He is the Balmain legend who will always hold an abiding love for his Wests Tigers.
But Ben Elias has a strong message for his nephew and Tigers target Mitchell Moses: “If you’re happy at Parramatta then re-sign.”
Moses, 28, comes off contract after next season and is wrestling with massive interest — all worth more than $1 million a season — from Parramatta, the Tigers and Canterbury.
The Bulldogs are also interested in off-contract Penrith centre Stephen Crichton, who the Panthers are trying to re-sign now that Origin winger Brian To’o has been retained until the end of 2027.
Like Parramatta, Penrith are battling an incredibly tight salary cap but still hope to make a respectable offer to Crichton, who is being courted to play fullback at Canterbury.
The Bulldogs may find it challenging to squeeze both Moses and Crichton under their burgeoning cap, as they also look to upgrade five-eighth Matt Burton’s contract.
While the Tigers remain keen on Moses, it goes against Elias’s black-and-gold heart to admit his nephew should remain an Eel.
“My belief has always been that you stay somewhere where you’re happy and life couldn’t be any better for Mitch. Sometimes you have to put family and blood over club loyalty,” Elias said.
“I totally understand Mitch’s dilemma and his frustration over what to do but he’s happy then he should stay.
“Parramatta are a great side so you’re comparing a grand final side with a team (Wests Tigers) that got the wooden spoon. It’s a long year when you’re struggling, trust me so if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.
“Selfishly I’d love him to come to the Tigers – a club that will always be in my heart – but if you’re after satisfaction and happiness then why shift clubs?
“What’s the saying? Better the devil you know.
“The Eels have been very good to Mitch so I reckon they’re the favourites. Parramatta is desperate to keep him and he wants to win a premiership.
“I get asked every day where Mitchell is going and, it’s only my opinion, but if he’s content, why move? Mitch loves Parramatta.
“Ever since I’ve known Mitch’s father (John), he has been a tragic Parramatta supporter. Those little things help make your decision.”
Moses has also attracted considerable interest from the Queensland-based Dolphins.
With a young family and now happily settled in Sydney’s inner-west, it appears increasingly unlikely Moses would uproot his life for Redcliffe.
“Mitch hasn’t told me whether Gus (Phil Gould, Canterbury general manager of football) has contacted him but I know he is settled in Sydney and won’t leave,” Elias said.
“Any side that doesn’t have a halfback would want Mitchell Moses. Why wouldn’t you? Mitchell speaks well, he’s a great ambassador and a crowd-pleaser.
“I was with Andrew Johns on Saturday and Joey is a real big fan of Mitchell. All those great halfbacks, Joey, Peter Sterling, Johnathan Thurston, they all became great from the age of 26 onwards.”
Meanwhile, former Manly prop Martin Taupau remains unsigned for next season. Five clubs are understood to be interested in the World Cup forward but are being hindered by the game’s failure to nail down a CBA and salary cap.
Replies
I think he'll stay.
Oh his definitely going to the tigers.
That's it, he's as good as gone...
Good advice Uncle Benny
His staying imo
There is no doubt he was always staying.....from a perspective of price and cap room.
The dumass media and the trogs from here are the only people that didn't understand that they didn't understand.
PS The only reason he would ever have left would be a disagreement over JA's selection issues but they were settled with BA seemingly taking a view that JA needs a full season actually playing in Reserve Grade.
Him & Brown will stay.
It just doesn't make sense for him to leave. He's spent the last five years getting us to a GF, why would he want to spend his prime years going on holidays in September.
I don't know what his intentions are, my gut says he's staying, but I just can't see the upside of leaving to go to either the Dofs or Tigers.
Jeez, imagine if they both stay.
Reading back over some of the carry-on in this joint over the last couple of months will be pretty fecking entertaining :)
I'm not a fan of commenting on this sort of stuff until it's set in stone, but I've been under the impression the clubs waited this long and created the cap room for any contingency to retain our halves no matter the future cap.
The hold up being the exact figure of the cap going forward as the club would be promising both halves a certain percentage of that figure.
What the delay does do is infuriate fans and sponsors hopefully encouraging potential sponsors to get on board in a third party capacity to help out with the cap.
The fact we let go Mahoney and Papalii is an indicator this was the direction deemed highest priority.
For either half to go off the back of this would be to a ludicrous offer which would only insure said clubs acceleration into mediocrity with a blown out cap.
As long as it's sorted well before kickoff I've no dramas with any of it.
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