PENRITH’S ATTEMPTS TO RETAIN DYLAN EDWARDS, TYRONE MAY AND NATHAN CLEARY COULD FORCE MATT MOYLAN OUT
James Phelps, The Daily Telegraph
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THESE are the cut-price stars that have put Matt Moylan’s Penrith future in doubt as the club tries to find almost $2 million a year to lock down Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards and Tyrone May.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the Panthers are locked in a fight to retain their generation next with NRL rivals already circling the playmakers.
Leading the Panthers into week two of the finals on a combined salary of $400,000 a year, the trio could force the Panthers to find another $1.6 million a season. And that is the real reason Moylan is on the outer.
Tyrone May, Dylan Edwards and Nathan Cleary are worth a combined $2m.
Immortal Andrew Johns weighed into the debate on the Sunday Footy Show, saying Moylan should not be picked for next week’s sudden death final.
“I couldn’t put him in front of Tyrone May,” Johns said. “They compliment each other so well, Tyrone May and Nathan Cleary.”
A source close to the club said: “Most of their roster is secure long term.’’
“And something needs to give if they want to secure these three outstanding young players.’’
The Panthers last week admitted they were a “50-50’’ chance of releasing Moylan, who was only last year considered the “future of the club’’.
Now on a NRL sabbatical, Moylan would free up an estimated $700,000 a season should he find another rugby league home.
Off-contract at the end of next season, The Sunday Telegraph has learned rival clubs could force the Panthers to pay up to $500,000 a season each for Edwards and May in 2019.
The 2015 Holden Cup Premiership winning pair has been a revelation since being rocketed into the NRL and are both considered future stars.
Cleary is one of the five lowest paid players in the Panthers’ NRL squad this year, and is expected to command $1 million a year when his deal with Penrith expires in 2019.
“He will be going from the bottom five to the top five,’’ the source said.
“They will have to find that money somewhere under their cap.’’
The play-making jigsaw puzzle has put Moylan in the firing line.
In a dramatic fall from grace after being anointed the club’s captain and securing a five-year deal, Moylan became dispensable this year when the emergence of Edwards forced the fullback to become a No.6.
A fallout with Penrith coach Anthony Griffin and the injury that allowed the club to blood May have further complicated Moylan’s future.
Following the revelation that the Panthers would consider releasing Moylan should a request be made, the club captain was stood down from the NRL finals after a meeting with Griffin and Phil Gould.
Moylan was ruled out of the club’s premiership campaign to deal with personal issues that had been “bubbling beneath the surface’’ this year.
Panthers boss Gould denied the Panthers were attempting to offload Moylan following the Monday meeting that led to his season ending sabbatical.
Tyrone May has five tries in seven matches since making his NRL debut.
“I am (certain he will play here next year),’’ Gould said.
“I just want him to sort through these issues and reflect on why he is a professional footballer and what goes with it.’’
The Gould guarantee did little to stop the speculation over Moylan’s future with the Sharks, the Tigers and the Sea Eagles all linked to the playmaker last week.
Moylan’s agent Allan Gainey told the Sunday Telegraph that he is confident Moylan will work through his issues and return to rugby league next year.
Panthers CEO Fletcher said he was confident of retaining all four stars.
“It is a work in progress,’’ Fletcher said.
“We are confident of keeping them here.’’
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/teams/panthers/penriths-attempts-to-retain-dylan-edwards-tyrone-may-and-nathan-cleary-could-force-matt-moylan-out/news-story/5a603bafd464d92d46c31f5e55acea87
