Cronulla Sharks prop Braden Hamlin-Uele has revealed he is willing to take a pay cut if it means he can remain with the club into 2023.
Hamlin-Uele - a barnstorming prop who has gone from strength to strength during his time in the NRL - is one of a host of players still off-contract at the Sharks at the end of the 2022 season, with new coach Craig Fitzgibbon and his coaching staff waiting on many decisions.
Alongside Hamlin-Uele with futures still to be decided by the club are veterans Andrew Fifita, Wade Graham, Matt Moylan and Aiden Tolman, while the Sharks are also reportedly not willing to enter a bidding war for the services of Briton Nikora.
Those six players are joined by Jayden Berrell, Mawene Hiroti, Royce Hunt, Franklin Pele and Jack Williams, while electric half Luke Metcalf has already signed a deal with the New Zealand Warriors from the beginning of 2023.
But in a move which is sure to ease salary cap pressure on the men from the Shire, Hamlin-Uele told The Daily Telegraph that he simply wants to remain at the club.
“I don’t want to shop myself around," the powerful forward said.
“Everyone is like, you’ve got to go where the money is, but there’s also career progression as well and success.
“I would 100 per cent take a bit less if meant staying with this group of players to continue to build.
“I’ll still be getting a lot of money compared to other people, so I’ve got to be grateful for that.
“I’ve been here for five years, I love this place. I love the team, I love the staff and what we’re striving towards."
The 27-year-old, who officially stands at 191 centimetres and tips the scales at 115 kilograms, has become one of the toughest players in the competition to tackle.
Born in Auckland, he has now made 67 NRL appearances, including all four rounds in the starting side this year, and has 11 tackle busts to his name for the season already.
He will start again for Cronulla this weekend when the club host the struggling Wests Tigers, with the Sharks looking for their fourth win in five starts.
