Retirement-bound Cronulla captain Paul Gallen has revealed he was offered double his pay to leave his beloved Sharks for Newcastle last season.

Preparing for his final home NRL match on Sunday after 19 seasons as a one-club player, 38-year-old Gallen said he was “very, very close” to leaving for Manly twice, in 2007 and 2010.

He had also knocked back a huge offer to join Nathan Brown’s Knights.

“Probably the biggest contract of my career was offered to me to go play for Newcastle in 2018,” Gallen said.

“I would have earnt more money in that season than I did my past two.”

He said playing his entire career for the one club was the thing he was most proud of in his career.