Cronulla co-captain Dale Finucane is expected to announce his retirement from the NRL at a snap press conference.
The Sharks have announced the 32-year-old forward will front the media at 12pm on Tuesday (AEST) alongside coach Craig Fitzgibbon.
The dual-premiership winner is contracted at the Sharks until the end of 2025 but has been scuppered by injuries in recent times.
He missed the end of the 2023 season with a torn bicep and fractured his eye socket earlier this season, restricting him to only three games so far.
Finucane has returned to full contact training but was not selected in the Sharks’ side to face North Queensland in round seven.
He has played 251 first-grade games, with the Sharks celebrating his 250th appearance in their round-two win over Canterbury in March.
Finucane has played five State of Origin games for NSW and has also represented Canterbury and Melbourne, with whom he won the 2017 and 2020 premierships.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy and Dale Finucane of the Storm pose with the JJ Giltinan Shield in 2021. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The Sharks are well stocked with middle forwards with Braden Hamlin-Uele, Toby Rudolf, Jack Williams, Oregon Kaufusi and Cameron McInnes providing plenty of experience along with younger options like Jesse Colquhoun, Tom Hazelton and Tuku Hau Tapuha.
However, Finucane’s departure is still a major blow for the competition leaders as they try to add a second premiership to the club’s trophy cabinet after their 2016 success.
They thrashed the Cowboys last weekend and are red-hot favourites to topple the Raiders in Canberra this Sunday.
with AAP