2026 could be the year Cronulla finally gets over the hump and wins a premiership under coach Craig Fitzgibbon.
That is the opinion of former Roosters star Luke Keary, who has not given up hope on their premiership credentials.
Fitzgibbon has been at the helm for the Sharks since 2022 and they are yet to miss finals.
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However, in 2022 they were eliminated in straight sets. The following season they lost an elimination final by one-point to the Sydney Roosters.
Cronulla Sharks players celebrate Toby Rudolf’s try Nine
The last two years they have made preliminary finals, but have ultimately fallen short, and many experts feel they may have missed their window.
Other pundits have questioned who the game-changing player is in the Sharks squad. While many have pointed to Nicho Hynes as the one to fill that role, they are often reminded by others about his troubling history in the finals series.
But Keary is still confident they can compete at the top level with the Broncos, Storm and Panthers, despite falling short in that mix the last few years.
“I’m bullish. I’ve liked them for a number of years. I played against this exact squad a couple of years ago,” Keary told SEN.
“I just think, and there’s a lot of talk about, this might be this squad’s last one.
“But just looking through them, (2026) should be in their prime for a lot of them.
“They’ve got a very good team. Two prelims in a row, they’ve run into Melbourne and Penrith.
“I just reckon they are ripe to go. People are going to be down on them this year because they (will) think they (Cronulla) have missed their chance, they are an aging squad going backwards a little bit, (and) they have had no big additions.
“I think people are going to be down (on them) and are a little bit bored, but I reckon top four (finish), easy.”
Craig Fitzgibbon, head coach of the Sharks. Getty
Speaking after his side’s prelim loss to the Storm last season, Fitzgibbon insisted they had to earn respect by overcoming adversity in must-win games.
“It’s not a driving force, but the ultimate respect is a premiership. Then you’ve got a lack of respect and then there’s credibility. I think we’re somewhere in the middle. We haven’t earned the ultimate respect and you don’t do it unless you win the comp,” he said.
“It’s not up for debate, we’re not asking anyone to respect us until we do that (win a premiership) and that’s fine.
“We’re not going away.”
Cronulla will take on Gold Coast at Ocean Protect Stadium in Sydney on March 7 to kick off their 2026 season.