Cronulla has offered 21-year-old Liam Ison an extension beyond 2027.
An ACL injury sidelined him in 2025, after he won the NSW Cup premiership and made his NRL debut in 2024.
He returned against Canterbury in round eight of 2026, playing 19 NSW Cup games and averaging 165.2 metres on 15.2 carries.
His 3,140 metres ranked fifth, 113 tackle busts fourth, 18 line-break assists seventh and 11 try assists 22nd in the competition.
Newtown finished fourth; Ison's only finals appearance was against the Warriors, where he made 219 metres, one line break and seven tackle busts.
He led all players in metres for the fourth time, but a knee injury ended his finals campaign; Newtown lost the Grand Final to Penrith.
With experienced players departing, young Sharks will compete for first-grade places.
Cronulla has offered William Kennedy one-year pay-cut extensions in recent seasons; he, Briton Nikora and Teig Wilton are testing the market. Kennedy has been linked with Super League and the Perth Bears.