Rugby League: Toby Rudolf’s backflip on the Warriors became official with Sharks NRL contract extension

Somersaults are usually a commendable action, but this one will have warriors looking for bandanas rather than tributes.

Toby Rudolf, the highly skilled midfielder for the Cronulla Sharks, has confirmed his future, and he finds himself on Sydney’s South Beaches. The decision to stay pushes him back on a three-year contract with the Warriors.

The move to New Zealand would have offered the Mount Smart club another advance to build starting in 2021.

However, a change of mind caused the 24-year-old to break his word and do what he could to stay in Cronulla. A month and a half later, his rejection is official, putting to bed a long saga that, curiously, lasted longer than the two New Zealand closures imposed by Covid.

It also adds to the Warriors’ poor recruiting image of the past two seasons, prompting incoming club advisor Phil Gould to express his disgust at the club’s lack of success, before continuing to sing along with them.

All the Warriors needed was two games to see Rudolf’s potential. He made his first grade debut with Cronulla in the first round against South Sydney, and he quickly showed off his impressive mobility for a sizable frame.

The deal was almost done except for an announcement in mid-May. As time went on, that announcement complete with confirmation and praise from Warriors management had yet to appear, before Rudolf voiced his desire to remain a Shark in late July.

“I want to stay in the Sharks, and in Sydney, with my family for family reasons. I have told the Warriors and they have also been very supportive,” Rudolf said at the time after they had agreed on a deal. with the Warriors.

The waters have been murky ever since, until the Sharks confirmed this week that they had kept their man on a one-year contract. And drama aside, it’s a move Rudolf is satisfied with.

“I’ve really enjoyed my rookie season as Jaws, I’m enjoying my time here, and with this contract extension I’m looking to build on what I’ve accomplished so far this year,” he says.

“We have a very strong playing group that I am happy to be a part of, and I am eager to finish this year on a high note, to take my form into next season and hopefully continue my improvement and development with John. Morris and the coaching staff here at the Sharks. “

If performance ever played a role, Rudolf probably made the right decision. The Sharks are in the box seat for a spot in the NRL final with a four-point buffer in ninth on the ladder, with two wins needed to secure their spot.

The Warriors, by contrast, were in a slump when rumors of Rudolf’s backhand began, and while their form has recovered in recent weeks, they have to climb a tough hill to be in the top eight. The final is possible, but the efforts required are monumental.

Sharks coach John Morris says it’s “incredible” news for the club to tie Rudolf up.

“It was always a priority for me to retain Toby and he has shown with his impressive performances in his first year at NRL how valuable a player he is.

“Toby has not only shined with his performances on the field, but he has an outstanding character off of him, a great team player who works very hard on his game and is very easy to train.”

Assuming Morris’s assessment of one of his rising talents is accurate, the Warriors have really missed what seemed like a real blow.

Losses on the list aside, the New Zealand side should not be overly punished. His actions going forward to help usher in a new era under Nathan Brown are strong. Ben Murdoch-Masila and Kane Evans will team up next year and toughen up the medium, Eliesa Katoa remains one of the second most exciting young rowers in the game, and Jack Murchie is looking for an outright steal from Canberra.