5 days Ago By Josh Callinan
Wyong's head of football Craig Sandercock hasn't completely shut the door on signing Matt Moylan for 2025 while NRL journeyman Joey Leilua has officially landed at the Newcastle Rugby League club. Login or signup to continue reading Sandercock, previously an assistant coach at the Cronulla, says conversations with the former Sharks playmaker have taken place but reckons there's no guarantee Sydney-based Moylan even straps on the boots next year. Leilua's one-season deal sees him join the Roos after a stint in the Illawarra region with Dapto (2024).
Prior to that the World Cup representative played 225 NRL games between four clubs, including the Knights (2013-2015), and back-to-back campaigns with UK second division side Featherstone (2022-2023). Moylan, who only announced his professional retirement last month after time in the English Super League, was recently linked with a move to the Central Coast alongside former Entrance prop David Fifita at local outfit Kincumber. "I know Matt [Moylan] well and I coached him at Cronulla," Sandercock told the Newcastle Herald .
"He's still living in the Shire [Sutherland] so he hasn't moved or anything like that. "I really don't know if he's even going to play footy, let alone play on the Central Coast or wherever, but we're always interested in a player like that." "I do know him and I do speak to him reasonably often, but obviously at this stage the first thing he has to do is decide whether he wants to play or not.
And he's really not sure." Leilua, who turns 33 next month, was unveiled as a new recruit by Wyong on Monday. "Coaching him at the Knights a while ago he's actually very intelligent and really knows the game inside out," he said.
Position wise Sandercock suggested Leilua would likely "transition" from the outside backs to the second-row. Sandercock denied rumours about picking up experienced half Luke Walsh, but confirmed the departure of Bayden Searle and recruitment of Kauri Aupouri-Puketapu from the Queensland Cup club Mackay Cutters. Brady Barwick returns to Wyong, who have retained NRL premiership winner Zane Tetevano.
Blake Andrews is eyeing a comeback from a season-ending injury in 2024 while Brock Molan remains an uncertain starter. Roos junior Alex Langbridge, fresh off captaining Maitland to a NEWRL title hat-trick (2022-2024), recently inked a deal for 2025 and fills the vacant hooker role. My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald.
I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury. My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
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