Playing with Lebanon has made footy fun again - Mitchell Moses - Eels Blogs

MITCHELL Moses went into Lebanon’s Rugby League World Cup camp not knowing what to expect.What he found was a new lease of life with his footy and a renewed sense of pride in his Lebanese heritage.In a candid interview, the star playmaker told The Daily Telegraph that being involved with the Cedars had “changed his opinion on footy”.Coming through the junior ranks as a prodigious talent and being the nephew of Tigers great Benny Elias, Moses has always had to shoulder the huge burden of expectation.But away from the unwavering pressure that came with carrying the hopes of Parramatta’s finals campaign, which followed a hectic year of contract talks and then his well-publicised mid-season split with the Tigers, Moses says he has rediscovered the joy in playing rugby league.Part of that is down to his Cedars teammates, while he also credits Brad Fittler’s relaxed nature for his new outlook.“Being in this camp and playing for this team has really changed my opinion on footy, it’s bought the fun back, I’m really realising how fun footy is,” Moses said.OFFICIAL: Moylan joins the SharksMitchell Moses says he has rediscovered the fun in playing rugby league.“I kind of was just hoping of coming into this camp and staying injury free and then have a big pre-season with Parramatta. But then ever since coming into the camp with the boys it means so much more to me now.“It’s made me enjoy my footy a fair bit. I don’t have the stress of the NRL week in week out having to perform all the time.“It’s brought me back to when I was a little kid, where you don’t really know who you are versing, you don’t know the players, you just go out and play footy.“I’ve taken a relaxed approach and it’s made me enjoy my footy a lot more in the last couple of weeks.“And Freddy is good like that, he’s relaxed around the camp and it’s made our job a lot easier.”The Cedars enjoyed the spoils of an unshackled Moses in their opening match of the World Cup, against France in Canberra. With the game in the balance, he helped seal victory for Lebanon with a piece of individual brilliance.Moses says the jubilant scenes of celebrations with his teammates and fans following that chip-and-chase try have now become one of his career highlights.“It was a pretty touching moment for me, to score that try and seal the game and to have all the boys get around me, it was pretty exciting in my career,” he said.Mitchell Moses is mobbed by teammates after scoring the winning try for Lebanon against France.“Going into that game I really didn’t think too much about it, I just wanted to get into the game, have a good game but the stories that were told during the week were massive, what all these other boys have gone through and the positions they are in right now, it was very special and to go out there and play for my country it was massive for me.Moses, whose mum and dad are Lebanese, says has never been more proud of his heritage.“I haven’t really come out and said it in the past,” Moses said.“I’ve always been very proud but to come out and say it, people wouldn’t think I’m Lebanese with how Aussie I look with my fair skin and blue eyes.“But I’m definitely very proud, the effort that the boys have gone through to have full-time jobs and to see how passionate they are that they really want to play for Lebanon definitely means a lot to me.”Moses realises that representing Lebanon means more than just playing rugby league and with each game they are helping to bring a diverse community closer together and change negative perceptions along the way.“The support has been massive, after the first win against France you could just feel the change in the community, people were coming up to us in the street saying how proud they are of us and saying us playing for the Cedars is changing people’s opinion of the Lebanese community.“Whatever we can do to change those perceptions we’ll do it.”

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Replies

Joshuatheeel November 10, 2017 at 10:52am

Easy to be laid back if results don't matter and you aren't expected to win!!
BE STONE COLD November 10, 2017 at 11:35am

Any tournament would be fun if Fittler was ur coach... His motto would be "Fcuk winning, lets get P!SSED!!!
Mr 'BringBackFitzy' Analyst November 10, 2017 at 11:40am

Maybe not expected to win but definitely expected to perform.
macybrown November 10, 2017 at 11:52am

Agree with Mitch It's been a fun WC to watch. Esp watching the island nations prelim and face off and play. It has been the best fun footy to watch in a long time.
wald'oh November 10, 2017 at 12:36pm

Mitch Moses is a truly gifted footballer and an outstanding representative for his parent's country, Lebanon, his adopted home Australia, Rugby League and especially the Parramatta Eels.

The kid is a winner and if I prayed he'd be in them every night.
- Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown > wald'oh November 10, 2017 at 3:49pm
  
  Waleed it sounds like youd be happy with nothing less than Mitch's balls slapping on your chin old chap?
Nitram November 10, 2017 at 1:37pm

So true. I bet he won't be so laid back coaching nsw.
Premier2018 November 10, 2017 at 1:50pm

I think the team has been great for the Lebanese community.
Farah made a bit of a fool of himself with the biting allegation but there are some negative perceptions out there regarding the Lebanese community. I hope the Lebanese community can get out to the Australia match and create an atmosphere of celebration and pride. Really the Lebanese team over the next 10 years should be aiming for massive improvements given the popularity of Rugby league in the Lebanese community
- Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown > Premier2018 November 10, 2017 at 3:55pm
  
  Agree, its good none of their fans have gang bashed or stabbed anybody yet, touch wood.
  
  Id suggest to those going to the game tonight to catch a cab because you dont want your car or hub caps being stolen during the game for one of Sydneys 500 lebanese car rebirthing gigs across town.
  
  Baz is their best import imo.
- Tin Tim > Premier2018 November 10, 2017 at 4:05pm
  
  Gee, wasn't any need to single Farah out but you did. Biting ain't part of the game, clearly by the vision he was, but as usual the officials look at different footage to the normal football population and they saw nothing. I see no problem reporting it.

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Playing with Lebanon has made footy fun again - Mitchell Moses

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