'I can't wait': Mahoney buzzing to return after shoulder lay-off

Eels hooker Reed Mahoney says he's not a great spectator and can't wait to be back on the field after missing a month of footy – including a probable Origin debut – thanks to a shoulder injury suffered in round 13.

Mahoney was named in Queensland's Origin I squad but released in time to join the Eels in round 13 to face Newcastle with Harry Grant named to start for the Maroons.

After Grant was subsequently ruled out of the Origin series with a hamstring strain, Mahoney would have been in prime position to make his Origin debut in game two but was sidelined with the shoulder injury he picked up against the Knights.

Now champing at the bit to get back after two weeks in full training, Mahoney said he was more concerned with helping his side bounce back from the Penrith loss than worrying about what could have been in the Origin series.

"It's great to be back; I'm not good on the sidelines, every game I'm on the edge of my seat," Mahoney said.

"It's been a pretty frustrating couple of weeks but I've worked hard off the field and at training and I can't wait to be back.

"[Missing Origin] is unfortunate. Obviously I was in the squad game one. It is what it is, I've accepted it and I'm even more hungry now to just perform for my team. We've got eight weeks to go until the finals. It was disappointing but there's plenty of time for that.

"No point kicking stones, we've just got to keep moving forward and I have to come back and perform well for the team, that's my priority."

Mahoney had no concerns over the shoulder, which he said may need to be strapped during games but is not expected to need post-season surgery.

"I've been in full training for nearly two weeks now, plenty of contact, the shoulder's feeling probably stronger than it was before," he said.

"Obviously doing a lot of exercises around the shoulder and back muscles. I'm feeling as strong as if I've just come off a pre-season.

"[I'll just have to] strap it up really. We worked hard on certain movements and stuff like that over the last few weeks so I've passed all the tests. We're not thinking about that (surgery) at all so it's feeling good."

Despite his own Origin-related disappointment, Mahoney was still excited for clubmate Mitch Moses to make his Origin debut – although he wasn't wishing too much luck on the NSW halfback.

"I'm pretty excited for Mitchy. He's a leader in our team," Mahoney said.

"Over the last two years he's really put himself in that spotlight and at the start of this year he's played some great footy and he deserves it all and I wish him all the best – but hopefully Queensland win. Sorry mate!"

Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown was also pumped to see his halves partner get an Origin call-up along with prop Junior Paulo and club captain Clint Gutherson who is in the extended squad.

"I'm stoked for Mitchy, he's going to be getting a chance there that he's always dreamt of," Brown said.

"Not only him but Guth's in the squad in the mix, Junior as well again. It's always good to see the boys from our club putting their name forward and competing for their state. It's a pretty cool thing and a massive achievement so we're all very proud of them."

Moses was on Tuesday named to start for the Eels on Friday, just two days after Origin III, but Brown said it would be a tough ask to back up so soon and as such he'd been doing plenty of work with Jake Arthur, Jordan Rankin and Will Smith this week.

"The game against Penrith we didn't get the result we wanted, there were a lot of missed opportunities and things we were upset about but we've had two weeks off, the body's feeling fresh," he said.

"[Origin] will open the gates for some other boys to have a go and I feel like this whole situation (shifting from Sydney to the Gold Coast) will as well."