know how to respond so they go to the media to plead their case and has made it worse."

Replies

Nick January 26, 2018 at 5:00pm

Look to the future NSW. Cleary at half and Moses at 5/8. Norman needs to rise another level if he wants to play for qld
- Nick > Nick January 26, 2018 at 11:55pm
  
  Yeah exactly like that from 2016. Not like the back end of 17 when he didnt do much at all. Thanks for the contribution Browny.
John Eel January 26, 2018 at 5:06pm

He is a real asset for the Eels and Definately up to Origin standard
- CarloEEL2 > John Eel January 26, 2018 at 5:37pm
  
  Maybe I'm a selfish biatch but no - I don't want weeks without them. Sorry Moses and Canadian ..
- John Eel > John Eel January 26, 2018 at 6:24pm
  
  He needs the $90,000 match payments to build on his property portfolio
Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst January 26, 2018 at 5:43pm

Dally M award 2018 - Mitchell Moses
Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown January 26, 2018 at 6:22pm

I realise Brads just backing the boys, giving them confidence but neither are ready for origin imo.

Corey simply doesnt deserve it on any level and Moses is still a bit green.
- CarloEEL2 > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown January 26, 2018 at 6:41pm
  
  No Canadian does not . If the spaniel curse works Corey will have an outstanding year based on my whole year of criticism . If not , hmmmm
Kramerica January 26, 2018 at 6:46pm

Yeah, Moses was outstanding in the World Cup. I reckon he was close to the best half in the competition. The way he led that team around was amazing. Freddy (his World Cup coach) will be keeping a pretty close eye on him. If he starts the year on fire I wouldn't be surprised if he was a NSW bolter.

Norman was a massive disappointment last year imo.
Mac5733 January 26, 2018 at 8:12pm

Anyone realise how we ended up finishing 4th last year????? Because we won most of our games all through the origin period. Why you want your players missing through that period is beyond me.