Leigh Leopards owner makes Matt Moylan retirement admission as verdict issued

Leigh owner Derek Beaumont has addressed speculation about Leopards star Matt Moylan’s potential retirement, admitting he doesn’t expect the Australian ace to be in Adrian Lam’s squad come 2025.

One-time Kangaroos international Moylan joined Leigh from NRL outfit Cronulla Sharks ahead of the 2024 campaign and penned a two-year deal.

Accordingly, his contract with the Leopards runs until the end of the upcoming 2025 season.

But with his first year in the British game over, and having featured 26 times for Leigh across all competitions, reports have emerged of the 33-year-old contemplating retirement in recent weeks.

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Leigh Leopards owner weighs in on Matt Moylan retirement speculation with verdict issued

Moylan was brought over by Leigh as a half-back, but due to the injuries suffered in the squad, spent most of 2024 plying his trade at full-back.

When probed about Moylan’s next steps during the Leopards’ recent play-off campaign, boss Lam admitted the decision was ‘out of his control’ and said it was up to the player to make the call on whether he hangs up his boots or not.

And owner Beaumont believes that Moylan may well already have made that decision, at least subconsciously.

Appearing on an episode of a podcast belonging to the Youtube channel ‘Super League Raw‘, Beaumont spoke openly about the situation and gave his verdict.

He said: “My personal thoughts are that I think Matt’s going to retire.

“I don’t know that, I just think (that’s the case) from how he sort of was… he almost said something at our awards night which made me think he was actually talking as if he’d already made a conscious decision.

“That’s not factual, it’s as good a guess as anyone else’s, and if he does go, he’s been great for us this year. If he doesn’t go, then I’m sure he’ll be great for us next year.

“It will be a loss at this stage of the season if we’ve got to start trying to find somebody new, because there’s nothing planned there for it, I can tell you that much. We’d be at square one with it.

“But as with any contract, if a player wants to decide that all of a sudden they don’t want to do it, it’s pointless trying to force them.

“At the moment, he’s definitely a Leigh Leopard, but I think in my heart of hearts that won’t be the case next year.”

If Moylan does call time on his career, he will do so having made more than 200 career appearances at club level between Penrith Panthers, Cronulla and Leigh.

He also donned a shirt for New South Wales in State of Origin and got that one cap for Australia, which came in October 2016 against Scotland during the Four Nations.

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