Three years after being stood down from first grade action due to NRL bureaucracy, Matt Moylan has come a very long way.
The then 21-year-old burst onto the scene in round seven of the 2013 season and after helping Penrith to four wins in five games was being compared to Panthers and Sydney Roosters great Brad Fittler.
However, his progress was abruptly halted when the club was ordered to take him out of the side or risk being sanctioned for breaching the NRL second-tier salary cap.
Fast forward to 2016 and Moylan is now the captain of Penrith, played his first State of Origin series for NSW and after a stellar international debut against Scotland has left Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga with a major selection headache.
Albeit against the minnows of the Four Nations, Moylan was the undisputed man of the match, having a hand in four of the Kangaroos' 10 tries and making two line-breaks in a complete 80-minute performance.
Meninga will name his side on Thursday (Friday AEDT) for this weekend's clash against New Zealand in Coventry and Darius Boyd is almost certain to be named at fullback.
But given Moylan can also play five-eighth, Meninga is pondering the possibility of naming the 25-year-old as the bench utility - a role currently occupied by North Queensland's Michael Morgan - one of the try scorers against the Scots.
"We'll look at all the options down the track," said Meninga.
"He's an exceptional player there's no doubt and one for the future."
Moylan, a knockabout character who responded to questions about what 'who he was wearing' on the red carpet at the Dally Ms with "just a suit," claims he doesn't suffer from nerves.
However, he said waiting to find out if he's done enough to be named in the 17 to face New Zealand on Sunday (7am AEDT), has got him on tenterhooks.
"I'll play anywhere for Australia," he said.
"My debut couldn't have gone any better, I just have to wait now."
