Matt Moylan returns to haunt Panthers as Sharks claim 24-12 triumph

THERE was plenty of feeling in Matt Moylan’s first trip back to the foot of the mountains after his sensational exit over the summer — and the former Panthers skipper had the last laugh.

Matt Moylan celebrates after scoring a try for the Sharks.

SOMETIMES you need to be careful what you wish for.

Back in November when Phil Gould signed off on Matt Moylan’s release to Cronulla he sent the former Penrith skipper packing with a public hug after what was a pretty ugly bust up.

Gould said at the time he wished Moylan all the best “for this next phase of his life”.

On Friday night, Gus’ wish came true.

Returning for the first time to Panthers Stadium, Moylan turned on a matchwinning performance in Cronulla’ 24-12 victory — that could ultimately knocked his old club out of the NRL top four by the end of the round.

Matt Moylan scored his first try for the Sharks against his old club.

Matt Moylan celebrates his try for the Sharks against the Panthers.

After copping it from the locals every time he touched the ball in the opening quarter, Moylan finished with a try and laid on two more, including Valentine Holmes’ second that sealed the game in the dying minutes.

And Moylan didn’t miss his chance to return serve either, launching the ball into the crowd and delivering a few words of his own after his 55th minute try.

“I have my brother and a few mates down there,” Moylan told Triple M, with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.

“I was trying to throw it at them.

“I obviously copped a bit of stick from the fans.

“But that was expected and I really enjoyed the contest.”

Valentine Holmes scored two tries for the Sharks to continue his superb form.

After a slow start to the season, Shane Flanagan said Moylan was getting better by the week.

“Probably the turning point was the Newcastle game (in round 12),” Flanagan said.

“His attacking flair came back and he had a lot of try assists and linebreak assists in that game.

“He sort of started to feel that he had his mojo coming back.”

Flanagan was happy to see Moylan turn on a show against his former club.

“I’m sure he would have heard the crowd every time he touched the ball in the first 20 minutes booing him,” Flanagan added.

With the race to September now on in earnest after State of Origin, Anthony Griffin’s decision to rest his NSW halves James Maloney and Nathan Cleary along with Tyrone Peachey might have cost the Panthers last night.

But Griffin was still wraptvwith the effort from his young squad to fight back from trailing 12-2 at halftime and ultimately get as close as they did to a tough and experienced side.

“Every time the game sort of went against us we lifted, and that was everyone on the field,” Griffin said.

Andrew Fifita on the charge for the Sharks.

“We just kept coming at the game.

“I couldn’t have been more proud of that general effort as a member of the club.

“We dug ourselves a few holes at times but we were a bounce of the ball away from levelling it up at 18-all with a few minutes to go (when Christian Crichton lost control of the ball over the line).

“So we don’t ever accept losing and we don’t like losing.

“But I thought we won in a lot of ways and I thought it will give us something to really improve on going into the back end of the year.”

Young halfback Jerome Luai showed yet again what a special talent he is with a tremendous second half on the back of his matchwinning debut against the Warriors.

While Penrith remain in fourth spot on 24 competition points, they could be out of the four by the end of the round.

The Sharks also move to 24 points and if the Sydney Roosters beat Gold Coast on Sunday they will leapfrog both teams into fourth spot.

LISTEN: Nick Campton and Tim Williams break down Origin one more time, look ahead to the race to the finals and argue over Campo’s player ratings.

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Given their injury toll this season, the Panthers have done outstanding to stay as high up on the ladder as they have.

But this match showed yet again what a force the Sharks are shaping up to be.

And while losing Maloney was huge, Moylan is starting to prove why he can fill the void long term.

“Everyone seems to forget the reason Jimmy wasn’t at our club, that he wanted a two or three year extension and we weren’t in a position to do an upgrade and an extension,” Flanagan said.

“And coming off the back of the grand final, money doesn’t grow on trees.

“I wish it did.

“We just couldn’t afford to do it.

“He is a great player and he is doing a great job out here and he did a great job for NSW.

“But I think we have a real handy replacement as well.

“He is a little bit younger and he is doing a really good job for us.”

CRONULLA 24 (V Holmes 2 S Katoa M Moylan tries C Townsend 4 goals) bt PENRITH 12 (W Blake C Harawira-Naera tries J Luai 2 goals) at Panthers Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Phil Henderson. Crowd: 11,742