Eels NRL attack fires against Moses

Parramatta's NRL attack showed it had plenty of fire without Mitchell Moses, scoring three late tries to overcome the Wests Tigers on Monday.

Kirisome AuvaÕa of the Eels celebrates with team mates

Parramatta have come from behind with a 26-22 NRL victory over the Wests Tigers. (AAP)

Parramatta coach Brad Arthur still wants Mitchell Moses at his club immediately, but the Eels attack starred against their future teammate on Monday.

The Eels piled on three late tries to sink the embattled Wests Tigers 26-22 at ANZ Stadium, after staring down the barrel of their fifth straight defeat midway through the second half.

Makeshift halves pairing Brad Takairangi and Corey Norman fired late, but regular No.6 Clinton Gutherson also staked his claim while filling in at fullback for the injured Bevan French.

"Gutho is a footballer," Arthur said.

"It doesn't matter where we put him, he'll do his job to the best of his ability."

Moses endured an up-and-down day, opening the scoring for the Tigers but he ultimately played a key role in the Eels' match-winning try with a misdirected pass while on the attack.

With the Tigers leading 22-20 and 10 minutes left of the clock, he attempted to throw a long ball to fumbling winger David Nofoaluma, only to find grass and for Eels centre Michael Jennings to break free downfield.

He was eventually tackled, but it put the Eels on the attack for Semi Radradra to score with nine minutes to play.

"He did some really good things," Tigers coach Ivan Cleary said of Moses.

"He's got some work to do in some areas of his game - particularly some game management stuff, but he's certainly a talented player - there's no doubt about it."

Arthur is unsure what he will do with Gutherson and Takairangi once French returns next month, particularly if Moses arrives at the club mid-season after signing a fortnight ago.

But his team showed they had plenty of football in them as their attack displayed signs of the team that were top of the ladder after the first two rounds.

They regularly pressured the Tigers' up-and-in edge defenders, and scored from their opening set through Michael Jennings following a Semi Radradra bust.

The majority of their first-half efforts were stunted by forward passes when on the attack, but when they fired late, there was little stopping them.

Trailing 22-10 with 21 minutes to play, Takairangi stepped through the defence and grubbered for Kirisome Auva'a to score in the right corner.

Norman then injected himself into the game when he put Auva'a away again for winger Josh Hoffman to score before Radradra's match-clinching effort.

Meanwhile off-contract Tedesco was the best for Tigers, reminding both the NRL and the merged club of his value.

He set up two tries from dummy-half, one for Moses and the other for Sauaso Sue, and busted through 10 tackles for 240 metres.

But it was to be no avail, his last linebreak being followed up by Moses' ground-finding pass that sealed the Tigers' fate.


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Source: AAP



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