Septimius Severus wrote:
Where is VL when you need an assessment on a NRL player?
Sorry Sep. I’ve made a few comments on Facebook but not here yet.
I am very, very happy with the signing of Matt Moylan. I have seen a lot of him over the last couple of season at Cronulla and got instantly excited when his name was first floated. I was not as excited about Milford to be honest as he has been a hot and cold player all season. We don’t need hot and cold, we need a quality 6, who will be an equal threat to Lam when they split, and a perfect foil when they go together. Moylan is that guy.
He has been an almost ever present at standoff for The Sharks over the last two seasons, which is what counts for me, Some people have been posting about his injury issues, but his playing record in the last two seasons is totally contrary to what some have said, and it speaks for itself. He missed just a couple of games in 2022 when the Sharks finished 2nd, and 3-4 games in 2023 when the Sharks finished 6th. He was first choice stand-off for the entirety of 2022, and for the first 16 games of 2023, until he picked up an injury. He missed a couple of games but then returned to the 17, for the rest of the season, starting from the bench. The other question has been his defence. Again in the last couple of seasons I have not seen huge concerns myself.
Full disclosure, he did look a different player for a couple of seasons prior to the last two seasons, and did have recurring injury problems (hamstring and calf) but a change of coach to Craig Fitzgibbon reignited his game, and I get the impression that Fitzgibbon’s style of player management and team building is very similar to our very own A Lam.
Moylan was/is also a very accomplished fullback (earlier in career) but he has been more seen in the stand-off position in recent years.
L Lam will love the lesser attention that will have to come with Moylan on the field as well, and our backs and fast running forwards, will love his ball distribution and especially his delayed balls and cutout passes. He’s done it all in the NRL, including Captain, State of Origin and was also a member of the Australian squad at one point.
In the photos of him in the gym and on the training pitch since he arrived, show a trim and smiling player.
My opening statement of a “very, very happy” Leyther is maybe even an understatement. I loved Ben Reynolds as he always gave 100%, and I believe became his best self in the last couple of seasons. I heartily thanks him for all he has done. Moylan however is in my mind, the next level we have sometimes lacked in the 6 shirt.
