The idea that Penrith skipper Matt Moylan could be on the way out of the Panthers organisation has the potential to irreversibly damage the club’s revival.
Moylan is the pin-up boy of the Penrith Panthers.
He’s talented, has football nous, is a local, plays a key position on the field, is marketable, sleek, and has model looks.
If you rewind to Phil Gould’s arrival in 2012, you’ll remember the gutting broomstick he put through the club’s roster. You’ll remember the overhaul of the business, the bold statements about being the country’s most recognisable sports brand, and the five-year plan.
Gould’s influence has almost single-handedly turned a floundering franchise into an NRL powerhouse. Just this week, the Panthers put out a statement detailing how every one of their sides had made the finals for only the fourth time in the club’s 50-plus year history. For the second consecutive year.
Almost parallel to the new era was the emergence of Baulkham Hills-born Moylan, who was first off what would turn into a conveyer-belt of NRL players produced from the local Penrith district.
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At fullback, Moylan played in arguably the most important position on the field, outside of the traditional owner of rugby league sides, the halfback.
His talents quickly shone through, while he also began to find his feet in the media, regularly appearing on The Footy Show, and his quick-wit, humour and good looks would have had marketing gurus rubbing their hands together.
He fitted in perfectly to the commercial and operational redesign of the Panthers – so much so, in 2016 he was handed the club’s captaincy.
Without drawing a comparison too wild, Moylan has a tinge of a former Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard about him. And so does his situation.
Local junior, poster boy, all the talent in the world, the ability to influence others through his own actions. What he hasn’t fully captured yet is the persistence of effort, the resilience.
It’s probably no surprise. But will this be the learning curve Moylan needed, or signal the end of his time at Penrith?
In 2015, Gould made an eerily similar and surprising decision to sack then-coach Ivan Cleary and bring in Anthony Griffin. At the time it was odd and didn’t really make sense.
While the merits of that decision are a debate for another article, Moylan continued his rise under Griffin. He made the New South Wales side, Australian squad, and was instrumental in the club’s run into the finals last season.
All while wearing the captain’s metaphorical armband. So it’s hard to work out where it’s all gone wrong. Indeed, maybe both parties have reasons for wanting a change.
If Moylan is dismayed with his current predicament, maybe a move would be best the best thing for him?
Similarly, maybe the Panthers have realised they don’t have the full deck of cards required to achieve their goal of winning another premiership and see the departure of Moylan as a way of securing what or who they need.
Like the loss of Cleary, perhaps to get where you want to go, you don’t always arrive with those who you thought you would.
But there would be a real sense of disenchantment if Matt Moylan wasn’t involved in completing Penrith’s revival. He’s been at the front of it, at the back of it, and in the thick of it – Chronologically, in a positional sense, and in terms of the operation, respectively.
mushi
Guest
You could replace Moylan with Ewan McGrady and write a similar peice. When your evaluating which talent to keep or jettison you need to disregard the highlights
mushi
Guest
I think the first rule for captaincy should be - if the player is going to worry about being captain they shouldn’t be captain. Regardless of position. If one person is already doing it naturally doesn’t inserting someone else via appointment just create a leadership issue as to whom is the actual leader? Also if they are already naturally leading then what is it that they are really worrying about if they are officially leading? Doesn’t giving the previously unburdened appointed leader something to worry about just double it by now making the natural leader and the appointed leader worry? I also find it weird that one example breaks a myth in Croker, but only having one example in Minicello dispels a myth? I think narrowing it down by position misses the point that leadership is a result of different characteristics, many of which aren’t going to be NRL position specific, and different teams will require different leaders.
maximus182
Roar Guru
Can't agree with that, I reckon forwards are probably better suited to the captain role because they have less to worry about then a half. As with any playmaker position, you're naturally going to have to be a leader and good communicator anyway, so leave the captain role and everything that comes with it off the field to a player who doesn't have as much going on. E.g. Beau Scott, Tim Mannah, Matt Scott... One interesting skipper choice that appears to work reasonably well is Jarrod Croker at the Raiders from the centre position. Seem ti dispell the myth that the captain should be in and around the middle of the park. Captains from the fullback position are a bad idea IMO. The only one i can recall having much success is Anthony Minichello, but he had quite a solid leadership group during that time. E.g. Williams, Pearce, JWH, Friend etc.
maximus182
Roar Guru
Really good summation of Moylan there Albo, he does have that X-factor that is quite rare in the game. Cleary is a master in the making, but Edwards and May still have a LOT of development still to do. Wayde Egan does seem to be coming on in leaps and bounds in the lower grades, but he will still be a year or two away, and should learn quite a bit from Peter Wallace. I'm quite surprised Penrith haven't used Mitch Rein more, I reckon he's been impressive when given an opportunity.
Nat
Roar Guru
I don't disagree in making him captain but the weight of expectation is huge. IMO, forwards should not be captains (hookers excluded). Team leaders, inspirations and all other superlatives - yes, but not the bloke who runs the team and talks to the refs. On average they spend 60 mins on the field and work themselves to a stand still. They need to understand how the game is going and being ref'd and be calm and concise enough to get the ref thinking not just questioning their calls. The ref has a whistle and an ego. Question one and they will hurt you with the other.
