Parramatta's long wait for the return of Mitchell Moses may end sooner than expected, with the star halfback pushing for a potential Round 7 comeback in what would be a significant lift for rookie coach Jason Ryles and a club still finding its rhythm in 2025.
Initially slated to return in Round 9 following a stress reaction in his left foot, Moses has taken an encouraging step forward in his rehabilitation, recently returning to light running on grass.
While he won't feature in Round 6 against Canberra in Darwin, an early return in the Easter Monday clash the following week is not off the table.
"As it stands, I think Mitch is definitely on track to return for Round Nine," said Eels CEO Jim Sarantinos, speaking with NewsWire.
"But subject to how the next couple of weeks go, there may be an outside chance of Round Seven."
The club is weighing that option carefully.
The Eels have the bye in Round 8, giving Moses the added benefit of a second built-in recovery window should they opt to take the cautious route.
Either way, Sarantinos was adamant that short-term optimism wouldn't come at the cost of long-term stability.
"Having that bye week and providing extra recovery and making sure Mitch is good to go for the rest of the season and he doesn't come back prematurely is what we're focused on," he said.
"When we get him back, we want to have him back for the rest of the year.
"If you asked Mitch, he'd want to play tomorrow. Sometimes the medical staff have to save him from himself."
That's been the club's consistent message throughout a start to the season defined by injury reshuffles, new leadership under Ryles and ongoing speculation around future halves combinations.
Dylan Brown delivered his best performance of the year in last weekend's breakthrough win, but with the Kiwi international off to Newcastle in 2025, Moses' return assumes even greater importance in stabilising Parramatta's attacking core.
At the same time, the Eels have had to bat away suggestions they could be circling a marquee replacement for Brown.
When Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans revealed that 2025 would be his final season with the Sea Eagles, some linked his availability to Parramatta and it was a rumour Sarantinos wasted no time in shutting down.
"Mitchell's our half; he's our leader, and he's our general on the field. We're really happy with Mitch extending his tenure with the club through until the end of 2029," he said.
"Daly is an exceptional player, but in terms of where our focus lies, it lies elsewhere in terms of other areas we need to strengthen in our roster."
