League: Townsend confirms end of season departure

Chad Townsend will not be returning to the New Zealand Warriors next season. Photo / Getty Images

Chad Townsend has confirmed he will not be re-signing with the New Zealand Warriors at the end of the 2015 National Rugby League season.

Townsend confirmed he has informed the Warriors he won't be re-signing due to personal reasons and wants to return home to Sydney.

The five-eighth says he's in no rush to decide which Sydney club he'll sign with when his contract finishes up at the end of the season.

The former Cronulla playmaker has already been linked with a return to the Shire, although Manly are also scouring the market to replace outgoing halves Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans.

"Due to some personal circumstances, I've gone to the club and told them my priority would be to move back to Sydney," he said.

"I'm just trying to work that at the moment. I'm not sure where yet, so hopefully I've got something sorted in the next couple of weeks."

After playing just 19 games over three years with the Sharks, Townsend moved across the ditch last season on a two-year deal where he has flourished alongside Warriors star Shaun Johnson.

But now the 24-year-old said circumstances required him to move back home.

"The reasons for me moving back aren't footy reasons," he said.

"I've loved my time in New Zealand and the Warriors have been awesome.

"We've got a really good bunch of blokes and a real good playing roster.

"But my life outside of football had some changes and I had to adapt to that."

Townsend played a pivotal role in Saturday night's thrilling 17-13 win over Parramatta, slotting over a clutch field goal late in the game that almost won the match.

However, Eels halfback Luke Kelly sent the game into overtime with a one-pointer of his own before the Warriors prevailed on a Bodene Thompson golden point try.

It was the Warriors' second straight win after a similarly thrilling finish against the Sharks last week.

"Warriors aren't really known for winning those tough grinding wins," Townsend said.

"For us to do two weeks (in) a row of that is pretty special.

"We identified these two away games going into a bye as big for our season.

"To get two from two is massive for us."

- AAP