The Sharks have bolstered their playing roster for the final rounds of the 2021 season with the signing of former Titans and Raiders forward Kai O’Donnell.
A back rower/lock, the Brisbane born O'Donnell moved to Airlie Beach and played his junior rugby league in Proserpine, was then in the Cowboys junior development system before being signed by the Titans and moving to the Gold Coast and the Palm Beach Currumbin High School.
In 2018, O'Donnell made his senior rugby league debut for the Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup, then at the start of the 2019 season was a member of the Gold Coast Titans squad in a pre-season trial match against the North Queensland Cowboys.
In April of 2019 he made a move to the Raiders, playing in their under-20’s Jersey Flegg side, O’Donnell starting at second-row in Canberra's Grand Final loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
O’Donnell travelled to Perth as a member of the Raiders' NRL Nines squad early in 2020, before making his NRL debut in round nine in a match against the Melbourne Storm.
He would play four games during that 2020 season, one of those coming in round 20 against the Sharks where he scored his first try in the top grade during a 38-28 Raiders victory.
Released by the Raiders mid way through the 2021 season, O'Donnell joined Queensland Cup team the Mackay Cutters, playing just one game before the recent competition disruptions.
The 22-year-old O’Donnell came into the Sharks Queensland bubble on Sunday and will be in line to be included in their 21-man squad to play the Newcastle Knights this weekend.
His contract is for the remainder of the 2021 season.
