Mitchell Moses due to become a dad for the first time THIS WEEK ahead of preliminary final

Mitchell Moses will therefore play the biggest game of his career on Friday evening, but footy is not at the top of his agenda this week.

That’s because the Parramatta halfback will father his partner Bri Gardoni, who will give birth to the couple’s first child sometime this week.

Moses must juggle the demands of playing soccer in the final with the mix of excitement and nerves that come with aging for the first time.

In his case, that means a nervous wait in Sydney before the Eels fly to Townsville on Thursday for their clash against Cowboys the following night.

“We’ll play it when we go, we’ve got all the travel and that,” the 28-year-old told CODE Sports.

‘[Bri is] good, she’s ready to go. It’s very exciting, it’s our first. I feel very good, very nervous but excited.’

The Eels remain on track to break the longest current premiership drought in the NRL – Parramatta last won the competition in 1986 – after beating Canberra 40-4 in the semi-final on Friday night.

The Eels star and Gardoni are expecting a daughter, their first child together

Moses’ partner will give birth sometime this week, and the Eels halfback will fly from Sydney to Townsville on Thursday ahead of the preliminary final against the Cowboys.

Moses was at his best against the Raiders, scoring a try-to-go with a try assist, three tackle breaks and two line breaks. He also repented five of Parramatta’s seven attempts as the Eels reached their first preliminary final since 2009.

It was an emphatic response from a player who was often questioned for failing to get his team across the line when it really mattered.

Until Friday night, the Eels had only won twice in a nine-final match under Brad Arthur, but he came on the plate as did his team.

“He was very good,” Arthur told reporters after the game.

Moses was at his best as the Eels defeated Canberra 40-4 on Friday night to reach their first Preliminary Final since 2009

Moses scored a try-to-go with a try-assist, three tackle breaks and two line breaks

He converted five of the Eels’ seven attempts into a dominant display against Canberra

“There was talk of not being able to handle the pressure, but I think tonight he showed he can handle the pressure.”

An already pivotal week, both from a personal and professional standpoint, took an even more emotional turn on Monday, when Moses attended his grandmother’s funeral.

The Eels were supposed to train on Monday, but Fox Sports reported that Arthur chose to move the session on compassionate ground so that Moses could attend.

His grandmother, Barbara Elias, became a State of Origin sensation in 1992 when she jumped the fence of the old Sydney Football Stadium to wipe the blood from the face of her son and New South Wales legend Benny Elias.

Eels coach Brad Arthur praised Moses for acting when it mattered to his team

Meanwhile, former NRL great Braith Anasta believes this year is the best chance for the Eels to win a premiership.

Parramatta will lose to the Bulldogs and Wests Tigers at the end of the season, respectively, with hooker Reed Mahoney and star-back rower Isaiah Papali’i, while Marata Niukore heads to the Warriors.

And Anasta suggested the clock was ticking on the Eels premiership window.

The most important [about this season] are they? [Parramatta] lose Mahoney and Papali’i next year.

The Eels aim to break a premiership drought dating all the way back to 1986

“So if they don’t win the game this year, they won’t win it next year,” Anasta said on Fox League’s NRL 360 on Monday.

“This is a small window, a chance they have to win a premiership.

“They’re in great shape, they’re going to take on the Cowboys and if they win they can beat Penrith [who play the Rabbitohs in the other preliminary final] as they are the only team to have beaten them twice this season.