The Cronulla Sharks have confirmed ex-premiership winner Paul Gallen will join the club's board as an appointed director.
The skipper of Cronulla's 2016 drought-breaking side, Gallen has stayed linked to the Sharks ever since, but not held official roles as he transitioned into a media career.
While he will continue down the path, the club revealed he will become actively involved with the board.
Gallen said he knew where his strengths lie and will attempt to add to the board in those areas, shaping the future direct of a club who regularly play finals footy.
"The Sharks have been such a huge part of my life, and I see this as my next challenge. I'm not here to sit back. I want to contribute in a meaningful way to the future of the club," Gallen said in a club statement confirming the news of his appointment.
"I know my strengths are in football and media and that's where I'll focus. The Sharks have built a strong Board under Steve Mace, with real expertise, and my job is to add value in my lane and to support the team around the table."
Gallen's role will see him become part of the board's football committee, dealing with recruitment and retention, operational structures and market insights while he will also assist in media and communications.
It's unclear how much sway Gallen will have from his position over the club's football department, but chairman Steve Mace said the appointment wasn't about tokenism.
"Paul has been one of the most influential figures in our history," Mace said.
"He understands that this next chapter isn't about playing the game but about shaping the future of the club. His insights on football, media and the game more broadly will strengthen our governance.
"This isn't about tokenism or other external pressure; it's about strengthening our club and the timing of this is evidence of that. Paul's appointment is based on merit, and he will add real value to the Sharks at a Board level."
The way I would interpret this is that that Chairman of the Board is unhappy with the way the football department has been run and what it has (not) achieved in the last ten years. Each year since they won the comp in 2016, the Sharks have made the eight without ever looking like going all the way.
I wonder if he thinks that the football department are B/S’ ing him about why the team’s performance has been disappointing.
Maybe he sees what Gus Gould / Cameron Ciraldo have done in a couple of seasons at Canterbury; how little the Sharks HoF and Head Coach have achieved, and maybe he wants to change a few members of the football department so he needs his own “footy-wise” man to give him the good oil.