After it was sensationally reported that the Cronulla Sharks had given star centre Jesse Ramien permission to negotiate with rival clubs before the November 1 free agency period, a shock contender has suddenly emerged for his services.
According to multiple reports, the North Queensland Cowboys have made inquiries about the Sharks’ star centre as they look to bolster their backline ahead of the 2027 season.
The 28-year-old has impressed across 153 games for the Sharks and is an established Indigenous All Stars representative with known tackle-breaking ability and experience that several clubs could desperately covet.
The Cowboys have a history of interest in Ramien, first chasing the centre back in 2019, but he chose to remain with Newcastle before returning to Cronulla in 2020.
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Ramien is off-contract at the end of the season, and with the Sharks giving him permission before November to seek out other clubs for contract extensions, it has become clear the powerful centre could be a salary cap casualty in the Shire.
No formal offer has been made yet, but the Cowboys are reportedly open to bringing Ramien to Townsville at the right price, with his current contract reported to be around the $500,000 mark.
Ramien’s manager, Trevor Conroy, said the centre is one of the most professional players in the NRL, rarely gets injured, and maintains peak performance through diligent preparation, showing his experience and veteran professionalism.
A move to North Queensland would give the Cowboys a proven, hard-running centre to strengthen their three-quarter stocks ahead of 2027. But with the Sharks in a salary cap squeeze in recent years, and fullback Will Kennedy also only having a one-year extension currently, it may very well be the Sharks entertain an early release.
What could also complicate matters, however, is the recent ACL injury to winger Ronaldo Mulitali, who will now miss much of the 2026 season.
That injury will likely see either Sam Stonestreet or Maweni Hiroti slot onto the wing, with both being possible centre replacements for Ramien if he were to depart.
Either way, whether it is 2026 or 2027, it seems the salary cap has taken a bite out of the Sharks, and Ramien will likely be the first casualty.