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:
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.
โ Iโm hoping clubs two through five are never even considered.โ
I think you mean โone through fourโ but I get the idea.
If Iโm Stonestreet I might go to St George. Donโt even need to move house. If Iโve got friends in Cronulla (outside the other players in the club) then I donโt need to lose any of them.
If Iโm Sharks head of recruitment, Iโd have that four year contract ready, and let it be known on the grapevine that if anyone wants to pick up Sione Katoa, Sharks will pay the freight to move him on.