Sharks duo sign with Cowboys as key Cowboy squeezed out

The North Queensland Cowboys have landed a double blow to the Sharks on the recruitment front, with Cronulla stars Jesse Ramien and Sione Katoa set to make the move to Townsville from 2027.

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The experienced Sharks duo have agreed to terms with the Cowboys on two-year deals, giving North Queensland a major boost to their outside backs as the club looks to strengthen its roster around its emerging core of stars.

Ramien arrives as a veteran centre who has built a reputation across the past decade as one of the game’s most damaging edge runners.

The powerful outside back has played more than 170 NRL games across stints with both the Knights and Sharks, becoming a key figure in Cronulla’s resurgence over recent seasons.

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Katoa has meanwhile developed into one of the competition’s elite finishing wingers, consistently ranking among the NRL’s leading try scorers while forming a lethal combination alongside Ramien on Cronulla’s right edge.

Since debuting for the Sharks in 2018, the Tongan international has scored more than 80 tries in the NRL and established himself as one of Cronulla’s most reliable attacking weapons, as well as a modern-day winger capable of producing huge yardage carries through his enormous work rate.

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While the move is primarily centred around the Sharks duo, reports suggest the arrivals are also likely to spell the end of Murray Taulagi’s time in North Queensland beyond his current contract, with the former Maroons representative heavily linked to a move to the Sydney Roosters.

The signings also continue what is shaping as a period of significant roster turnover at Cronulla, with several players now departing, including inspirational skipper Cam McInnes.

It will be fascinating to see how both clubs develop, with the Sharks facing the prospect of relying on several younger players to fill key gaps from 2027, while the Cowboys will need to ensure their major youth movement blends effectively with experienced additions such as the Sharks duo.

Either way, both clubs have enjoyed relatively stable core rosters for several years but now appear set to enter a new era from 2027 onwards.

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