Eels sweating on superstar after finals defeat

The Eels' quest to extremity their 36-year premiership drought is successful a precarious authorities aft they fell to a 27-8 decision to the Panthers and mislaid weapon halfback Mitchell Moses successful the process connected Friday night.

Parramatta's qualifying last clash astatine Penrith Stadium took a horrible crook erstwhile Moses near the tract for a caput wounded appraisal successful the 60th minute, having copped a Viliame Kikau genu to his caput arsenic helium braced for a debased tackle.

Moses failed his HIA and is successful uncertainty for the Eels' sudden-death clash adjacent week, successful which they'll conscionable the victor of the Storm-Raiders elimination final.

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Parramatta fell to Penrith successful the opening week of the finals and mislaid Mitchell Moses successful the process, successful a immense stroke to its rubric dream. (Getty Images)

The Panthers are besides sweating connected an injured prima aft Friday night's match, having mislaid winger Taylan May to a hamstring wounded successful the 70th minute.

The speedster has a fortnight to retrieve aft the Panthers' triumph earned them the 2nd play of the finals off, with the reigning premiers booking a spot successful the preliminary finals.

However, May could miss the lucifer regardless, aft being reported and sin-binned for a precocious tackle connected Will Penisini during the archetypal half.

But the astir important talking constituent retired of the crippled is Moses' concussion.

Stream the NRL premiership 2022 unrecorded and escaped on 9Now

"He's been whacked here, Mitchell Moses. He is not well," said Nine caller Mat Thompson astatine the clip of the incident.

"Kikau conscionable changed absorption and came backmost consecutive astatine Moses," Billy Slater added.

"He was looking for a right-shoulder tackle and erstwhile Kikau changed his absorption helium didn't alteration his tackle."

Panther sin-binned for precocious shot

Parramatta manager Brad Arthur suggested the caput sound wasn't serious.

"He's each close successful the sheds," Arthur said successful his property conference.

"He said helium remembers everything, helium seems each right."

Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary masterminded Penrith's triumph successful his instrumentality from a five-game suspension.

Playing his archetypal lucifer since his spear tackle connected Parramatta five-eighth Dylan Brown, Cleary acceptable up 2 tries and kicked superbly.

His exceptional show drew praise from legendary Cowboys halfback Johnathan Thurston.

Panthers speedster swoops connected Cleary grubber

"I conscionable sat backmost and watched the masterclass of Nathan Cleary," Thurston said.

"Five weeks retired of the crippled and comes backmost and produces astir apt the show of the year."

Cameron Smith was besides successful awe.

"Has helium been playing parkland footy somewhere?" the Storm icon said with a laugh.

"Somewhere retired successful the mountains here?

"It was conscionable a fantastic performance."

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