Parramatta has been buzzing ever since new head coach Jason Ryles strode onto the stage at Kellyville and declared, to thunderous applause, that Mitchell Moses will captain the Eels in 2025
. Ryles, barely six months into the job, framed the appointment as the cornerstone of a cultural reset: “When I looked at who sets the tone on and off the field, I kept coming back to Mitch.” Moses, 30, already the club’s tactical brain at half-back, now inherits the armband vacated when Clint Gutherson left.
The announcement lands at a pivotal moment. Parramatta have missed finals in back-to-back campaigns, and Ryles has made no secret that the side needed a single, authoritative voice. Selecting Moses signals continuity in the spine yet ushers in a harder edge the rookie coach believes will translate to results. Teammates Junior Paulo, J’maine Hopgood and Jack Williams form a new leadership group, but Moses is the figurehead expected to weave their talents into a cohesive unit.
Fans erupted on social media within minutes, many calling it “the best news we could hope for.” Season-ticket renewals spiked, club shop jersey sales reportedly doubled overnight, and the supporters’ union announced plans for a “Captain Moses” banner to unfurl at the opening round. Former Eels forward Nathan Hindmarsh praised the decision on radio, arguing that Moses’ game-management and maturing temperament make him the natural heir to legends like Peter Sterling.
Ryles’ bold appointment also carries strategic weight: locking Moses into a leadership role quells rumours of rival poaching bids and underscores the club’s commitment to building around his play-making. With a healthy spine, fresh recruits such as hooker Tallyn Da Silva, and a captain now anointed, optimism in western Sydney feels warranted. The next chapter begins under Moses’ gaze—and the Eels faithful cannot wait to turn the page.