PENRITH Panthers star Matt Moylan admits his ability on a surfboard is nothing like his ability on the rugby league field.
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But over the next three days he’ll have an opportunity or two to improve on that when the National Rugby League club comes to town.
With the Panthers players expected to have their fair share of down time, Moylan was looking forward to taking a dip at one of the beaches.
Putting a board under his arm, however, could be something different.
“I’m pretty awful on a surfboard though; very ordinary,” he said.
“I’ll give it a go if we get some time, but I’ll definitely need some help.”
Moylan will return to Port Macquarie for the first time since his State Cup appearance in 2014.
“I used to play up there in the State Cup pretty regularly when I was younger and was able to play a couple of years ago which I enjoyed,” he said.
“Now it’s hard to get away and make some time to get up there and play these days.”
I used to play up there in the State Cup pretty regularly when I was younger and was able to play a couple of years ago which I enjoyed.
- Matt Moylan
The 2016 New South Wales Origin representative said it was important for National Rugby League clubs to take time to visit regional areas.
“It changes it up a bit for us where we’re just not being in Penrith the whole time training,” he said.
“It’s good to get away and take some footy to regional towns who don’t normally get first graders or first grade teams going to."
In the process, the Panthers have done what Newcastle didn’t, despite claims from the Novocastrians that the Mid North Coast is part of their area.
The 25-year-old said the temperature wasn’t the only thing that was heating up at Penrith, with preparations for the 2017 season also going up a gear.
“It’s the first pre-season for some of the boys that have started training with first grade so it’s good to see them improve,” he said.
It’s good to get away and take some footy to regional towns who don’t normally get first graders or first grade teams going to.
- Matt Moylan
“Obviously guys like James Tamou and Mitch Rein’s experience has helped a lot of the young boys and I think they’re going to be good for the club.”
Moylan was confident the Panthers could improve on their sixth-place finish in 2017.
“The way we finished last year we showed we’re capable of playing the footy required to finish in the top four,” he said.
“We’ve just got to go and execute it and make sure we keep working hard and try to improve each week.
“At the moment everything is going well for us. We’re training hard and just trying to work on a few things to take into the trials and hopefully put into play at the start of the season.”
The Panthers will hold a junior coaching clinic at Regional Stadium on Thursday from 10.30am until midday.
On Thursday night from 6.30pm, all players will be at Panthers Port Macquarie for more photo opportunities and to sign autographs.
