St Helens linked with immediate Moses Mbye signing; which could allow NRL return for Joey Lussick
Moses Mbye (left) has been linked with a move to St Helens, whilst Joey Lussick (right) has been linked with a return to the NRL
St Helens are reportedly on the verge of signing former Origin representative Moses Mbye in a move that could allow hooker Joey Lussick to return to the NRL.
On Thursday morning, Thirteen reported that Parramatta’s interest in making the immediate signing of Lussick was real, but Super League champions St Helens would not grant a release until they secured an adequate replacement.
And further reports have emerged Down Under overnight, with The Daily Telegraph and Code Sports reporting that St George Illawarra Dragons utility Moses Mbye is set to make an imminent move to Saints, which could allow Lussick to return to Parramatta.
The Eels were linked with Lussick a couple of weeks ago with the NRL club seeking reinforcements after picking up several injuries, including one to England international hooker Josh Hodgson.
Former Salford hooker Lussick spent the 2021 season in the NRL with Parramatta, playing nine games before returning to Super League with St Helens ahead of last season.
Mbye, who represented Queensland in State of Origin in 2019, played against Saints earlier this year for the Dragons, which was part of Saints’ preparations for their historic World Club Challenge victory against Penrith Panthers in Australia.
Who is Moses Mbye? A look at St Helens’ potential new recruit
Mbye was born and raised in Brisbane, Queensland and is of Gambian heritage through his father. He is comfortable playing at full-back, half-back, centre and hooker.
The 29-year-old has made almost 200 appearances in the NRL since making his first team debut for Canterbury Bulldogs in 2014.
Mbye scored 17 tries and kicked 101 goals in 94 appearances for the Bulldogs between 2014-18, racking up 272 points.
The Queenslander then linked up with Wests Tigers in 2018, spending four seasons with the club. He scored nine tries and kicked 39 goals in his 63 games with the Tigers.
In his time with Wests, he won representative honours in the State of Origin arena with Queensland, playing in all three games that year.
Mbye has been at the Dragons since the start of the 2022 campaign, making 37 appearances to date.
Joey Lussick career in detail
Lussick made a try scoring NRL debut for Manly Sea Eagles in 2017. That would be the only first-grade game he’d play for the Sea Eagles before he joined Salford in Super League midway through the 2018 campaign.
The 27-year-old became a fan favourite on the terraces at Salford, scoring 18 tries in 59 games for the Red Devils.
Lussick played in the 2019 Super League Grand Final and 2020 Challenge Cup final for Salford before returning to the NRL with Parramatta.
The Australia hooker would make nine appearances for the Eels during the 2021 campaign before signing a three-year deal with Super League champions St Helens, starting in the 2022 season.
Lussick played in Saints’ Super League Grand Final triumph last season before helping them be crowned World Club champions earlier this year.
He has scored 10 tries in 51 appearances for the Saints. Should his move to Parramatta be finalised with immediate effect, his last game in the Red V could be in Saturday’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Leigh.
READ NEXT: Jack Welsby explains a ‘different approach’ at St Helens ahead of Challenge Cup semi-final