Moses backs new halves partner and youthful spine
Jason Ryles has revealed his team for Saturday's final trial with the Roosters and will see Mitchell Moses paired with Jonah Pezet in the halves for the first time.
Pezet is on a one-season contract and arrives as Parramatta shifts toward a younger nucleus following Dylan Brown's dramatic exit last year.
Aside from Moses, the combined NRL experience through the Eels' spine amounts to just 62 games, highlighting how much of the on-field leadership rests on one player.
Moses himself has amassed 238 first-grade appearances, which is more than three times the total of the rest of the spine combined.
The youth injection started with fullback Isaiah Iongi, and the club has been managing the transition during another pre-season together.
"I obviously had a year under my belt with Izzy (Iongi) last year, and not much phases the kid, you know what I mean?" Moses told SEN radio
"He's very calm, he's very collected, and just at the back, he does what he needs, and he's busy.
"the combination's been working well.
He had some good touches in the trial on the weekend."
As one of the competition's most experienced halfbacks, Moses says his role includes guiding the younger players while keeping the team's goals front of mind.
"Obviously, I want to win a comp," Moses said, "that's the main thing.
The upcoming trial will be a final opportunity to sharpen combinations before the regular season begins.