Sharks' Covell could call time on career
Veteran Cronulla winger Luke Covell could call time on his NRL career at the end of the season if he is unable to agree a new deal with the club, his manager has revealed.
The 28-year-old returned to action last month, just four months after undergoing Ligament Augmentation and Reconstructive System (LARS) surgery for a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Covell is off contract in October and although his manager Steve Gillis said provisional discussions have been held with the Sharks, the former New Zealand international will decide whether or not to play on at the end of the season.
"We're still plodding along, he just wants to see how he goes over the next three or four weeks before he decides if he wants to keep playing or not," Gillis told AAP.
"If things are going well and he can keep playing well we will maybe look at another year, but we need to see how things unfold in the next couple of weeks."
The goalkicking winger, who has been selected in the side to play the Warriors on Saturday, returned to action last month - a scenario that seemed unlikely when he snapped his ACL against Parramatta in round four.
Gillis said he hasn't started shopping Covell around to other NRL clubs just yet and ruled out any return to the Wests Tigers, who have struggled with their kicking this season, or to the English Super League.
"He has already had a stint at the Tigers so that isn't going to happen and a move to Super League is highly unlikely," he said.
"Cronulla have spoken to him and they just want to see how he goes and he wants to do the same, there are some positive signs but he is not getting younger so it's a case of just waiting."
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said Covell's form since returning has not been as sharp as he would like, but would allow him to make the final decision on his future.
"Luke is a great professional and someone I have a lot of time for but he's slowly getting back to his best form after an uncertain start," Flanagan said.
"That is understandable due to the operation he had, but a player knows his body and whether or not he can go through a full NRL pre-season.
"If he comes up to me and says he wants to play on we will sit down and see what we can do."
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