Cronulla Sharks powerhouse prop Royce Hunt has revealed he plans to finish his career with the Cronulla Sharks, despite the club seemingly being in no rush to re-sign him.
Reports earlier this year emerged that Hunt, while not off-contract until the end of 2025 in the Shire, would not be re-signed beyond the end of his current contract.
The Sharks were not willing to release Hunt early despite the reports, with the forward likely to be looking for a new club from November 1 after the long-term signing of Addin Fonua-Blake, who will arrive in the Shire next year to lead Craig Fitzgibbon's forward pack.
The Liverpool-born prop who stands at 192 centimetres and 114 kilograms has found some better form in recent weeks, playing in wins during each of his last three starts, and he told the media per AAP that he wants to remain in Cronulla.
"I want to finish my career here," he said this week.
"But footy's footy, it's a business and we could end up anywhere.
"I've just left it up to my manager. I said, 'Let me know what happens, I'm pretty happy where I'm at and I've still got another year here'.
"That's my sole focus, playing good footy for the Sharks this year and next year too."
There is very little in the way of surprise that Hunt could be the odd man out at the Sharks. While Fonua-Blake is signed until at least the end of 2028, squad balance could become an issue for coach Fitzgibbon, with Jesse Colquhoun (2026), Braden Hamlin-Uele (2026), Tuku Hau Tapuha (2025), Thomas Hazelton (2025 - option), Oregon Kaufusi (2025 - option), Cameron McInnes (2025) and Toby Rudolf (2026) all able to play in the middle and signed until at least the end of next year.
It creates a logjam for the Sharks in terms of chasing minutes in the middle third and could leave Hunt staring down the barrel of reserve grade being his home next year.
It's not a place Hunt will want to be playing, with the ex-Samoan representative who grew up in Western Australia now having 68 NRL games under his belt.
It's unclear at this stage if any rival clubs would show interest in Hunt, who will be 30 years of age by the time the end of next season arrives.