Co-captain Wade Graham inks three-year extension with Cronulla

Wade Graham knocked back a million dollar offer from Parramatta to show his faith in the embattled Cronulla, committing to a three-year contract extension with the Sharks.

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Wade Graham knocked back a million dollar offer from Parramatta to show his faith in the embattled Cronulla club.

Graham re-signed for three years on a deal worth about $2.2 million but forfeited a rich pay deal from the Eels who had sought to make the back-rower among the handful of million dollar per season players. At a time where the Sharks have no major sponsor and have an interim coach, Graham’s re-signing is the boost Cronulla needed, as the co-skipper aims for a round nine return from a knee injury.

Cronulla have locked up Wade Graham until the end of the 2022 season. Picture: Brett Costello

“I’ve been here for a long time,” Graham said. “I’ve been at the club when it’s been in some bad places. I’ve been here when it’s been in the best place of all.

“There has been a lot of ups and downs. The belief I have in the club and the playing group at the moment is the biggest reason I re-signed. My first priority was always to stay in Cronulla. I have a young family we are settled here. The playing group we have here. I’m confident if we put it together on the field we have the ability to contend the next three or four years.

“There was a bit of interest (elsewhere). I had a few chats. My priority was always Cronulla. The stage I’m at in my career, the relationships I’ve built at the club and in the community, the playing group.”

Graham will miss the first half of the 2019 season after injuring his ACL late last year. Picture: AAP

Cronulla have been in constant turmoil since Graham arrived at the club in 2011 meaning the current off-field drama had not perturbed the 28-year-old.

“I remember when I first came to the club in 2011 they spoke about the club going broke and relocating,” Graham said. “It’s nothing I haven’t heard before.

“For me having gone through it it’s talking to guys like Matt Moylan, Aaron woods, Shaun Johnson — the new guys who haven’t experienced that. getting around them and telling them it will be OK.”

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