St Helens man ‘enquired’ about by NRL champs Penrith Panthers

NRL champions Penrith Panthers are reported to have ‘made enquiries’ about bringing in a St Helens man for 2025.

It had been reported last week that an unnamed NRL club had ‘quietly asked’ about the availability of St Helens utility Moses Mbye but Peter Lang of The Western Weekender, a local news outlet in Penrith, has revealed that it was the Panthers who enquired.

Mbye played true to his role of a utility in 2024 with the 31-year-old operating in every position in the spine throughout the season as St Helens suffered massively with injuries.

He was one of Paul Wellens’ go-to players and made 23 appearances in Super League, a figure only topped by Matty Lees and James Bell.

Having joined the club midway through the 2023 season on a two-and-a-half-year deal, Mbye is contracted until the end of the 2025 season meaning that clubs can enquire about him as he has less than one year on his contract.

St Helens man wanted as Nathan Cleary cover

It’s only now that we’re learning that the club to enquire about the Saints’ overseas star were NRL champions Penrith Panthers with Lang reporting that the four-time consecutive champs view him as the perfect cover for Nathan Cleary.

Cleary, who has recently turned 27, is widely regarded as the best player in the world and has been a talisman for Penrith throughout their era of dominance.

However, in 2024, he was limited to just 13 appearances after being plagued by a shoulder injury. He has now undergone surgery in the off-season and faces a race to be fit and return for the Panthers’ Vegas showdown in early March.

Mbye would offer cover in the halves but also at hooker and even full-back, such is his versatility, and that is something that makes him extremely valuable to St Helens.

When reporting the news of Penrith’s interest, Lang took to X to say: “MBYE A PANTHER?

“There’s speculation that Moses Mbye could be on his way back to the NRL from the UK Super League. I’ve heard from a source that Penrith have made enquires about bringing Mbye to the Panthers as extra cover for Nathan Cleary.

“Mbye had a short stint under Ivan at the Tigers in 2018. Watch this space.”

MBYE A PANTHER?
There’s speculation that Moses Mbye could be on his way back to the NRL from the UK Super League.
I’ve heard from a source that Penrith have made enquires about bringing Mbye to the Panthers as extra cover for Nathan Cleary.
Mbye had a short stint under Ivan at… pic.twitter.com/5KObj6rk5W

— Peter Lang (@PeterVLang) November 18, 2024