Former star and rugby league analyst Matty Johns has suggested Mitchell Moses is the player who must improve for the Parramatta Eels to turn a corner after a mixed start to the 2026 NRL season.
The Eels halfback, who is commonly thought of as one of the most influential players in the game, played State of Origin last year, but spent a significant chunk of the season missing.
Parramatta’s record with him, against the record without him, throughout 2025, was a stark and somewhat alarming difference for Jason Ryles and his coaching staff.
Moses being fit was seen as the key to Parramatta’s season in 2026, but as yet, it hasn’t born fruit, with heavy losses to the Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers to sit alongside scratchy wins over the Brisbane Broncos and St George Illawarra Dragons to date.
They clash with the Wests Tigers on Monday afternoon and will be desperate for a win.
While they scored a combined 70 points in the victories, Johns, speaking on SEN Radio, said Moses is playing within himself.
“Not that he’s playing poorly, but I think it’s a really big month coming up for Parramatta (and) I think Mitch Moses,” Johns told SEN’s Morning Glory with Matty Johns.
“Parramatta need a really big month for football (and) at the moment, I reckon he’s playing probably slightly within himself.
“A lot of that’s got to do with the forwards as well.
“But for me, (it’s a) big month coming up for Mitch.”
Moses is still the popular State of Origin pick, likely at five-eighth in a halves partnership with the high-flying Nathan Cleary, but for how long that lasts is up in the air if Parramatta can’t turn it around.
The 31-year-old, who was instrumental in the 2024 series winner at Suncorp Stadium under Michael Maguire, has made just two try assists in four games to date to go with three line break assists and is yet to force a drop out while also running the ball for just 51 metres per game – the lowest return of his career since 2018, although it’s a small data set at this stage.
Last year, Moses finished the year with 75 metres per game and also kicked for about 100 metres more per game than he has managed over the opening month, while he had eight try assists in 13 games.
Parramatta clash with the Wests Tigers on Monday afternoon in the traditional Easter Monday blockbuster, with kick-off set for 4pm (AEDT).
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