The Sharks have strengthened their depth for 2026 with the retention of clever hooker Jayden Berrell and hard-working local junior Blake Hosking.
Both players have signed one-year deals to continue their time in Cronulla’s full-time NRL training squad after standout NSW Cup campaigns.
The duo played key roles in helping the Newtown Jets – the Sharks’ feeder team – win the NSW Cup premiership in 2024, while maintaining strong form in 2025, guiding the Jets to the semi-finals despite adversity throughout the season.
Berrell has played three NRL games – all in 2024 – while Engadine Dragons product Hosking is striving for a top-grade debut after coming through the club’s pathways.
“Jayden and Blake are great clubmen and much-respected members of our NRL squad,” Sharks General Manager Football Darren Mooney said.
“They both played a big part in our success this year, keeping the starters on their toes with their commitment at training. And they continued to thrive and perform strongly for the Jets again during the 2025 season.
“We look forward to seeing Jayden and Blake develop further next year. We know they’ll do a terrific job if and when they’re given an opportunity in the NRL.”
Berrell, 30, arrived at Cronulla in 2022, playing 17 games for the Jets in his first stint in the NSW Cup competition, before claiming Newtown’s Best and Fairest award following an outstanding season in 2023.
After a long journey marked by resilience, Berrell earned his NRL debut against the North Queensland Cowboys in Round 21, 2024, then in 2025 continued his consistently high level of play in being named the Barry Vining Memorial Shield winner as the Jets Player’s Player.
“It’s awesome – Cronulla gave me the opportunity four years ago to come down and have kept me and stuck with me,” Berrell said upon re-signing.
“I’m super grateful for that. I’m really excited to be part of the crew we’ve got here – it’s such an awesome bunch of boys. It’s the best job in the world, so I’m super stoked to be doing it again for another year.”
Hosking, meanwhile, has risen through the ranks after first representing the Sharks at Harold Matthews Cup level in 2019. The tough lock/back-rower cemented himself among the best in his age class when he was crowned the club’s Jersey Flegg Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023 before graduating to the NSW Cup with Newtown.
Over the past two seasons Hosking has claimed the Jets’ Most Consistent award, both in their title-winning year of 2024 and despite battling an ankle injury which restricted him to 14 matches in 2025.
The tireless 23-year-old lock/back rower is determined to represent the Sharks at the highest level.
“It’s always been a goal of mine to make my way through the grades at Cronulla to hopefully get a debut,” Hosking said.
“This is the next stepping stone in line. I’m looking forward to learning off the boys and pushing forward.
“The club means the world to me – growing up as a boy, I went to all the games. I just want to learn off the boys, progress and keep pushing to be my best.”