NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 16: Daniel Atkinson of Italy looks on during Rugby League World Cup 2021 Pool B match between Scotland and Italy at Kingston Park on October 16, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images for RLWC)
The Cronulla Sharks are believed to have secured the signature of Italian representative and former Melbourne Storm utility Daniel Atkinson.
Atkinson was spotted at Sharks training earlier this week, and News Corp are reporting the deal is done.
Great spot by @PWarnie87
Cronulla picked up Italian halfback Dan Atkinson pic.twitter.com/k1AyXaDg9T
— Just Terry (@SharksObsessed) February 1, 2023
The 22-year-old played a single game for the Storm in his NRL debut during 2021, but didn’t hold a contract with the top 30 at the club in 2022.
He instead plied his trade in the QLD Cup for the Sunshine Coast Falcons – who are a feeder team for the Storm, and will continue to be so in 2023 despite the addition of the nearby Dolphins to the NRL.
While Atkinson mainly played halfback for the Falcons in 2022, he is a genuine backline utility. Standing at 185 centimetres tall and weighing in at 91 kilograms, Atkinson can play five-eighth, centre and fullback in addition to the number seven.
In his 20 appearances for the Falcons last year, the club won 14 games, with Atkinson having 12 try involvements, over 150 kicking metres per game, 8 forced drop outs and almost 70 running metres per game.
He joins the club amidst major depth issues in the spine, with the Sharks allowing rugby sevens convert Lachlan Miller to exit to the Newcastle Knights this week on an early release.
On the same day of the news regarding Miller’s release to the Hunter, young gun Kade Dykes – who took over as the second option to play fullback – tore his ACL which has ended his season before it commences.
That has left the Sharks scrambling, with another young gun in Kayal Iro left to back-up Will Kennedy, while the other options will include breaking up a successful halves pairing of Nicho Hynes and Matt Moylan if injury hits Kennedy.
It’s unclear whether Atkinson’s deal is Top 30 or development, with the three-time Italian representative playing for the country at the World Cup, which was held in England at the back end of last year.
Source:: ZeroTackle
