{"id":119941,"date":"2025-09-05T04:28:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T04:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/119941\/"},"modified":"2025-09-05T04:28:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T04:28:12","slug":"sharks-star-linked-with-shock-code-switch-that-could-open-door-for-unwanted-panthers-player","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/119941\/","title":{"rendered":"Sharks star linked with shock code switch that could open door for unwanted Panthers player"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cronulla Sharks fullback Will Kennedy is reportedly being courted by R360 rugby officials<\/a> – and it could open the door for an unwanted Panthers player<\/a> to switch NRL clubs. The Daily Telegraph is reporting <\/a>that Kennedy is “on the radar” of the breakaway union competition, and could be lured by the riches on offer.<\/p>\n

Kennedy has played 130 games for the Sharks since debuting for the club in 2019, but is currently without a contract for 2026. He’s been free to speak to rival clubs as of November 1 last year, but negotiations with the Sharks have reportedly broken down.<\/p>\n

\"Ivan<\/p>\n

Ivan Cleary’s Panthers and Craig Fitzgibbon’s Sharks could be involved in a fullback merry-go-round. Image: Getty<\/p>\n

Sharks officials are said to have baulked at the asking price from Kennedy’s management earlier in the season. However the club believes an extension could still be arranged in the off-season.<\/p>\n

Kennedy is the latest NRL star to be linked with R360. Warriors winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck<\/a> recently admitted he’s in discussions with the rebel league about a move back to rugby, while Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen<\/a> confessed the carrot is very tempting.<\/p>\n

\"Will<\/p>\n

Will Kennedy’s potential exit could open the door for Daine Laurie to land at the Sharks. Image: Getty<\/p>\n

R360 trying to lure NRL stars to rival code<\/p>\n

R360 are believed to be willing to offer players as much as $2 million for a much shorter season than the NRL. \u201cIt does (appeal),\u201d Papenhuyzen said recently. \u201cAt this stage it\u2019s very early stages of that kind of thing. So who knows. I am here and I am contracted here.<\/p>\n

“I’ve just got a big focus for winning the premiership and hopefully going back-to-back next year and then we’ll see, but you always look forward to your future and see what’s happening. I’m sure my manager is doing a good job with that and has got it all under control.”<\/p>\n

Last month, Storm CEO Justin Rodski told SEN radio about R360: “All the indications are now that they’ve got the funding, they’re starting to build the teams… we’re hearing that up to 140 players have signed.<\/p>\n

“There’s definitely some interest in NRL players, including some Melbourne Storm players and I think that’s inevitable. But whether or not a player ends up taking up one of those contracts and moving on from the NRL, I’m not sure.”<\/p>\n

Could Daine Laurie replace Will Kennedy at Sharks?<\/p>\n

If Kennedy does make the switch, the Sharks could look to pounce on unwanted Panthers fullback Daine Laurie<\/a>. The 26-year-old has been told he’s unlikely to earn a new contract at Penrith for next season, with the club shaking up their roster and moving on some fringe first-graders.<\/p>\n

Laurie has performed admirably every time he fills in for NSW and Kangaroos fullback Dylan Edwards, but has spent the majority of his career in reserve-grade. The only club in the NRL with a fullback who’s out of contract is the Sharks, and it could see Laurie become a regular NRL starter at Cronulla.<\/p>\n

“That’s definitely the goal (to cement a spot in first-grade),” Laurie said last month after starring in the Panthers’ loss to the Bulldogs in which they rested 16 players. “It’s obviously hard (to achieve that) sitting behind Dyl (Edwards). Every time I get an opportunity, I try and put my best foot forward.”<\/p>\n

\"Daine<\/p>\n

Daine Laurie would be a starter at most NRL clubs. (Photo by Cameron Spencer\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/p>\n

Laurie debuted for the Panthers in 2020 before a three-year stint at the Wests Tigers from 2021 to 2023. He’s played 74 first-grade games to date, but has never cemented his place at NRL level.<\/p>\n

“I’m just going to take it day-by-day,” he said of his future. “My manager is going to sort all that stuff out. I’m just going to rip in for the Panthers and hopefully they can give me one more year.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cronulla Sharks fullback Will Kennedy is reportedly being courted by R360 rugby officials – and it could open…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":119942,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,4565,4525,761,762,158,5357,85,84793],"class_list":{"0":"post-119941","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nrl","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-cronulla-sharks","11":"tag-daine-laurie","12":"tag-national-rugby-league","13":"tag-nationalrugbyleague","14":"tag-nrl","15":"tag-panthers","16":"tag-sports","17":"tag-will-kennedy"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119941"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119941\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119942"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}