One is the heir apparent to the current club captain, the other was Player of the Year in 2016 and a major reason the Sharks were able to hoist the NRL trophy in recording a Grand Final victory last year.

In a big boost for the both the current season and for the years to come, key forwards Wade Graham and Matt Prior today signed new contracts with the Cronulla club.

For Graham his new deal sees his contract extended for another two years, through until the end of 2019, while Prior has agreed to a three-year extension.

Graham began his Sharks career in 2011 and has long been labelled as the club captain-in-waiting, with his consistently strong form rewarded last year with a debut appearance in the NSW team for game three of the State of Origin series.

As for Prior, the lanky prop forward came into his own in 2016 with a series of outstanding performances, highlighted by a man of the match effort in the Sharks semi-final victory over the Raiders in Canberra.

At 29 Prior's best football seems to still be in front of him with the new three-year contract potentially seeing him remain with the Sharks for the rest of his career.

Prior has played 60 games for the Sharks, 180 NRL games in total and has won two premiership rings, one with the Sharks and the other with the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2010.

While still just 26 years of age, Graham has already amassed 140 games for the Sharks, 182 in the NRL and is rated amongst the best back rowers in the game.

The pair signed their new contracts today following the Sharks Captains run and will both take their place in the team to play the Eels at ANZ Stadium tomorrow.