Sharks to meet with Holmes over NFL talk

Cronulla chief executive Barry Russell will meet with star fullback Valentine Holmes to discuss a proposed move to the United States to try and secure an NFL contract.

After Sydney newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported Holmes wanted out of the NRL on Monday afternoon, the Sharks issued a statement saying the pair will meet.

Holmes still has another year to run on his Sharks contract and has been strongly linked with a shift to North Queensland for 2020 and beyond.

However, he has previously expressed interest in trying his hand at NFL after returning from a trip to the United States following Australia's Tests against New Zealand and Tonga in Auckland.

The 23-year-old underwent testing from NFL scouts in 2016, along with Cowboys superstar Jason Taumalolo, and he is understood to have again taken part in trials on a recent US holiday.

Holmes and Taumalolo are managed by brothers Chris and Gavin Orr, who this year helped former South Sydney junior Jordan Mailata land an NFL deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The loss of Holmes would be a massive blow for Cronulla as he was the club's 2018 player of the year and scored 22 tries in 26 matches for the Sharks.

Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan would be reluctant to let Holmes go next season as finding a suitable replacement for next season will be a difficult task.