Moses Mbye leans back on a plastic seat in the Concord Oval grandstand and talks about how he leaned on two people in particular when he was offered the captaincy of Wests Tigers.
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One was Sydney Roosters hooker Jake Friend, a childhood friend who had captained his own club. The other was Benji Marshall.
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âI reached out to Benji when first discussions started about potentially being captain,â Mbye said.
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âI actually had a conversation with Friendy at the Roosters. Him and Benj have been two people who have been influential in terms of my footy career for two completely different reasons. Benji was the guy everyone wanted to be and play like. With Friendy, really close family friends, grew up together and spent a lot of time together.
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âWith Benji, for me he is a captain because he is an influencer. He is a really big influence around the club and the community.
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âBenji is at the stage of his career and life where he is a real role model for the game. He has been a role model for the kids that are playing now.
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âThey have come up with him as an idol. You talk to people from many walks of life and he has had those experiences â he is a bloke who ticks all those boxes.
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âHe is a father, a captain, he is a premiership winner, he is an international, he has been across two different codes. Whatever you do in the game, he has done it.â
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Apparently, he is also a confidant, at least where Mbye is concerned.
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âHe rung me and said Madge (coach Michael Maguire) has asked me to be captain,â Marshall said.
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âHe said: âI want to talk to you about it, I donât know whether I want to accept the job or not, I just want to ring you and get your thoughts and if I did accept the job, would you be able to help me and (would I) have yours and Robbieâs (Farah) support.
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âI said: âHonestly, you are selling yourself short, youâre better than you think, this is what I think you are as a leaderâ. I told him everything I thought.
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âI said: âPut it this way, bro, you wonât have to change, Robbie has been captain before, I have been captain before, we have Russell Packer, Chris Lawrence and Elijah Taylorâ.
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âI told him, you are going to have people around you that if you feel like you need help, we will take the load off you.
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âYou donât need to change. Madge always says it, you are only as strong as your leadership group. With Moses, he is out in front leading it.
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âHe didnât have to call me. If he hadnât, I wouldnât have been bothered.
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âHe wanted to be sure he had our support. We were on the phone for about an hour.â
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Itâs history now that Mbye ultimately accepted the offer, his decision to bounce the idea off Marshall and other members of the clubâs leadership team providing a snapshot of why Maguire opted for the 25-year-old.
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Mbye is polite and thoughtful. He is a young father and relatively green as a fullback, having made a permanent switch to the No 1 jersey only last year, firstly at Canterbury and then when he made the mid-season move to the Tigers.
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Yet he is also a difference-maker on the field and a standard-setter off it. âThe thing is, a lot of people have said he is young and inexperienced,â Marshall said. âBut honestly if you see the way he composes himself not just on the field but off it, he is pretty impressive. What I see is that you know you are a good leader when you look around and people are following you.
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âI donât think he understands that when he talks everyone listens. His voice is really driving the players and driving standards.
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âThe thing I like the most is he doesnât enjoy shit standards. He doesnât walk past things that he doesnât like. He drives standards really hard. I think that is a big reason why he is captain.â
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The respect is clearly mutual.
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âWhen Benji speaks, people listen because of who he is and what he has done,â Mbye said.
>
âBenji has a knack of being able to take the piss out of someone but also bring them back up. He is a big part of who we are here.
>
âI am sure I will be talking to him a lot during the year.â
>
One was Sydney Roosters hooker Jake Friend, a childhood friend who had captained his own club. The other was Benji Marshall.
>
âI reached out to Benji when first discussions started about potentially being captain,â Mbye said.
>
âI actually had a conversation with Friendy at the Roosters. Him and Benj have been two people who have been influential in terms of my footy career for two completely different reasons. Benji was the guy everyone wanted to be and play like. With Friendy, really close family friends, grew up together and spent a lot of time together.
>
âWith Benji, for me he is a captain because he is an influencer. He is a really big influence around the club and the community.
>
âBenji is at the stage of his career and life where he is a real role model for the game. He has been a role model for the kids that are playing now.
>
âThey have come up with him as an idol. You talk to people from many walks of life and he has had those experiences â he is a bloke who ticks all those boxes.
>
âHe is a father, a captain, he is a premiership winner, he is an international, he has been across two different codes. Whatever you do in the game, he has done it.â
>
Apparently, he is also a confidant, at least where Mbye is concerned.
>
âHe rung me and said Madge (coach Michael Maguire) has asked me to be captain,â Marshall said.
>
âHe said: âI want to talk to you about it, I donât know whether I want to accept the job or not, I just want to ring you and get your thoughts and if I did accept the job, would you be able to help me and (would I) have yours and Robbieâs (Farah) support.
>
âI said: âHonestly, you are selling yourself short, youâre better than you think, this is what I think you are as a leaderâ. I told him everything I thought.
>
âI said: âPut it this way, bro, you wonât have to change, Robbie has been captain before, I have been captain before, we have Russell Packer, Chris Lawrence and Elijah Taylorâ.
>
âI told him, you are going to have people around you that if you feel like you need help, we will take the load off you.
>
âYou donât need to change. Madge always says it, you are only as strong as your leadership group. With Moses, he is out in front leading it.
>
âHe didnât have to call me. If he hadnât, I wouldnât have been bothered.
>
âHe wanted to be sure he had our support. We were on the phone for about an hour.â
>
Itâs history now that Mbye ultimately accepted the offer, his decision to bounce the idea off Marshall and other members of the clubâs leadership team providing a snapshot of why Maguire opted for the 25-year-old.
>
Mbye is polite and thoughtful. He is a young father and relatively green as a fullback, having made a permanent switch to the No 1 jersey only last year, firstly at Canterbury and then when he made the mid-season move to the Tigers.
>
Yet he is also a difference-maker on the field and a standard-setter off it. âThe thing is, a lot of people have said he is young and inexperienced,â Marshall said. âBut honestly if you see the way he composes himself not just on the field but off it, he is pretty impressive. What I see is that you know you are a good leader when you look around and people are following you.
>
âI donât think he understands that when he talks everyone listens. His voice is really driving the players and driving standards.
>
âThe thing I like the most is he doesnât enjoy shit standards. He doesnât walk past things that he doesnât like. He drives standards really hard. I think that is a big reason why he is captain.â
>
The respect is clearly mutual.
>
âWhen Benji speaks, people listen because of who he is and what he has done,â Mbye said.
>
âBenji has a knack of being able to take the piss out of someone but also bring them back up. He is a big part of who we are here.
>
âI am sure I will be talking to him a lot during the year.â
