NRL 2024: What Josh Schuster’s release means for Manly and the $800,000 reserve grader

Manly Sea Eagles have granted $800,000 reserve grader Josh Schuster an immediate release from the club, with a secret contract clause revealed that has safeguarded the club from a significant financial loss.

Josh Schuster is stuck in reserve grade at Manly. Credit: NRL Images.

Manly could be the new kingpin on the open market – with the revelation they have safeguarded themselves from needing to pay out any of Josh Schuster’s remaining $2.4 million contract.

The once highly touted prodigy, who was scouted as a 13-year-old by rugby league Immortal Bob Fulton, is on the hunt for a new club after Manly management gave him permission on Wednesday to leave the club immediately.

The 22-year-old’s shock emergence as a free agent is a sudden about-face by the Sea Eagles, who last June extended his contract through until 2027 which was estimated at $800,000 season.

The deal was hugely contentious among fans and commentators, who questioned the investment in the 50-game talent.

However, in a sign that the club are unwilling to waver from the standards they are aiming to instil, Manly have made the call to cut Schuster from their roster for performance reasons.

The Daily Telegraph understands Manly management protected themselves with performance clauses in Schuster’s contract.

Josh Schuster is free to negotiate with rival clubs. Picture: NRL Imagery

Schuster has spent the past three weeks playing in the NSW Cup playing both in the back row and at lock.

His inability to crack the NRL so far this season follows on from a challenging pre-season.

The signs were originally positive last October that Schuster had finally bought into a training regimen which would see him capitalise on his talent. He had been meeting the weight-clauses in his contract but that all changed after a summer plagued by illness, finger surgery and a calf strain.

That led to a delayed start to the season and his current status in the NSW Cup.

Privately, Manly officials want nothing but the best for Schuster. They want him to succeed as an NRL footballer and believe that a change of club will awaken his immense talent.

The club has offered him every support to achieve his goals.

Where Schuster ends up in the NRL will now become the focus for both him and his management.

Schuster has been struggling for form in the NSW Cup. Picture: NRL Photos

The Dragons have ruled out making any formal play for him and interest from other clubs will largely depend on his asking price.

Coach Anthony Seibold confirmed Schuster was free to leave at the end of the season.

“We have given him permission to find another club,” Seibold said.

Schuster was meant to be Manly’s long-term five-eighth, but struggled to nail down a starting spot.

Following Luke Brooks’ off-season arrival from the Wests Tigers, the Sea Eagles transitioned Schuster, at 106kg and 185cm, to an edge forward role.

However, Seibold has preferred Haumole Olakau’atu and Ben Trbojevic as his first-choice back-rowers.

Even though Trbojevic has been named in the centres this week as a replacement for Reuben Garrick (concussion), Corey Waddell has been elevated to the starting spot.

Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Schuster was not even in the 22-man squad to take on the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland on Saturday afternoon.

Instead, he will play lock for NSW Cup feeder club Blacktown against the Warriors in the curtain raiser at Go Media Stadium.

Schuster now faces an immense challenge to convince another club to take a chance on him. No one questions his talent but his dedication and desire have been his downfall since bursting into the scene four years ago.

Manly were so convinced of his talents they let Kieran Foran depart with a view to handing Schuster the No. 6 jersey. However, his career has unravelled in spectacular fashion over the past year, leading to Manly running out of patience.

At the heart of the issue had been Schuster’s desire to push himself, some questioning whether the turning point was the death of his close friend Keith Titmuss during preseason training in 2020.

Schuster recently gave evidence at the coronial inquest into Titmuss’ death.

Originally published as NRL 2024: What Josh Schuster’s release means for Manly and the $800,000 reserve grader