Chad Townsend has extended his contract at the Sharks for a further three years the club announced on Friday.
A local junior from the Yarrawarrah Tigers and an integral member of the Sharks Premiership winning team of 2016, Townsend will remain at the Sharks through until the end of the 2020 season, with his signing another step towards locking up the majority of the players that helped secure the Sharks first NRL title.
In confirming the signing, Sharks coach Shane Flanagan was confident Townsend would continue to develop and to play a major role in his team over the next three years.
"Chad is a local junior, a member of our premiership winning team and a very important member of our side. While James Maloney and Chad are different types of players, they work really well together and Chad is still relatively young and has some of his best football in front of him," Flanagan said.
"We’re pleased he has re-signed and look forward to him continuing his improvement and development over the next few years."
After coming through the junior ranks at the Sharks Townsend debuted in the NRL back in 2011, played two more years at the Cronulla club before shifting to the Warriors in 2014 in search of opportunity.
Arriving back in the Sutherland Shire in 2016, Townsend slotted straight into the halfback role and was one of the key reasons the Sharks managed to claim their maiden NRL crown.
"On the back of last year and what it meant to the fans, members and to the community, to represent this club and to be from this area is something I hold very close to my heart," Townsend said.
"I’m very happy to secure my future for the next three years and excited to be a part of the club moving forward."
Townsend has now played 94 NRL games, 53 for the Sharks in his six-year NRL career.
