Co-captain Junior Paulo only returned to Parramatta training on Monday but has already been in Mitch Moses' ear about inking a contract extension to help finish what he's started at the club.
Moses' current deal contains an option to remain with the Eels in 2024 but the halfback has been permitted to negotiate with rivals since November 1 and has been linked with a return to the Wests Tigers, where he began his NRL career.
Speculation as to Moses' future has only intensified since halves partner Dylan Brown re-signed in December, given the pair's chemistry looms as crucial to the Eels' premiership fortunes.
Moses was the Eels' offensive mastermind in the side's run to the 2022 grand final, which they lost to Penrith.
The only game in which Parramatta failed to score was one of only two that Moses missed through injury, and when he went off concussed in their qualifying final against Penrith, the Eels fell in a heap.
Paulo insists Parramatta's premiership window remains open despite them farewelling four members of their grand final team but the prop is aware the Eels can't risk losing Moses if they want to remain at the top of the tree.
"We've been into him," Paulo told reporters.
"We'd definitely love for him to stay. He's been a big part of this club and building what we've been able to create over the past couple of years.
"He's a big driving factor for our team and we can definitely see what he's been able to achieve over the past couple of years and how far his game's gone."
As Parramatta look to go one better in 2023, Paulo said grand final redemption would be on the Eels' minds for "the whole year".
"The boys have definitely got that as a driving factor," he said.
"We've had a long enough off-season to think about it.
"I've looked back on it and had my time to go over things but you can only use that as motivation when you head into the season.
"They talk about a premiership window but the majority of our team is still together from our (grand final) starting squad."
Paulo said early signs were encouraging for the band of new recruits, which includes veteran hooker Josh Hodgson and J'maine Hopgood, a fringe first-grader at the Panthers in their two premiership seasons.
"Brad (coach Brad Arthur) has done a good job at leading the new recruits who have come in and helping change their game," Paulo said.
"Everyone's been talking about how good they've been doing."
