Local Sutherland Shire product Mitch Brown makes a welcome return to familiar territory in 2015 after signing a new two-year contract with the Cronulla Sharks.

A Gymea Gorillas junior and a member of the Sharks NRL squad from 2006 until 2009, the acquisition of Brown adds experience and quality to the clubs backline depth for the next two seasons.

The new deal sees him join the Sharks for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

Still only 26 years of age, Brown already has 121 NRL games to his name and is set to provide versatility and try-scoring ability. If needed he can play a number of roles, with Brown having been used primarily on the wing but also at fullback and centre for the Bulldogs over the past two years.

Brown played 24 of 25 games in the top grade for the Bulldogs in 2013 and despite a couple of niggling injuries has missed just four NRL games during the first 22 rounds of the 2014 season.

After debuting in the NRL for the Sharks as a 19-year-old back in 2006 Brown played 41 games for the Cronulla club over four years. He came through the Sharks junior system where he represented at Matthews Cup, SG Ball and Jersey Flegg level and while a student at Endeavour Sports High School also represented the Australian Schoolboys in 2005.

Brown left the Sharks for the Wests Tigers in 2010 before joining the Bulldogs in 2013.

He joins Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis as a significant addition to the Sharks playing roster in 2015.

Read more at Sharks.com.au