Cronulla plans to overhaul their roster and will not offer contract extensions to Shaun Johnson, Josh Dugan, or Aaron Woods. Instead, the club will focus on finding a scrum base partner for Nicho Hynes and backline reinforcements.
NRL.com understands that off-contract big earners Johnson, Dugan, and Woods were informed by club officials on Thursday that their futures lie elsewhere after 2021.
The decision continues a roster overhaul under new coach Craig Fitzgibbon, who signed Hynes to play in the halves next season.
Retention talks are underway with Matt Moylan, who is facing a significantly reduced offer to stay at Cronulla after Johnson was offered a one-year contract worth roughly half his current $800,000 salary.
Johnson’s refusal to entertain that offer, combined with the expected offloading of Dugan and Woods, frees up approximately $2 million in Cronulla’s salary cap.
Cronulla have not ruled out signing another playmaker in the market if a deal with Moylan cannot be reached.
Brayden Trindall, the club’s backup halfback, remains a top priority for re-signing.
The Sharks are still looking for outside backs after a slew of injuries exposed their depth out wide this season, while both Cronulla officials and Dale Finucane’s agent have dismissed any interest in the off-contract Storm skipper.
Cronulla already has Cameron McInnes as a lock for next year, and Toby Rudolf has re-signed alongside Braden Hamlin-Uele, Franklin Pele, and Andrew Fifita, leaving them well-stocked up front.
Sharks captain Wade Graham told Fox Sports on Friday night that he was confident Johnson, Dugan, and Woods would sign new contracts with other clubs.
“It’s a tough one. “It’s always a difficult situation when such decisions are made,” he explained.
“I believe the reality is that we did have a lot of guys off contract, and we were never going to be able to keep everyone. But with those guys, I believe that bad news is better than no news.
“Once the club made a decision, they were upfront.
“They informed the players, and now their focus can be on the remainder of the season and hopefully securing their future elsewhere, playing some good football for the Sharks, and getting the most out of the year and the best for their future.”
For the Storm, Hynes’ departure frees up some salary cap space, increasing their chances of keeping Finucane, though a utility replacement is also a priority.
Melbourne are said to have made an offer to Broncos halfback Tyson Gamble recently, but his priority is to stay at Red Hill while extension talks continue.
For the Storm, Hynes’ departure frees up some salary cap space, increasing their chances of keeping Finucane, though a utility replacement is also a priority.
Melbourne are said to have made an offer to Broncos halfback Tyson Gamble recently, but his priority is to stay at Red Hill while extension talks continue.
Having only signed a 12-month Storm extension late last season after bouncing around the traps for several years, his stunning 2021 performance has suddenly made him a man in demand for the first time in his career.
But the 24-year-old was still left with a heavy heart when it came time to inform the Storm that this would be his final season in purple, delivering a heartfelt message to teammates at their Sunshine Coast base.
“There was a little emotion,” Storm captain Jesse Bromwich admitted.
“I believe he struggled to say the words, but he was able to get up and do it in front of the team, which meant a lot.
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