Josh Schuster could soon be in line for an NRL return, revealing he has dropped 33kg and is eyeing off a contract for next season.
The 25-year-old hasn't played first grade in two years after leaving Manly and joining the Rabbitohs, where he failed to feature under Wayne Bennett.
Schuster burst onto the scene as a teenager and looked to be one of the game's next big things, but was unable to reach his potential after signing a lucrative $800,000-a-season contract with the Sea Eagles that ended prematurely.
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The talented utility took a hiatus from rugby league last year after his brief South Sydney lifeline, but is now on the comeback trail after showing off his slimmed-down 97kg figure during an interview with The Bye Round podcast earlier this week.
"I'm training so hard to get ready for a pre-season opportunity. My goal is to get back into the NRL for next year," the Samoan international said.
"I'm overtraining a bit, I need to relax but I'm so keen to get back and prove I can do it.
"I've done a lot of self reflection, a lot of character building the last few months and just realising how good I had it. Coming straight from high school into the NRL system and having everything thrown at me and not knowing anything else … I was too comfortable from the moment I made my first grade debut and it went downhill (from there).
"I think everything started to fall down … I definitely lost myself."
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He also confirmed his management had already been in contact with two clubs, while reports from News Corp have linked him with an unnamed Sydney team.
Any contract for Schuster would likely be a train-and-trial, which could make it worth the risk for a number of teams in need of some X-factor in the halves or forwards.
Schuster came through the junior ranks as a five-eighth, but actually played his best football in the top grade as an edge forward during Manly's brilliant 2021 season. The Sea Eagles made the preliminary finals and lost to the Rabbitohs that year.
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In terms of clubs needing potential five-eighths, Parramatta would be the most obvious given Jonah Pezet will leave to join the Broncos and young gun Lorenzo Talataina is still learning his craft and is seen as a long-term option for the blue and gold outfit.
He would present a different type of partner for Mitchell Moses and would allow the Eels captain to play both sides of the ruck, with Schuster as a runner and second-receiver.
St George Illawarra have also had some well-documented issues in the halves, but with the club investing heavily in Kade Reed and Daniel Atkinson long-term, with Lyhkan King-Togia also waiting in the wings, Schuster would probably be behind the eight-ball.
A potential reunion with the Bunnies isn't fully out of the question either, with the club's halves situation fluid for 2027 and beyond with Cody Walker and Jamie Humphreys both unsigned and the jury still out on Ashton Ward, Jonah Glover and Jayden Sullivan.
"At my fittest, I would definitely say [I want to play] five-eighth … that is my favourite position of all of them," Schuster said.
While he always wanted to play in the halves, Schuster could perhaps be better suited in the modern game as a ball-playing lock, especially with his now leaner frame – despite admitting during the interview that he "doesn't see himself" in that position.
Perhaps the club who could utilise his skillset in the middle would be the Sea Eagles, with their current lock Jake Trbojevic still weighing up his future for 2027.
Canterbury have utilised smaller No.13s in recent times and could look to give Schuster a lifeline, while the Sharks are expected to part ways with Cameron McInnes at season's end and could be in the market for a bargain buy player like Schuster.
He would also be a perfect bench utility, which could make him attractive for a number of teams looking to add some spark. There's also no reason why he couldn't land at somewhere like the Panthers or Roosters, who would be more chance of getting the best out of Schuster's talents with good coaching and players around him.
Expansion teams Perth and PNG could also look at Schuster, but it's unlikely he would leave Sydney after getting his life back on track during his time away from footy.
While there are certainly no guarantees he will ever reach the potential many expected, Schuster is clearly ready for another crack in the NRL and the risk-reward ratio is at a level that surely makes sense for clubs to explore ahead of next year.
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