Cronulla have lost a second local junior to a rival NRL club in as many weeks with Jayden Brailey to leave the Sharks to join Newcastle.
Brailey was granted a release from the final year of his contract with Cronulla to seal a three-year deal with the Knights starting in 2020.
The 23-year-old has already played 62 NRL games in the black, white and blue.
But Brailey's younger brother Blayke - also a talented hooker - was signed to a three-year contract extension at Cronulla in April and looks to be coach John Morris' long-term No.9, with Jayden allowed to explore interest from other clubs.
An Aquinas Colts junior, Brailey came through Cronulla's junior academy and development system. The Sharks said in a statement they felt "obliged" to grant Brailey a release to take up his deal in Newcastle where he will join former Sharks teammates Jesse Ramien and Edrick Lee.
The loss of Brailey follows the departure of talented young halfback Kyle Flanagan, who was also granted a release from his Cronulla contract to join the Sydney Roosters next season.
Brailey made his debut for the Sharks in the 2017 World Club Challenge final against Wigan after replacing premiership-winning hooker Michael Ennis. He had been named the player of the year from the 2016 under-20s competition the previous season.
Brailey said he was disappointed to be leaving his boyhood club.
"It's always been a dream of mine to be playing for my junior club since I was a young kid and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunities they have given me," he said.
"I have so many fond memories as well as mates here that will last a life time."
Sharks general manager of football Phil Moss indicated salary cap pressure was also part of the club's decision to allow Brailey to leave.
"The fact that we recently signed another hooker, extending the contract of his brother Blayke, meant salary cap pressures due to fines levelled against us for previous breeches would have made it almost impossible to offer Jayden a suitable contract going forward," he said.
"The fact that he could secure this opportunity elsewhere resulted in us granting his release request for 2020.
"Jayden has been, and for the remainder of this season will continued to be, a valued member of our club and while he will be missed and we are disappointed to see him moving on, we understand his reasons and wish him well."
Knights coach Nathan Brown was excited to have Brailey on board.
"He's an 80-minute hooker and a team player, who has a great understanding of the game," Brown said.
