Sharks fans received the news yesterday that they had been waiting upon for months. The very news that threatened to never arrive.
Ronaldo Mulitalo re-signed withe club for a further three seasons.Despite interest from numerous clubs, the 25 year-old will spend his peak years in the Shire.
The re-signing ensured that the Sharks can now field their try scoring freak pairing of Ronaldo Mulitalo and Sione Katoa.
Which potentially leaves one of the game's best young talents potentially on the outside looking in.
Sam Stonestreet, the 22-year-old local junior, is either going to have to make himself impossible to overlook or bide his time to join Mulitalo on the run-on side.
Full disclosure, if there was a Sam Stonestreet fan club, I am member number one. I feel it's important to stress that this list is being compiled through a grimace and I'm hoping clubs two through five are never even considered.
With that said, below are five potential landing spots for Sam Stonestreet:
As per tradition with similar landing spot lists, we'll list the "boring" option here first.
If I'm the Sharks, I have a four year deal in front of Sam Stonestreet ... months ago! If not, I certainly have it drafted and ready to go the second he arrives at training tomorrow morning.
Stonestreet is a local junior and a lifelong Sharks fan. The 22-year-old has eight tries in his five NRL games as well as 29 tries in his 40 appearances for the Sharks NSW Cup team, the Newtown Jets.
Simply put, he is way too good for NSW Cup. He was the Jets' top try scorer last year despite spending time in First Grade. He crossed for a hattrick in the Interstate Cup prior to a concussion test ruling him out.
I'm a big fan of Sione Katoa but the two things you can't teach are height and speed. Stonestreet towers over Katoa and is considerably faster.
If I had my way, this would be a "five potential landing spots for Sione Katoa" list as Stonestreet is the future in the Shire.
If there is a rugby league higher power, they will not let this happen! Craig Bellamy is the king of turning young, talented prospects into Origin regulars.
If a player of Stonestreet's abilities lands in Melbourne, it is over for those of us hoping to enjoy wins in the Victorian capital.
I'm just fantasy booking here but with Grant Anderson on his way to Brisbane, Will Warbrick is over 105 kilos and could very easily move one spot on.
A backline consisting of Coates, Warbrick, Meaney and Stonestreet may be the tallest backline in the competition.
Of course this is pure speculation, with the Storm boasting a brilliant wing pairing and perhaps Jack Howarth stays in the centres. Craig Bellamy always finds a way though.
With the greatest of respects to our neighbours to the slight north, Sam Stonestreet walks into the Dragons side from day one.
Tyrell Sloan is a brilliant talent but very much untested on the wing. Mathew Feagai and Sione Finau are named for the trial side this weekend and both have super potential. Christian Tuipulotu looks most likely for Round One for mine.
The above said, I'm taking Stonestreet all day every day and letting him pick the wing he wants to start on.
Former coach Shane Flanagan has launched a recruitment raid on his former side already having secured Dan Atkinson and looking odds on to add Tom Hazelton for 2026 also.
Who not go back for a third dip and sign their most bitter rivals best young prospect in Stonestreet?
Whether or not Stonestreet would want to cross to bridge to the old enemy is up for debate, but the lure of a First Grade spot and big pay bump would turn the head of any young player.
Young gun Fletcher Sharpe looks set for a move into the halves. I didn't totally believe it but if he stars in the six in this weekend's trial, the spot could be his.
Despite the recruitment of James Schiller, you'd have to imagine Stonestreet looks an incredible option to partner Greg Marzhew on the flanks.
Dane Gagai is not 21 anymore and Schiller went beast mode in the centres for the Raiders last season in NSW Cup. The Knights are, somehow, cap-strapped despite only boasting two genuine megastars. They need value signings.
Stonestreet, despite his obvious talents, is still a kid with under 10 games to his name. Therefore couldn't expect the bank to be broken re his contract.
Newcastle have more pressing issues than wing, so this shouldn't be the be-all and end-all of signings. However, if Sharpe lands the five-eighth role, that's a huge step forward, and Stonestreet's potential signing makes the world of sense.
All reports indicated that the Broncos were keen to lure Mulitalo home. I'm not sure how serious that talk was, but in my mind they were the most serious threat.
What better way to land a blow after potentially missing Ronaldo than by signing Stonestreet? On $250k a season less no doubt also.
Selwyn Cobbo looks set for a move back to the wing. His future is still yet to be decided but it now seems as though he'll stay at Red Hill.
On the other wing, in a straight shootout between Stonestreet and Jesse Arthars ... I'm taking the Sharks speedster comfortably.
Again, this would be a big move for a young kid who has his life set close to the beaches of Cronulla, but First Grade spots are at a premium!
Having signed Ben Hunt and extended Reece Walsh to a mega money deal, the Broncos are another team who need to bargain buy.
If Cobbo does decide to chase riches in North Queensland, Stonestreet shapes as a perfect potential replacement and one that is far more cap friendly.