Recently retired Cronulla captain Paul Gallen is happy to see Valentine Holmes back in the NRL, but is still frustrated about how Holmes left the Sharks.
Holmes left Australia to give the NFL a crack, and played four pre-season matches for the New York Jets.
The 24-year-old didn't make the 53-man roster though, and will be ineligible to take the field this season.
Holmes has been strongly linked to a move to the North Queensland Cowboys, who have reportedly saved a huge amount of money in their salary cap for him.
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Gallen, who played alongside Holmes for five seasons in the Shire, is happy Holmes is back in the game, but says the way he left still leaves a bitter taste.
"This one frustrated me in the first place, and I was quite critical of how it all happened the way he left Cronulla," Gallen said on Sports Sunday on Channel Nine.
"(He) left us in the lurch a little bit.
"He left to chase his dream, which is fine. He would've picked up another few endorsements along the way, but then to get the guarantee to return to the NRL on a million dollar salary - that's what frustrated me.
"There's no compensation for Cronulla there.
"Me, personally, I like Val. I never said anything that I didn't ring Val and tell him first.
"I'm glad he's back in the NRL, he's great for the NRL. Kids love him - absolutely love him - he's an asset to the game.
"He'll be back in the NRL, I think probably at the Cowboys - it makes sense. He's from up that way, his family's up that way, his wife's from up that way, so I'm pretty sure he'll be back at the Cowboys next year.
"I'm frustrated with what happened for Cronulla, but I'm glad to see him back."
Gallen also said there might be an adjustment period for Holmes coming back to rugby league.
"The question that I have, is Val was the best winger in the world - no doubt about it," he said.
"He played fullback for Cronulla, and he became a very, very good fullback in the back end of his last year.
"We saw Jarryd Hayne come back from the NFL and Jarryd Hayne was never the same.
"Twelve months out of the game is a long time. Val's only 23, 24 years old, he's probably got age on his side to develop those skills again.
"But I think to come back and play fullback his very first year back, I think it's going to take a little bit of time to step back into that role.
"I don't think it's going to be seamless.
"The fullback position in the NRL these days, there's so much running involved."
