Moseley signs on for Devils 2023 season
Kierran Moseley has followed up his outstanding finals performance for Norths with welcome news for Devils fans – he will be back next year.
Moseley has become the latest Devil to re-sign for the 2023 season as the premiers prepare for their next finals clash in the Hostplus Cup.
Devils fans saw Moseley in full flight last weekend with an 80-minute performance in the gutsy 20-19 qualifying final victory over minor premiers Burleigh Bears.
Moseley split the Bears defence in the 65th minute for a vital try when the hooker’s slick dummy opened a diagonal run to the line.
In the last seconds of the match, Moseley and Leivaha Pulu dashed through to charge down the Bears’ attempt to level the scores with a field goal.
It was a courageous effort from Moseley considering it was his first 80-minute performance since returning from a broken arm that had jeopardised his season.
Moseley had been back for four matches, playing no more than 50 minutes as he shared the hooking role with international forward Liam Horne.
But Moseley constantly threatened the Bears defence, enabling co-coaches Ben King and Kevin Neighbour to deploy Moseley and Horne together in a forward pack that kept troubling the minor premiers.
The Devils are now preparing for next Saturday’s home preliminary final against the winner of Sunday’s clash between Sunshine Coast Falcons and Tweed Seagulls.
Moseley is delighted to be back in finals after joining the Devils following their 2021 grand final success.
“I’m really pleased to have signed again and to be involved in these finals because we all want to play at this time of year,” Moseley said.
“I just really enjoy playing at Norths. It’s such a good club culture here. I’ve always been made feel welcome and I just really enjoy playing with these boys.”
The closeness of this Devils team has been evident in the last five weeks.
The premiers felt the bruises of losing six out of eight matches in a tough mid-season stretch.
But they have won their last five matches and surged into form at the right time of the season.
Moseley noticed the team’s composure as they seized the lead against Burleigh for the first time in the 70th minute last weekend, only to lose the lead again within two minutes.
“We knew that we had to get back down there and score again but everyone just stayed calm,” Moseley said.
“We spoke behind the posts about it and we knew that we could create a chance if we stuck together.”
The chance came with two minutes remaining when centre Tony Tumusa dashed through a midfield gap to score next to the posts.
Moseley’s re-signing for next year continues a remarkable football journey.
Moseley left his hometown Cloncurry for a few months to play for the Townsville Stingers in the Queensland Under 16 competition.
That sparked a journey that included NRL stints in Penrith and Gold Coast and time with the Ipswich Jets.
Moseley remains busy as a youth worker and has an eye out for more NRL opportunities.
“I just try to play as well as I can and to enjoy playing footy and then other things can come,” he said.
“Sometimes it’s easy to take life for granted and the opportunities that come up.
“I get to see some young people who have had some pretty tough life stories. They do it tougher than others but they keep on going.
“It makes me grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and for what can lay ahead.”