Jack Bird re-signs with Cronulla

Cronulla have officially won a tug of war over NRL young gun Jack Bird.

The NRL Rookie of the Year has resisted the temptation to return to former club St George Illawarra, re-signing with the Sharks until the end of 2017.

Bird, 20, had agonised over the decision in recent months.

He was a revelation as Sharks pivot in his NRL debut year, helping Cronulla make the 2015 semi-finals and also earned Country Origin honours.

But it is believed Bird was tempted by a lucrative offer to return in 2017 to the Dragons where he was groomed through their under 20s system, earning Junior Kangaroos honours.

Another factor was the arrival at Cronulla of James Maloney and Chad Townsend who look set to bump Bird out of the Sharks halves in 2016.

However, Cronulla announced on Friday Bird had agreed to new terms for this season and a 12-month extension into 2017.

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