NRL 2021: Sharks star Josh Dugan wants new two-year deal - but prepares for massive financial hit

After being prompted to retire by the Sharks last year, Josh Dugan now wants talk about a new two-year deal with the club. But it will come with severe financial ramifications.

2021 NRL Round 01 - St. George Illawarra Dragons v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, 2021-03-14. Digital image by Brett Costello � NRL Photos

Cronulla star Josh Dugan is preparing to meet with Sharks officials about a new two-year deal – but is bracing for a pay cut of around $800,000.

News Corp understands Dugan - a former NSW and Kangaroos star - is playing 2021 on a deal worth $900,000 but is resigned to accepting a significant should he re-sign.

It is understood Dugan would be valued at around $500,000 a season – equating to a $400,000 a season pay cut. His two-year extension would entail a financial haircut of $800,000.

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Josh Dugan is hoping to secure a new deal with the Sharks.

Cronulla is yet to decide whether Dugan will be retained.

News Corp has been told Dugan’s manager, Paul Sutton, is preparing to initiate contract talks with Sharks football manager, Darren Mooney.

Dugan is privately aware he could not attract $900,000 a season offers again but is settled in the Shire and wants to remain at the Sharks. He is only 30-years-old.

The former representative centre headlines a number of key Sharks players coming off contract after this season including Shaun Johnson, Matt Moylan and Aaron Woods.

Uncertainty over the future of head coach John Morris adds another layer of confusion to the Sharks roster moving forward.

Dugan is playing his fourth season at Cronulla after a switch from rivals, St George Illawarra. In his time at the Sharks, Dugan has impressed at times but been plagued by injuries.

He has played 54 games for Cronulla - 14 games in 2018, 23 in 2019, 16 last year and one this season. Yet in that time, Dugan has missed 20 games through injury or being rested.

Dugan is continue his career.

Dugan had a good game against the Dragons.

Dugan’s contract value could increase throughout the season if he can stay fit and log some impressive performances.

The Sharks were prompting Dugan to retire last year through multiple injury concerns, primarily a damaged knee, and arthritis which prevented him training.

Sutton did a remarkable job securing Dugan a contract figure of $900,000 for this season.

Aside from scoring a vital try, Dugan ran for 103 metres on a wet night against St George Illawarra last Sunday at Kogarah. He ran 13 times and completed 11 tackles.

While acknowledging he is injury-prone, most recruitment officers throughout the NRL believe Dugan is too young to retire after this year.

An annual contract worth $500,000 is still solid money for a player entering a new contract aged 31.

Just last week, when asked about training programs through summer, Dugan told the Sydney media: “I‘ve done four of the five sessions every week, got through everything I needed to do. I got my body composition right down to where I need to be to play and be comfortable and be fit and healthy.

Dugan says he’s settled in the Shire and wants to continue on for at least another two years.

“To be able to get through 90 per cent of it to plan and be able to get those kilometres in my legs, I‘m feeling good going in round one. I’ve spoken with my manager and we’ve just started trying to get the ball rolling here and hopefully stay for another year or two.”

Despite reaching the NRL finals in the past two seasons, and having won his first game this year, Morris remains under pressure.

Those close to the Sharks suggest Morris would be rated a 50-50 chance of continuing as head coach into next season.