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Moylan feels the magic's still there

3 minute read

Former State of Origin ace Matt Moylan believes his best football remains ahead of him after finally overcoming a hamstring injury to play successive NRL games.

MATT MOYLAN of the Sharks. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Matt Moylan still hopes to recapture the form of his glory days after finally completing back-to-back NRL games for Cronulla.

After missing 14 matches last season with soft-tissue problems, Moylan remains on modified training in a bid to stay on top of chronic hamstring injuries.

But the former State of Origin and Test star was chuffed to get through the full 80 minutes, as well as notch two try assists in the Sharks' 40-22 drubbing of Manly on Sunday.

"It was good. Just got to try to string a few more together now," Moylan said on Wednesday.

"I can take a bit of confidence out of that. I've got through a couple of back-to-back games and I've just got to build on it now."

Like his halves partnership with Kiwi superstar Shaun Johnson, as well as the Sharks in general, Moylan believes he's still "a work in progress", but he's optimistic he can scale the heights of 2016.

Back then, while still at Penrith before linking with Cronulla in 2018, Moylan was among the NRL's most potent attacking players, in the NSW Origin line-up and representing Australia.

"I think it's still there," the 29-year-old said.

"I feel like I've still got the footy there.

"It's just getting those combinations going with the other boys and the more games I can string together and the longer I can spend out there.

"I'm confident when I get out on the field. It's more just building into the game and not trying to overplay.

"Obviously I've had a frustrating time with the run of injuries I've had, but I feel like I'm starting to get back to where I can be."

The Sharks need Moylan at his best to make another run to the finals.

After dropping four of their first five games to open the season, John Morris's men have finally secured back-to-back wins and have a big opportunity to make it a hat-trick with success over Gold Coast on Saturday.

"We're still not where we want to be," Moylan said.

"We're a work in progress but we've got a platform now that we can build off and hopefully keep trending in that upward direction and get ourselves closer to the eight and be more consistent across the 80 minutes and week to week."