Ending speculation as to his immediate playing future, 2022 Sharks skipper Wade Graham has signed a one-year contract extension.
The 31-year-old Graham, who has played 15 seasons in the NRL, 12 of those at the Sharks after joining the Cronulla club in 2011, will continue his celebrated career into the 2023 season.
“I'm really proud and grateful to have the opportunity to play on for another year here at the Sharks ,” Graham said.
"I'm looking forward to getting back, ripping in to another pre-season and helping the squad to improve on the progress we've made as a Club last year".
After an ACL injury disrupted his 2019 season, followed by a year hampered by a series of concussions in 2021, Graham bounced back in 2022, missing the first seven rounds with a calf issue before playing 18 of the next 20 games, helping to guide the Sharks into second position and a place in the NRL Finals series.
A member of the Sharks premiership-winning team of 2016, Graham took over as Club captain upon the retirement of Paul Gallen at the end of 2019 and has been integral to the success of the Sharks since debuting in the Shire as a half back in round one of the 2011 season.
Moving to the back row soon after, Graham would go on to represent NSW in six Origin matches and Australia in eight Tests, while also playing 277 NRL games, 235 at the Sharks.
With the departure of veteran teammates Andrew Fifita and Aiden Tolman, alongside the likes of Dale Finucane, Nicho Hynes, Matt Moylan and Cam McInnes, Graham’s experience will be vital in 2023 as the Sharks look to build on the success of the recently completed season.
Graham will return to training with the majority of the Sharks playing group in late November.
