BY CURTIS WOODWARD

@woodward_curtis

Premiership-winning Cronulla five-eigth James Maloney is headed to the Penrith Panthers while Matt Moylan is headed the other way in a straight swap between the two clubs.

NRL.com is reporting that Maloney will be at the Panthers until the end of 2020 while Moylan has agreed to a four-year deal with the Sharks after Penrith lodged Maloney’s contract on Friday.

It comes after reports that Maloney left Australian camp on Thursday night in Canberra to return to Sydney due to a personal matter.

Moylan’s Cronulla deal is worth a reported $3.6 million while Maloney has landed a contract of $2.4 million.

The former Penrith captain is the latest Panther to join the Sharks following the likes of Luke Lewis, Wade Graham and James Segeyaro.

It had been a frustrating few months for Moylan and Panthers officials who had been refusing to allow the star to walk out on the club.

Cronulla officials on the other hand were more than happy to let Maloney go to free up salary cap space and give the two-time premiership-winner the chance to score a big deal before retirement.

While the Sharks have lost Jack Bird – they are adding Moylan and fellow representative back Josh Dugan.

The Panthers will also boast a deadly offensive unit with Maloney linking up with boom youngster Nathan Cleary.

@woodward_curtis