The Manly Sea Eagles have told unwanted backrower Josh Schuster he can find a new NRL club if he wants to play first grade footy again, with the hammerstroke coming less than a year after they re-signed him through to 2027.
Schuster, 22, inked a mega $800,000-a-season contract extension with the Sea Eagles in June last year before falling out of favour in the 2024 preseason.
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Things weren’t helped on Schuster’s front as he battled through chickenpox and a finger concern in preseason training, and he was ruled out of the Las Vegas season opener with a calf injury, but outside those issues coach Anthony Seibold has also settled on a position for the boom-or-bust star: he simply doesn’t rate him.
Schuster has been available to play since round two but has missed selection.
Now Manly brass have decided paying the 22-year-old $800,000 a year just to grind out NSW Cup games is too much and decided to give him their blessing to find a new NRL home this season.
The club’s shock decision, which was first reported by Danny Weidler for Nine on Wednesday, was partially helped on by how well Ben Trbojevic and Corey Waddell have been playing.
Powerbrokers at the club have long been unimpressed with Schuster’s work ethic and commitment to rugby league too. The youngster was stood down over fitness concerns several times last season, and The Sporting Base has heard things were never really patched up between the backrower and club management.
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In all likelihood, the Sea Eagles will have to pay a hefty slice of Schuster’s $800,000-a-year pay. No clubs have extended any major interested in signing the 22-year-old since the news broke.
