“To be honest, there were aspects of it where it was hard and not hard,” he said.

“I feel like when you know, you know, and I feel like that my time is now.

“I’ve given this game everything I’ve had for the last 15 years, and I feel like I don’t want to play any more next season, and that’s a really comforting thought for me.

“I got told by an ex-teammate of mine that when you know, you know, and I’m very grateful that I’m in that position that I know.”

Townsend said his plan is “definitely to stay involved in the game”, either in the media or as a coach.

He had many fond memories and career highlights, but winning a premiership with the Sharks was the pinnacle.

“I grew up in the Shire,” he said.

“I was a Sharks fan. I had my Sharks flag on the hill. I got a photo of ET [Sharks legend Andrew Ettingshausen] signing a shirt of mine in the sheds.”

Fonua-Blake had given up on Origin. Now there’s a glimmer of hope

He resigned himself long ago to never being able to play State of Origin, but if the goalposts were to shift suddenly, Addin Fonua-Blake would love to have a shot.

Fonua-Blake, the Cronulla and Tongan international front-rower, is one of a handful of players likely to be impacted by a landmark ARL Commission proposal to change Origin eligibility rules.

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys confirmed last week that he was considering an overhaul of Origin qualification criteria, specifically so that NSW and Queensland players have an opportunity to represent tier-one nations other than Australia.

Under the current rules, players such as Jarome Luai, Stephen Crichton and Brian To’o are able to represent their states as well as playing internationally for a tier-two nation, in their case Samoa.

Players are not permitted to play Origin if they align themselves with tier-one nations New Zealand and England.

Fonua-Blake, who was born in Sydney and played his junior football with Mascot Jets, cost himself any chance of Origin selection when he accepted a position in New Zealand’s 2017 World Cup squad, playing one game off the bench in a 74-6 hammering of Scotland.

He has since changed his allegiance from the Kiwis to tier-two Tonga, whom he captained at the Pacific Championships last year.

And while Fonua-Blake insists he has no regrets about the momentous decision he made as a 21-year-old, he would be open to the prospect of pulling on a sky-blue jersey.

“Oh look, at the moment if the opportunity comes along and I’m good enough to make the team, then yeah, obviously I’d welcome the idea,” he said.

“But right now, I’m just focused on the Sharks. Either way, if they keep the rules, change the rules, they’ll do as they see fit. All that is outside my control.”

Fonua-Blake is at peace with his Origin exclusion, saying: “That ship sailed a long time ago for me, and I’m happy representing Tonga and playing for the Sharks.”

But he admitted to being “a bit jealous” every year when the interstate series kicked off.

“They’re probably the biggest games on the calendar and you’d love to be a part of it,” he said.

“So yeah, like I said, if the opportunity came along, I wouldn’t mind having to go in that arena and see how I go. We’ll see what happens, I guess.”

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Meanwhile, Fonua-Blake was confident an Achilles issue that hindered him during Cronulla’s 14-12 win against South Sydney on Saturday was nothing to worry about.

He still managed to carry the ball 162 metres and make 20 tackles in his 47 minutes on the field, helping Cronulla to post their third consecutive victory.

“It was an ugly win, but sometimes you’ve got to win ugly,” Fonua-Blake said.

Dragons boss locked in for three more years as recruitment guru arrives

Dan Walsh, Michael Chammas

Dragons chairman Andrew Lancaster will continue in the role for another three years following changes to the St George Illawarra constitution aimed at providing further off-field stability at the joint-venture club.

Lancaster’s lengthy extension comes at a critical juncture for the club given last Friday’s gallant loss to North Queensland has coach Shane Flanagan staring down a second successive bottom-eight finish, which would extend the Dragons’ finals drought to seven seasons.

Daniel Anderson starts as recruitment manager at St George Illawarra this week, having been lured from the Roosters, while chief executive Tim Watsford took charge of the club only in June.

Lancaster’s current three-year tenure was due to expire at the end of this season under terms agreed to following WIN Corporation’s purchase of the Steelers’ 50 per cent share in the club in 2018.

The initial privatisation agreement stipulated a new chair every 12 months on a rotational basis. Between 2018 and 2022, Andrew Gordon, Brian Johnston, Craig Young and Lancaster served in the role, before club policy was changed to guarantee a minimum three-year term for each chair.

A similar agreement has now been signed off by the St George Illawarra board. As a result, Lancaster – a member of the board at Nine Entertainment, publisher of this masthead, and WIN chief executive – is now set to remain at the Dragons helm until at least the end of 2028.

On the field, Friday’s defeat to the Cowboys was St George Illawarra’s ninth by eight points or less this season. Had the Red V won half of those tight losses, they would be among the five-team log jam scrambling for a finals spot.

Anderson will lead a revamped recruitment department at the club from Monday, with the Dragons in the market for star power up front and in the halves to complement a promising batch of emerging local juniors.
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