North Queensland Cowboys General Manager of Football Michael Luck has confirmed veteran Chad Townsend has not been offered a new contract at the Townsville club.

Townsend will reportedly return to Sydney to finish his career.

“Chad is a champion bloke, he is so professional and he understands how this game works,” Luck told The Courier Mail.

“We told Chad last week that there would be nothing here for him unfortunately with the salary cap.

“We brought him here for three years to do a job and he has a chance to finish on a really good note.”

Townsend won a premiership with Cronulla in 2016.