Sharks 2025 preview: Fonua-Blake turns title hopes real

Cronulla come into 2025 as a dark horse among the premiership heavyweights, especially with the Craig Fitzgibbon and the club basically only upgrading their playing roster with one of the game’s best.

The Sharks last year finished fourth, one game away from the grand final (and, like many, they were stopped by the title-bound Panthers) and there’s no reason to think they won’t get better.

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The biggest upside for the Sharkies is that Addin Fonua-Blake looks like the missing piece of the puzzle. As a monster metre eater and a hard-running prop, “AFB” could genuinely be the premiership signing Fitzgibbon and the Sharks needed for their ’25 campaign.

There are some question marks though; while the two top faves, the Panthers and the Storm, boast leading halfbacks that break games with ease in Nathan Cleary and Jahrome Hughes, we saw Nicho Hynes melt under State of Origin and title-fight pressure last season. If he can keep his cool, the Sharks could be smokeys for the throne.

Round 1 side: 1. Will Kennedy 2. Sam Stonestreet 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 Bench: 14. Daniel Atkinson 15 Siosifa Talakai 16. Thomas Hazelton 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele

Coach: Craig Fitzgibbon (fourth year)

Biggest loss: Royce Hunt Biggest gain: Addin Fonua-Blake

First five: Panthers (Las Vegas), Cowboys (A), Rabbitohs (H), Bulldogs (H), Raiders (A)

Last year’s finish: 4th

Predicted 2025 finish: 3rd

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TopSport odds: Premiers: $10, Top 4: $2.80, Final 8: $1.45, Most Losses: $46