NRL: Tigers digging claws in over releasing star five-eighth

Mitchell Moses of the Tigers. Photo / AAP

Mitchell Moses will have to wait at least one more week to play for Parramatta, with the star five-eighth unable to secure a release yesterday.

Wantaway Moses was named as part of the Tigers' 21-man squad for their clash with the Bulldogs, after yesterday's 4pm deadline for this weekend passed without a release.

It meant Parramatta were unable to select him in their extended squad for Saturday's match with Penrith.

Under the NRL's new team-list guidelines, coaches can only select from the 21 players named on Tuesday in a bid to uphold the integrity of the game.

The NRL drew a line in the sand earlier in the season when they refused to allow mid-week recruit Dale Copley to run out for the injury-ravaged Gold Coast - a precedent that will end any hopes Brad Arthur had of immediately piloting Moses into his halves. The Tigers are refusing to let Moses go without a fight and are understood to be playing hard ball with Parramatta over their negotiations for the 22-year-old.

It is believed the Tigers are not willing to grant Moses an immediate release to join the Eels unless they are given compensation.

A day after telling the media he "wouldn't have a clue" what was happening with his contract, Moses arrived early at the Tigers headquarters at Concord Oval in Sydney's inner west on Monday before joining the team at an off-site recovery session before returning for video work.

However, his teammates remain unsure of his immediate future, having last heard from Moses on the matter days after he signed a three-year deal to join Parramatta in 2018.

- AAP