New South Wales fans should be more than giddy about the exiting opportunity that the James Maloney-Matt Moylan trade between Cronulla and Penrith presents before next yearโs State of Origin series.
With Cooper Cronk continuing to play for another two years, the Queensland Maroons will be bolstered in the halves once again, while it remains the Blues' Achilles heel.
Cronk will partner up with Michael Morgan, who became the NRLโs most valuable commodity after a red-hot finals series that ignited the North Queensland Cowboys to an unlikely grand final appearance despite the absence of injured superstar Johnathan Thurston.
For years, the Blues have struggled with producing an answer to the lopsided halves dominance across the states and after their 11th series loss in 12 seasons this year, there were urgent calls to start a young, developing Nathan Cleary.
Cleary is just 19 years old but is already a promising playmaker who plays with poise and maturity beyond his years. While State of Origin is an entirely different dimension, Maloney โ a dual premiership winner and Origin representative โ will mentor a quick-learning Cleary who may be speedily upskilled in time for next yearโs Blues side.
Maloneyโs big-match experience will rub off on Cleary at the Panthers and if they are successful at club level, their halves partnership should be a selection certainty.
It is a lot to ask for someone to be the answer to the Bluesโ miserable struggles for such a long a time when he hasnโt even played 50 games yet.
Think about it this way. Cleary was just eight years old when Queensland won the first of their eight successive series in 2006.
However, Cleary might the be long-awaited answer to the long-running NSW-halves dilemma.
Otherwise, if Moylan isnโt ready for Origin next year, will a potential Cronulla halves combination of Moylan and Mitchell Pearce โ who the Sharks are rumoured to be chasing โ be the answer for long suffering Blues fans?
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