Transfer Market: Will Chambers signs with Sharks after phone call to Paul Gallen
Once Cronulla’s No.1 enemy, the Sharks have officially signed old Storm rival Will Chambers for the remainder of the 2021 season.
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A phone call from Paul Gallen to one-time enemy Will Chambers has paved the way for the former Test centre to join the Sharks.
Ravaged by injuries to their backline, Cronulla has signed Chambers for the remainder of the NRL season on a contract worth just over $100,000. The former Queensland and Kangaroos centre had been in talks with the Sharks after a brief stint with Japanese Rugby Union club, Suntory Goliath.
The 32-year-old had been training in Melbourne and sought advice from Storm coach Craig Bellamy on where best he should resurrect his NRL career.
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The Sharks quickly became Chambers’ first choice with Cronulla eager to replenish their depleted stock of outside backs. However, in a subplot to Chambers’ move to the Shire, the two-time premiership winner wouldn’t proceed with negotiations until he had the blessing of Gallen.
The pair have a history of hatred. It was only a few years ago that the arch rivals almost came to blows after trading explosive words prior to the 2016 grand final between Melbourne and the Sharks.
Gallen revealed in an interview after winning the premiership that Chambers’ sledging motivated the Sharks to shut him up in the best possible way. Gallen, a current member of the Sharks coaching staff, phoned Chambers after the former strike-centre told Cronulla officials he was apprehensive about coming to the Sharks because of possible ill-feeling from the club legend.
Gallen phoned Chambers to clear the air last Thursday.
“Will wanted to make sure that if he was to come, that there would be no issue from my end,” Gallen said. “He said he basically wanted my blessing — I don’t think that was necessary, but that’s how he explained it. I told him what happened on the field, stayed on the field and it was all in the past for me.
“He spoke about why he wanted to come to Cronulla and how he saw the same tough character traits of the Storm in the Sharks. I told him there would be no problem, if he wanted to come.”
Chambers scored 82 tries in 215 games for the Storm and his last NRL match was on the wing in Melbourne’s 2019 preliminary final loss to the Roosters. He moved to Japanese rugby at the end of the 2019 NRL season.
With a base-wage salary spot to fill in their roster for 2020, the acquisition of Chambers was viewed as a necessary signing by the Sharks, who were stoic in defeat against Newcastle on Friday night given their spare-parts backline.
Five-eighth Connor Tracey was forced to play on the wing and backrower Teig Wilton in the centres due to long-term injuries to starting wingers Sione Katoa (knee) and Ronaldo Mulitalo (knee). Josh Dugan (concussion) is unavailable while back-up centre Jackson Ferris (foot) is in the casualty ward.
BARRETT EYEING FRESH BLOOD
Canterbury coach Trent Barrett has put a broom through Belmore, with 16 players facing uncertain NRL futures as the Bulldogs undergo a major shake-up.
The Sunday Mail understands a host of Bulldogs players are facing the axe at the battling NRL club as Barrett sets about rebuilding Belmore.
The Bulldogs have 16 players out of their top 30 squad off-contract this year – including ex-Origin stars Dylan Napa and Will Hopoate – and a host have already been told their futures lie elsewhere.
The Sunday Mail has been told at least one Canterbury player believes the instability in the squad’s ranks has contributed to the Bulldogs’ shocking start to 2021.
The Bulldogs are the only team without a win this year heading into Sunday’s Round 6 clash with the Cowboys at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Cowboys five-eighth Scott Drinkwater had been linked to the Bulldogs, but Canterbury have distanced themselves from him as North Queensland looks to re-sign the versatile playmaker.
Drinkwater produced one of his best performances of the season in North Queensland’s drought-breaking win against Wests Tigers last weekend.
The Cowboys are in talks to re-sign Drinkwater, but he has received interest from multiple rivals, according to manager Chris Orr.
“I have been in negotiations with the Cowboys for a few weeks and Drinky is a player they wish to keep,” Orr said. “Four clubs have expressed interest in ‘Drinky’, including a few from Sydney, but his preference is to stay at the Cowboys if we can work something out.
“He was very good against the Tigers last week so Drinky showed he can be a good option for the Cowboys in the halves, especially if he links with a game manager at halfback.
“Every team needs a balance within their halves combination. One needs to be a game manager and the other an X-factor and Drinky brings the X-factor to the team.”
The Cowboys have also had a poor start to the season, but are set to welcome back captain Jason Taumalolo from a broken hand for the Bulldogs game.
North Queensland is in the mix to sign disgruntled South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds following the injury-forced retirement of Michael Morgan.
The Cowboys have struggled to find a halfback since Johnathan Thurston’s retirement in 2018 and Reynolds could be the answer to their problems.
Drinkwater, 23, isn’t interested in a shift to the No.7 jersey and said he wanted to become a more consistent player.
“Maybe not with the seven on my back, I’m more of a six,” he said.
“I’m not really a dominant seven. I’d rather play six and be a second-phase player and play more eyes up and roam around.
“I need to be consistent. There is a big difference between my worst and best game. I need to produce seven-out-of-ten games every week.
“For me to be able to play some good footy and show some good attack we need to hold on to the ball so we’re fresh and not fatigued.
“The more we can hold the ball, the better it is for our spine players to get involved and take on tired, lazy defenders.”
The Cowboys got the monkey off their back against the Tigers in what was coach Todd Payten’s first win at the helm of North Queensland.
The Bulldogs present a golden opportunity for the Cowboys to make it back-to-back victories.
“We are confident after a good win,” Drinkwater said.
“They’re going to come up here all guns blazing. They’re 0-5 to start the season. We were 0-4 last week and had a lot to play for so we’re expecting an energetic Bulldogs team.”
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