Moylan/Maloney monster swap deal a win for all involved

It was on. Then it was off. Then it was on. Now it's DONE!!!

Multiple time Premiership five-eighth and current member of the Kangaroos squad James Maloney is set to sign and be unveiled as a Penrith Panther for 2018 and beyond.

In return, the Sharks will put their play-making duties in the very capable hands of 26-year-old former NSW and Kangaroos representative 'Young' Matt Moylan.

Fans outside of the Sharks and Panthers can be forgiven for rolling their eyes, but make no mistake, this virtual 'swap deal' is a monster move for both clubs. Truth be told it looks a massive gamble for both sides, but ultimately I believe it will work out in the favour of both clubs and players involved.

31-year-old James Maloney is the perfect player for the current Panthers set up. He has 200 games of NRL experience, two premierships and a stack of rep jumpers. He is the perfect player to help mentor and guide young Nathan Cleary as he continues his development.

The Panthers arguably have the likely New South Wales combination for 2018 in Maloney and Cleary.

Maloney has some problems with the giving away of penalties but ultimately he's one of the best halves in the competition and is a complete professional away from the field. His media personality also brings great promotion to the club.

His on-field talents cannot be understated either.

He led the Sharks to a Premiership, something the likes of Kimmorley and Bishop had been unable to do before him.

For Maloney, the move is a no-brainer. He made no secret that he believed he had been undervalued and underpaid during the 2017 season, and reportedly asked to be able to explore opportunities elsewhere. The Panthers have come to the table and have offered him a big contract. He's worth every cent.

Maloney was world class during his time with the Sharks but fell away severely toward the end of the 2017 season. He still had all the tools, but really looked as though he needed a change of scenery, something a move to the Panthers will allow him.

As for the Sharks, they seemed happy to allow Maloney to leave if they were able to find a suitable replacement to partner Chad Townsend in the halves.

In Moylan, they have just that. At 26 years of age, he could realistically be the Sharks main man in the halves for the better part of the next decade.

Young Matthew looked right at home in the halves one week, yet completely out of place in the other. I think a lot of that came down to being expected to be the senior half so quickly in his stint, and also on Anthony Griffin's game plan.

At the Sharks, he can focus on running and creating space for the likes of Dugan and Holmes, while Chad Townsend can be left to do the majority of the ball work and kicking.

Moylan will also play off the likes of Fifita, Graham and Gallen, all off-load machines. His fullback instincts will surely add to his value here. Get on Moylan to score plenty of points in 2018.

Penrith, despite saying otherwise, has avoided a potential situation in that a Moylan vs Griffin battle was brewing. The Sharks have avoided having to enter into a bidding war to retain Maloney who surely could have cashed in on the back of interest from multiple clubs.

Ultimately it looked as though both Moylan and Maloney needed fresh starts. They've been given that.

The Sharks and Panthers looked as though they might benefit if both their superstars moved on, yet couldn't afford to allow that to happen without a ready-made replacement. They've been given that.

It's strange that a virtual swap deal would benefit all four parties involved, but that is exactly what has happened here.

In terms of which club will benefit the most from the trade?

Time will tell ...