Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has all but accepted Mitchell Moses won’t be part of the Eels 2017 premiership campaign.
Widely tipped to join Parramatta in a mid-season switch from the Wests Tigers, Moses now appears certain to remain at Concord for the rest of the season.
“Mitchell Moses is a Wests Tigers player,” Arthur said.
“Whatever happens there is their decision. All we can worry about is us trying to back up last week’s win and go from there.”
Arthur denied he had planned on Moses’ immediate inclusion following the Eels’ win over the Tigers last week after the five-eighth requested a mid-season release.
“I’ve made the mistake of that in the past, thinking about what might be. We can only worry about what is,” Arthur said on Friday ahead of the Eels’ clash against Penrith.
“I’ve left it with our management and their management. We’re very happy with the team we’ve got that can get the job done.”
Arthur said last year’s turbulent season had helped his team narrow their focus on football rather than be distractions such as the possible early arrival of Moses.
The Eels were considered premiership material last year after Kieran Foran’s signing before he quit mid-season.
The club was punished for salary cap cheating.
“Last year we went through week to week of stuff that we couldn’t control,” Arthur said.
Arthur is backing stand-in five-eighth Brad Takairangi to do the job against Penrith as he waits on fullback Bevan French to return from a knee injury.
Clint Gutherson will play fullback before reverting to the halves when French’s return.
“You’ve got to try and prepare for these situations because of the way the salary cap is, you can’t stockpile quality halves,” Arthur said.