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Eels give Moses clearer NRL voice in swap

Mitchell Moses will have his chance to stamp his authority on Parramatta’s attack as part of the Eels’ spinal shift for Thursday night’s NRL clash with Brisbane.

With the last-placed Eels ranked 16th for attack and requiring up to 11 wins from their last 13 games to make the finals, Arthur admitted on Wednesday things were getting desperate at Parramatta.

As a result, Moses’s halves partnership with Corey Norman is over for at least now.

Predicted to be one of the most dangerous pairings pre-season after last year’s efforts to make the finals, the two have failed to fire a shot together in 2018.

It’s prompted questions over whether the pair are too similar in attack after having both previously played as dominant halves before uniting at the Eels.

Arthur’s answer is to make Moses the main voice in Parramatta’s attack and let Norman roam free at the back.

Norman will shift to fullback in a swap with co-captain Clinton Gutherson, who played as a running half for part of last year and won two of three matches alongside Moses.

“It makes it easier for everyone. Mitch; that’s his skill set. It lets everyone play to their skill set,” Arthur said.

“Mitchy can make sure he steers us around and we’ve got one dominant voice and Gutho can provide us with the energy – which he usually does – and his game and job won’t change.

“Normy likes to be in the game and wherever the game is he wants to be and wherever the ball is that’s where he wants to be.

“We’re going to make that adjustment – and it’s only a slight adjustment – to allow him to live on the ball.”

Realistically, the move is likely to come too late to save Parramatta’s season.

But it could do a world of good for the confidence of Moses, who has his last chance to push his now-seemingly faint State of Origin chances against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.

Moses is a favourite of Brad Fittler because of his defence and the relationship they have built in the past.

But his attack this season has to be questioned.

The Eels have had more play-the-balls in the opposition 20 than any other team this season but average a league-low 14.5 points per game.

Norman has played at fullback earlier in his career at Brisbane and the Eels, where has has won just nine of 28 games but enjoyed some success as a ball runner.

“It’s more a case of why not for us,” Arthur said.

“We’re desperate.

“I wouldn’t say it’s the last roll (of the dice) but we keep talking about it, and we keep talking about the same stuff.”

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