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As part of a series profiling the expected Round 1 sides for all 17 NRL clubs in 2025, the Sharks have beefed up their pack in a bid to make the leap.
Cronulla are entering the 2025 season with their best chance of winning the competition since their 2016 breakthrough victory over Melbourne.
The Sharks have managed to retain the nucleus of last year’s team which made the final four and pushed Penrith most of the way in their preliminary final loss.
But the biggest reason for optimism is the arrival of Addin Fonua-Blake from the Warriors to give them the forward leader who can rack up plenty of metres in the middle to lay the platform for their talented halves and speedy outside backs.
Coach Craig Fitzgibbon has been able to mould the roster well in the past few years while also developing younger prospects like Blayke Brailey, Brayden Trindall, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Teig Wilton.
The Sharks are one of four teams who will head to Las Vegas at the end of February to kick off the season when they take on premiers Penrith.
Optimism is high in the Sutherland Shire that after making the finals in the first three years under Fitzgibbon, they can get back into a premiership decider.
There is only one significant recruit for Cronulla but Fonua-Blake is just what they have been lacking.
Cronulla’s pack has been solid over the past few seasons without ever being dominant and with the addition of the 29-year-old Tongan international they have someone who can get them on a roll in attack and muscle up against the biggest boppers in the NRL.
They have also added Hohepa Puru from the Canberra Raiders as a bench forward option although he is unlikely to be in the line-up for Round 1.
(Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
The Sharks have lost a couple of their regular forwards in the off-season.
Jack Williams has switched to Parramatta in search of greater opportunities after primarily being used as a bench forward at the Sharks.
Samoan international Royce Hunt has taken up a lucrative offer from the Wests Tigers. Hunt was a game-breaker off the bench on several occasions for the Sharks last year and they will miss the impact that he delivered in short spurts.
They have also suffered a blow for 2026 with young playmaker Daniel Atkinson on his way to traditional rivals St George Illawarra.
Cronulla’s line-up is probably the most settled in the NRL.
Fitzgibbon made a tactical switch midway through last year by elevating Kayal Iro to centre and moving Siosifa Talakai to the bench.
Talakai is likely to retain that impact role this season.
Atkinson showed when given the opportunity last year that he is ready to be a starting half in the NRL.
But with Nicho Hoyes and Trindall the first-choice halves, Atkinson is likely to be used as a super sub off the bench.
Fonua-Blake will be one starting prop with Toby Rudolf, Oregon Kaufusi, Braden Hamlin-Uele and Tom Hazelton in contention to be his front-row partner.
1 Will Kennedy
2 Sione Katoa
3 Jesse Ramien
4 Kayal Iro
5 Ronaldo Mulitalo
6 Braydon Trindall
7 Nicho Hynes
8 Addin Fonua-Blake
9 Blayke Brailey
10 Oregon Kaufusi
11 Briton Nikora
12 Teig Wilton
13 Cameron McInnes
Interchange
14 Dan Atkinson
15 Toby Rudolf
16 Siosifa Talakai
17 Tom Hazelton
Other squad members: Braeden Hamlin-Uele, Tukupa Hau Tapua, Billy Burns, Jayden Berrell, Jesse Colquhoun, Hohepa Puru, Kade Dykes, Mawene Hiroti, Liam Ison, Niwhai Puru, Sam Stonestreet
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