Josh Schuster Shed 33kg In Bid For 2027 NRL Return

Josh Schuster has shed 33kg and is targeting a return to the NRL in 2027. The former Manly and Souths player says he wants another shot after being out of the competition since 2024.

Josh Schuster and the 33kg shift

Schuster said he is back to the weight he was when he burst onto the scene in 2020 as a 19-year-old. That is the clearest sign of how much has changed since Manly let him go in April 2024 after he had been on $800,000 a year at the club.

He also said, “I’m training so hard to get ready for a pre-season opportunity. My goal is to get back into the NRL for next year,” and added, “I’m overtraining a bit, I need to relax but I’m so keen to get back and prove I can do it.”

Benji Marshall’s early praise

When Schuster first broke through in 2020, Benji Marshall labelled him “the best I’ve seen.” That early endorsement is part of why his current push carries more weight than a routine comeback attempt; he is trying to regain a place in first grade after a year that included an indefinite break from the game for mental health reasons.

He linked up with Souths last season and was released at the end of the campaign. Schuster has not played in the NRL since 2024, so the size of the turnaround is as important as the target itself.

Clubs watching November

His manager is in talks with a few clubs, and at least two are potentially interested in a train-and-trial deal for next off-season beginning in November. That gives Schuster a possible route back into an NRL environment before the 2027 goal he has set.

For now, the story is simple: the weight has come off, the body has changed, and clubs are circling. The next step for Schuster is turning that work into a contract that puts him back on an NRL field.