Read, who hails from the South Auckland region and played his junior rugby with the Drury club, retired from the international game after last year's World Cup.
The 128-test All Black then signed on with Toyota Verblitz in Japan's Top League. He will play another season there in 2021 but before returning overseas has agreed to terms with the Steelers - a team he supported growing up.
"While I played a lot of my representative rugby in Christchurch, my roots will always be in Counties Manukau," the former Rosehill College student said.