After four seasons and 75 games with the Cronulla Sharks, Royce Hunt will line up for his third team this season, thus creating an impending showdown with his former Sharks teammates in Round 8.

Known as a notorious hardman and enforcer, no love will be lost when Hunt takes on his former team, filled with close friends and individuals with whom he used to spend all his time.

Starting his career at the Canberra Raiders, the forward was offered a lifeline by the Sharks in 2020. There, he found career-best form for the club, making five international appearances for Samoa and playing a key role in their continued appearances in the NRL Finals.

However, his time came to a premature end at the conclusion of last season and he ended up inking a three-year contract with the Wests Tigers to line up alongside Terrell May, Fonua Pole and David Klemmer.

As the hardman prepares to go against his previous team in Round 8 at Leichhardt Oval, his former teammates are patiently waiting to face off against him, particularly Braden Hamlin-Uele.

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"Royce knows what's up. Royce knows what's up," Hamlin-Uele said jokingly to Zero Tackleย about the impending match with his close friend and former Sharks teammate.

"I want him to run straight at me off kick-off. He's a big boy so if I get my body in the wrong position, I'll come off second best but we'll see what happens.

"We sort of had like a running battle at training. I would give him a good shot and then he'd hit me five seconds too late off the ball but he'd still claim it."

NRL Rd 3 - Raiders v Sharks
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 19: Royce Hunt of the Sharks is tackled during the round three NRL match between Canberra Raiders and Cronulla Sharks at GIO Stadium on March 19, 2023 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

Hunt's move to the Wests Tigers came after the Sharks informed him that, following the recruitment of Addin Fonua-Blake from the New Zealand Warriors, they didn't have the funds in the salary cap to offer him a contract extension.

Although he was a regular member of the first-grade team, the club decided to focus on retaining and growing its younger talent, such as Tuku Hau Tapuha and Jesee Colquhoun.

These players are considerably younger than him and at this point in their careers, are likely to have a longer future.

Other young forwards slowly progressing through the ranks include Jersey Flegg Cup skipper Samuel McCullock, front-rower Felix Faatili and Australian Schoolboys duo Thomas Dellow and Alex Challenor.

"I wish Royce nothing but success over there. We miss him over here and with his personality, you can tell when he's not here," Hamlin-Uele added.

"We're safe from shadowboxing and getting shin kicked in the head at training so that's one thing I don't miss.

"But Royce was a big part of our team and I'm sure he'll do great things over there at the Tigers."

The Wests Tigers will host the Cronulla Sharks in Round 8 at Leichhardt Oval.

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