Young halfback Riley Pollard, who impressed in his NRL debut in round 27 of the 2026 season, has signed a contract extension with the Sharks.
The 21-year-old Pollard, a former Australian Schoolboys representative who has played the past two seasons with the Jets in the NSW Cup, was already signed at the Cronulla club for 2027, with the new deal set to see him remain at the Sharks until at least the end of the 2028 season.
Pollard joined the Sharks ahead of the 2024 season and quickly made his mark within the club's pathways system, progressing from the SG Ball squad to Jersey Flegg. Alongside current NSW Cup halves partner Taj Ford, he helped guide the Sharks' Jersey Flegg side to the 2024 Grand Final before earning promotion to senior rugby league with Cronulla's NSW Cup affiliate, the Newtown Jets.
One of the standout performers for the Jets on their run to the NSW Cup Grand Final, Sharks General Manager Football Darren Mooney was thrilled to have locked Pollard in at the Cronulla club for the next two years.
“Riley was an outstanding junior and an Australian Schoolboys representative, but what has impressed us most is the way he has continued to develop and improve at senior level. He has worked hard on his game and put himself in a position where he is ready to compete for a place in the NRL side,” Mooney said.
“On debut, against a world-class halves pairing in Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, he played strongly, looked comfortable at the level and certainly didn’t look out of place. We have high hopes for what he can achieve in the years ahead.
“We’re very pleased Riley has made the decision to continue his rugby league journey with us at the Sharks and we’re excited to watch his development over the next few seasons.”
Likewise, Pollard has embraced the move to the Sutherland Shire and was excited as to what his rugby league future might hold.
“I love it here, Cronulla is exactly where I want to be,” Pollard said.
“Everyone wants to be play NRL, I had a taste of it this year and I’m keen to keep learning off the senior players and the coaching staff. I’m learning new things every single day at training and they have all been a massive help to me.
“Cronulla is definitely the club I want to be at to continue my career.”
Despite being eligible for the under-21 Jersey Flegg competition over the past two years, Pollard has played 36 games across the two seasons for the Jets in the NSW Cup. He was only missing from the Newtown line up this year while with the Sharks NRL side, where he debuted in the top grade against the Melbourne Storm in round 27.
Pollard scored 11 tries and kicked 48 goals in his 24 NSW Cup games this year, provided 16 try assists and had a tackle efficiency percentage of over 85 in a display of his all-round talents. His two tries and six goals in a round 25 clash with the then competition-leading North Sydney Bears helped propel the Jets into the NSW Cup finals.
Before arriving at the Sharks, representing St Dominics College Kingswood, Pollard was a member of the 2023 Australian Schoolboys, a team which included Sharks contracted clubmates Nikora Williams and Xavier Cacciotti, Dragons NRL prop Loko Pasifiki-Tonga and Cody Hopwood who played for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL Grand Final. His halves partner in that squad was Bulldog Lachlan Galvin.
