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NRL 2024: Josh Schuster granted immediate release from Manly Sea Eagles
Manly Sea Eagles have granted Josh Schuster an immediate release from the club, despite extending the $800,000-a-season backrower last year.
Michael Carayannis and
David Riccio
less than 2 min read
April 10, 2024 - 1:44PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
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Josh Schuster is stuck in reserve grade at Manly. Credit: NRL Images.
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Manly have given permission to Josh Schuster to leave if he can find another club.
Schuster is in the midst of an $800,000 contract but has been languishing in reserve grade.
The back-rower has struggled in NSW Cup after an indifferent pre-season.
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.
It is understood Sea Eagles officials believe Schuster would benefit from a fresh start and the decision is purely performance-related.
Schuster, 22, is contracted to the Sea Eagles until the end of 2027, having extended his deal in June last year.
He reluctantly pulled out of
Manly’s NRL season opener against South Sydney in Las Vegas after an off-season plagued by chickenpox, finger surgery and an ongoing calf complaint.
Schuster was meant to be Manly’s long-term five-eighth, but struggled to nail down a starting spot.
Josh Schuster is free to negotiate with rival clubs. Picture: NRL Imagery
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, coach Anthony 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.
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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.
More to come...