NRL Semi Final 2 - Sharks v Rabbitohs
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 17: Lachlan Miller of the Sharks looks on during the NRL Semi Final match between the Cronulla Sharks and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium on September 17, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Young gun Max Bradbury is reportedly the player that the Newcastle Knights will offer up in exchange for Cronulla Sharks' fullback Lachlan Miller.

While the deal continues to drag out and is not yet signed, it has been reported for weeks that Miller's swap to the Knights, where he will land a consistent fullback role, has been as good as done for weeks now.

With the first trial games just weeks away, though, there is a growing sense of urgency in the Hunter to get the deal done so Miller can begin to train in what will be a new-look spine featuring Kalyn Ponga moving to five-eighth, the arriving Jackson Hastings at halfback, and Jayden Brailey at hooker after missing plenty of game time through injury in recent seasons since his own move from the Sharks to the Knights.

Miller has struggled for game time at the Sharks since his move from Rugby Sevens at the start of the 2022 season, but impressed enormously during his handful of games for the Sharks, where he spent time at both fullback and wing.

His running game in particular was outstanding, breaking tackles with ease.

The Newcastle Herald's Barry Toohey is reporting that the deal is now all but done, with the mail suggesting young prop Max Bradbury will be the man to head the other way.

The reaction to the news amongst Knights fans has been mixed, and with good reason.

Bradbury, a young gun in the Knights system, was rated as the best under-19s prop New South Wales had for last year's junior State of Origin match - and with good reason. In 46 minutes, he ran for 136 minutes against the junior Maroons, with 55 of those being post-contact metres.

A star of the future, he will go into a Cronulla system with plenty of strong forwards, although Bradbury would not yet be on a Top 30 contract to make the move to Cronulla and would instead start the season at either Jersey Flegg level, or in the NSW Cup for the Newtown Jets.

His position at the Knights also could have been escalated after the departure of David Klemmer to the Wests Tigers, however, he would have been stuck behind the Saifiti brothers long-term.

It's understood Miller's deal to move to the Sharks will be for three years.