Cherrington fills a vacancy

CONTRACTED: Northlander Manaia Cherrington, here making a tackle on former Warrior Jeff Robson, has signed a one-year deal with the Cronulla Sharks. PHOTO/PHOTOSPORT.NZ

NRL heavyweights Cronulla Sharks have looked to a player born in Whangarei to fill the void at hooker for next season.

Wests Tigers rake Manaia Cherrington has inked a one-year deal with the New South Wales club for 2017.

The 21-year-old will likely become the Sharks' first choice at hooker, despite spending the majority of the current NRL season in the NSW Cup.

Cherrington has been unhappy for most of the season at Concord, believing controversial coach Jason Taylor has not fulfilled an off-season promise to give him a decent crack at first grade.

He was dropped in April and hasn't figured in NRL calculations since.

Cherrington is looking forward to getting to the Shire.

"The boys here at the Sharks are going really well. It's exciting times and I can't wait to be a part of it," he said.

He will come in to replace current Sharks hooker Michael Ennis, after the 32-year-old rake surprisingly announced his retirement for the end of the 2016 season.

Cherrington's decision to move to the Sharks will have serious implications for the Tigers' quickly deteriorating hooker stocks.

Wests Tigers were the envy of the NRL in terms of hooking options at the start of the year with NSW rep Robbie Farah, Cherrington, NRL champion Matt Ballin, Dene Halatau and highly-rated youngster Jacob Liddle.

Now they are looking very thin.

Embattled club legend Farah hasn't been able to crack the Tigers' 17, despite strong showings for the NSW State of Origin side, Ballin has had two knee reconstructions in the last two years, and Halatau has announced his retirement at season's end.

The club had hoped to use the back half of the season to give game time to 19-year-old Liddle, however that plan was scuppered because of second tier salary cap restraints.

Renowned as a dynamic player out of dummy half, Cherrington made his debut for the Tigers last season in round 13.

Cherrington was named at hooker for the National Youth Competition team of the year for 2014, and captained the Junior Kiwis. He was picked in New Zealand's train-on squad for last year's tour of England.