Matt Moylan is a rare footballer.
He is the youngest captain in the NRL, has hands and feet that earn him comparisons to future Immortal Darren Lockyer, and is on the cusp of landing one of the richest deals in the game.
It’s understood to be the kind of coin that would rival Manly superstar Daly Cherry-Evans.
“And I’d take 10 years too if they offer it,” Moylan jokes to AAP.
But unlike the Sea Eagles halfback, who was wined and dined by at least two clubs before signing with, then dramatically backflipping on Gold Coast last year, Moylan won’t even consider leaving western Sydney.
Such is his desire to remain a Panther for life, the Doonside junior revealed he has yet to even talk to another club boss about a move throughout his entire career.
“I don’t know if my manager has, but all my chats have ever been with Penrith,” Moylan tells AAP.
Should he shake hands with Penrith again on a new contract, he might not ever have to.
And that’s a rare distinction that the Panthers fullback would be proud of.
“It obviously means I’ve been in good stead with the club. Isn’t that everyone’s goal in rugby league? To be wanted by your junior club?” he says.
“It’s humbling just playing here. Having grown up in the area and debuted here, obviously wanting to play as a one club player is massive for me.”
Moylan is the first to admit he hasn’t achieved much so far in rugby league.
He only broke into first grade three years ago, and has yet to pull on the sky blue for NSW, or the green and gold of Australia.
In fact, the 23-year-old only just moved out of his family home last year after buying his first property a stone’s throw from the club’s new rugby league academy.
“That helped me grow up pretty quickly,” he says.
But such is the esteem Moylan is held in at the foot of the mountains, coach Anthony Griffin had no hesitation taking the captaincy off veteran Peter Wallace and handing it to someone seven years his junior.
It was a move that raised eyebrows across the NRL, but barely with Moylan.
While initially surprised by the appointment, he knew straight away he would still lean on the experience of well-travelled teammates Jamie Soward and Wallace.
But he was also smart enough to know he wouldn’t have to change the kind of player he is.
“You definitely learn more the longer you’re in the role, and you’ve got to be open-minded and take in everything you see and where everyone’s coming from,” he says.
“But I don’t want to change too much about myself. It’s why I was chosen to do the job, to be the sort of person I already am.”
New Panthers boss Corey Payne is yet to even get his feet under the desk at Penrith, but isn’t afraid to pull the trigger on arguably the team’s most influential player.
“Matty Moylan is a special talent,” he says.
“I look forward to meeting Matty and seeing him develop. Everyone wants to see him remain a Panther and I look forward to getting to deal with him and getting that done.”
