Matt Moylan wasn’t even guaranteed the Penrith No.1 jersey in the pre-season.
But look at him now.
A Kangaroos jersey beckons for the most improved player in the NRL who on Saturday night inspired Penrith to one of the great finals upsets over defending premiers the Sydney Roosters 19-18 at Allianz Stadium.
It was a Jamie Soward field goal which delivered the Panthers to within one game of the grand final for the first time in a decade.
But Moylan was in absolutely everything.
Pre-match, rugby league immortal Andrew Johns compared the 23-year-old to future immortal Darren Lockyer.
And Moylan did nothing in a thorough display of courage and skill to discredit that immense compliment.
“What a future,” said an awe-struck Johns after Moylan took a brilliant bomb under contested pressure and raced 40 metres to set up Penrith’s opening try.
“Perfect touch,” applauded Johns after Moylan delivered a silky ball to send centre Dean Whare crashing over for the first of two tries which put the Panthers right in the ballpark.
There were other breathtaking takes with bodies bearing down on him, and pin-point kicks into the in-goal when an epic encounter was reaching its climax.
The story of the most improved player in the NRL continues to grow with every match.
After doing the hard yards in the under 20s system and the NSW Cup, Moylan impressed with his debut last year.
But going into this tricky second season, he was in a dog-fight for the starting fullback position with Newcastle recruit Kevin Naiqama.
Moylan got the nod from coach Ivan Cleary and hasn’t looked back.
He’s kicked three match-winning field goals this year, earned a City Origin rep jersey and now has stood up in the biggest game of his short career – his NRL finals debut.
Now Moylan is starting to make a compelling argument to be included as a bolter in Tim Sheens’s Kangaroos’ squad for the end-of-year Four Nations.
Lockyer debuted for Australia in 1998, the same year he was involved in a premiership-winning campaign for Brisbane.
The dream of replicating that rare double is still very much alive for Panthers dynamo Moylan.
