Returning Cronulla Shark Chad Townsend has revealed to The Daily Telegraph that he had known since round 2 this year that he would be returning to Sydney and with good reason.

“The (Warriors) had an option in their favour, but I went to the coach after round two and had a chat, and said my partner (Marissa) and I would like to move back to Sydney, with the main reason being my partner’s mother has bowel cancer,” Towsend said.

“She’s had countless operations and she gets infections and quite sick. She only had another operation last week.

“My partner was going back and forth quite a bit, which wasn’t ideal, and I was honest with the club and said, ‘”I’d love to move back home to be closer to her family’.

“I was never homesick, but it was the chance to be back around the family and a familiar environment.’’

Meanwhile new Gold Coast recruit Zeb Taia says he can still compete at NRL level after returning from Catalans in the Super League.

“I’ve got to step my game up in the leadership role. I’ve been in the Super League for three seasons and had just under seven years at Newcastle,” Taia told nrl.com.

“When I left Newcastle I wouldn’t say I was a leader but more an experienced campaigner who knows what’s expected to play in the NRL and now I need to step it up and help the young guys that are coming through.

“I still watched a lot of the NRL and I was always thinking to myself that I could still play in the NRL.

“I might be ageing a bit but I still think I have what it takes to come back and play and that was the reason first and foremost.”