CHAD Townsend has thought about saying thank you to Manly’s Daly Cherry-Evans.

“Because ... if he did (sign) with Cronulla, I wouldn’t be here,’’ Townsend said.

Here, on Cronulla’s home turf of Southern Cross Group Stadium, just a few days before the Sharks’ clash with the Sea Eagles on Saturday night, is where Townsend begins chatting.

It’s the same patch of manicured Sir Walter that Cherry-Evans was shown across last year.

Cronulla’s Chad Townsend is very happy to be back in the Shire. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Corp Australia

The off-contract Manly half was wooed before the 2016 season with a tour of the club, shown the nearby $3 million-dollar waterfront homes and the sun-kissed local beaches.

Back in New Zealand, preparing for another year in the halves for the Warriors, Townsend didn’t need a sales pitch. He needed to come home. And not for the money or the beaches either.

A Cronulla local junior, the ­Yarrawarrah Tigers halfback had a dream which, while nowhere near as extravagant as Jarryd Hayne’s footballing odyssey, meant just as much to the 25-year-old.

“Before round one (last season), I sat down with the Warriors and told them about the situation with Marissa’s (Townsend’s partner) mother,’’ Townsend said.

“The Warriors had an option in their favour to keep me, but they could tell how much I needed — and Marissa needed — to get back to Sydney.’’

Gail Sorensen, Marissa’s mother, had been diagnosed with bowel cancer and living more than 2000km away in Auckland, Townsend knew that there was one thing he had to do — he had to bring Gail’s daughter home.

One night, feeling helpless and unable to process the right words to say to Gail during their long-­distance phone calls, Townsend began writing an email to Bowel Cancer Australia.

It was almost two pages long.

In the letter, Townsend told Gail’s story. He told them he was an NRL player and just wanted to do something to help. Anything.

Bowel Cancer Australia replied with an invitation for Townsend to become an ambassador for the next two years.

His social media channels are now clogged with awareness for the disease.

“It’s only a small bit from me when you consider how many people are going through a tough time,’’ Townsend said.

With Cherry-Evans knocking back the Sharks to eventually re-sign with Manly, Townsend’s return home was rubber-stamped when he secured a two-year deal with the Sharks.

He is a better player than when he left the club for the Warriors at the end of 2014, highlighted by his winning halves combination with James Maloney.

He has matured as a footballer and his attention to detail has also developed, highlighted by the notebook and pen he carries everywhere he goes.

And while the rest of us pore over Townsend’s kick metres and tackle busts, or the Sharks’ seven-match winning streak, satisfaction is something the young half measures much differently.

“Just to be able to play here, where I want to play, with the team I want to play in, with the staff I want to be coached by, everything is falling into place,’’ Townsend said.

Chad Townsend celebrates a Sharks try with teammate Luke Lewis. Source: AAP

“I’m so grateful the way things have turned out.

“Because for us to be around our families, for Marissa to see her mum in hospital ... I mean, now we can go and have dinner with her every Wednesday night. That’s the best bit about being home; to be able to be around her and to be able to go and see her and spend some time with her.

“I’ve always said it (going to New Zealand) was the best decision I ever made, but coming back it’s an even better decision.

“People say to me, ‘Oh, your name has been tossed up for Origin’ and I honestly feel, I don’t care. I’m just worried about getting these boys around the park and doing my job here to the best of my ability.’’

Last Sunday, Gail returned to hospital.

Townsend said he wasn’t sure if the supportive text messages he ­receives before and after every match from Gail would arrive before kick-off on Saturday night.

But what Townsend does have is another dream.

“She hasn’t been able to come to a game all year. My goal would be to get her to a game. Knowing Gail and how much she loves her footy, that would be great,’’ he said.