The appointment of Matt Moylan as Panthers captain for 2016 shows great faith in a youngster who has been a consistent, confident and influential player since his first NRL game, in 2013.
It was unlikely Peter Wallace would retain the captaincy due to his history with new coach Anthony Griffin, but Moylan’s appointment is a positive.
Griffin’s sentiments about the youngster echo most Panthers fans’ feelings.
“He’s a local junior, he’s been in the area his whole life, he’s now a central part of our team, and I’m very happy to say he wants the job and is looking forward to doing the role,” Griffin said.
Moylan is the best home-grown talent the Panthers have had in a long time, as reflected by his selection in an emerging Blues camp, as well as making the Kangaroos squad in 2014.
Griffin has remained coy on where Moylan will play in 2016, with a move to the halves not yet ruled out.
If he did indeed play at 6 it could boost his chances of playing Origin. The Blues have Josh Dugan, James Tedesco and Brett Morris as good options at fullback, but their halves remain unsettled and inconsistent year to year.
Regardless, it is a good move for the club to look after a young talent and give him a leadership role while he can still learn from the likes of Jamie Soward and Peter Wallace.
It will hopefully start a long career of Moylan as Pathers captain. Luke Lewis was the last favourite son to be appointed captain of the Panthers, in 2012, a season that ended up being his last at the club.
The Panthers have always done well when they look after their juniors, so this appears another small step in the Panthers’ long plan for success.
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