Albo
Guest
Moylan is an X factor player. There are very few of them in our game. These guys might not be the best performers in every aspect of the game, but they can do things most other players can't do, win you a match or 5 during the year with their special skills. You only need to look at those last 3 minutes in Bathurst to pinch the win off the Raiders to see Moylan has x-factor as a player. If he was on the open market he would draw plenty of attention from all NRL Clubs. And I think he and his player manager know that right about now. Whilst Edwards, Cleary & May might be a future for Penrith, I think Edwards, Cleary, Moylan & May ( or Wayde Egan) look a far more impressive spine for the Panthers future !
Albo
Guest
I suspect a closer look at his current 5 year contract dollars compared to the money being tossed around today on players with half his ability, might be the real reason for his ( and his player manager's) discontent !
Nat
Roar Guru
Word is Des won't be employed in October. But that's just commenting on other commentators comments (but not DT journos)
B.A
Guest
I wish him the best on a personal and well being level. But Moylan has to be up there with the most over-hyped players in the game. Does he come up with great moments? Sure occasionally. But does he make a crap load of errors, is he a below average defender, and does he come across as lacking any sort of leadership on or off the field?! Penrith are a far better team with Cleary and May in the halves. They have played together for several years and compliment each other so well. May is a strong runner, solid defender and handy kicker with a pretty good read on the game. It will be a blessing for Penrith if Moylan leaves as Edwards, Cleary and May will lead them to success for many years.
maximus182
Roar Guru
I have to agree and said that in my original article when he was first appointed. He has helped all the youngsters come into first grade and made them quality footballers, but I'm not sold on whether he can take a side all the way. Do you think Des survives for 2018? I reckon its hard to see, but he might just hold on.
maximus182
Roar Guru
Huge load to carry for a still relatively young man and obviously not that experienced with all the media and commitments you've just mentioned. I think they made a mistake handing him the captaincy, but I can see why they did it. He was the first of the big crop of juniors to really come through in the Gould-era, so handing it to him and allowing the others to following his evolution and lead had merit. Mark Geyer raised a potential for the captaincy next season I hadn't really thought of in Reagan Campbell-Gillard. He hasn't really been mentioned until now, but he has come on in leaps and bounds. Has outperformed James Tamou most of the year.
maximus182
Roar Guru
It's all smoke and mirrors a bit isn't it. Hopefully Gould is true to his word and there's 100% commitment from both sides.
maximus182
Roar Guru
I hope he stays as well. He is still fairly early-on in his career development, but this will be a point in it for him either way.
maximus182
Roar Guru
Have to agree BleakCity, I hope he gets the help and can finds his place in them team again. That's just where he was born, I have no idea where he exactly grew up. But he did come through Penrith juniors if I'm correct. Cheers
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Manly have no claim to Blacktown, it is Penrith junior area.
Gray-Hand
Guest
Griffin is probabky the opposite of Des Hasler. He's a great coach to turn a team of young players into a solid outfit that will all have great careers, but maybe doesn't quite what it takes to make a good or great team the premiers. Hasler on the other hand, can take a good team and add the finishing touches to snatch a premiership. Unfortunately, he won't develop any new talent during that period and the team will crash, burn and sink into the swamp shortly thereafter.
BleakCity
Roar Rookie
"Baulkham Hills-born Moylan...from the local Penrith district." Ah OK sure. Now I know Penrith seem to claim Blacktown as a local area (though even Manly have some claim to that these days) but the Hills?? I get that he's a media favourite & bit of a pin up but honestly he doesn't come across as the sharpest tool when interviewed, even for a footballer. He seems to have been pinned as this superstar by a lot of people well before he has achieved too much (let alone even worked out where he fits on a footy field). Whatever is going on with him lets hope he's getting some good support & sage advice.
Nambawan
Guest
I'm a Manly man and would love to see Moylan transfer to the Northern Beaches as I regard him to be one of those ''special"players like Fittler, Daley et al who emerge from time to time. But probably, after all the media hype fades, he will stay at Penrith which is probably best for the code in the west.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
If a club is willing to let a player like him walk without a fight then that says a lot about that player
Nat
Roar Guru
It just may be for all those Poster Boy reasons that Moylan has got a bit ahead of himself. The next 'Darren Lockyer' tag he has worn for sometime - could there be a bigger accolade and burden to carry? Now a young captain in a strong, growing team, press and TV commitments can all go to one's head. Then Penrith start poorly, he gets injured and loses his NSW jumper. On top of that, when Penrith turn it around he's not involved. The papers are now saying Clearly is the next big thing and Moylan should make way for this gun Dylan Edwards. Once he was the driver now he's a passenger. That's a lot to deal with and the club has recognised it. Gus openly admits he's trying to replicate the Broncos system and Hook was part of that. However, if Gus is now getting between coach and players an playing style, the writing is on the wall for Hook. As a Bronco fan, I sen Hook develop some great young talent into contenders but he's not a Premiership coach.