If the Sharks can take that giant final step they’ve been craving for the past two seasons, they may consider sending a thankyou note to Panthers champion Nathan Cleary.

Sharks leader Blayke Brailey has explained how the superstar halfback could emerge as the secret link to the Cronulla hooker taking his game to a whole new level in 2026.

Brailey also laid-out Cronulla’s strategy to burst out of the blocks from round one, his mission to create premiership history, how the Sharks cover the loss of influential winger Ronaldo Mulitalo, and his dream to breakthrough to the State of Origin and World Cup arena.

CLEARY’S CLINICS

Rewarded for his outstanding 2025 season with selection in the Australian squad to the UK for the Ashes last year, Brailey may not have played a game for the Kangaroos.

However, he says his personal study of Cleary at training and bus rides with the likes of Cameron Munster, Harry Grant, Reece Walsh and Isaah Yeo, prompted him to begin pre-season training several weeks before he was due back with Cronulla.

“I was very keen to get back to training, obviously after being over in the UK, I had the footy bug and the itch to get back early,’’ Brailey said.

“Watching Nathan Cleary, Harry Grant, Cam Munster, how they’ll prepare for the game is all different, but it was cool to pick up a few things from all of them and one major thing I took away was how Nathan prepares.

“We’ll be on the bus for 30 minutes still waiting for him to come off the field because he’s kicking, he’s goal kicking, he’s doing everything he can in his game to improve and that has inspired me to work harder.

“He’s at the top of his game and he’s still working overtime, so that definitely was a good reality check for me to realise I still have a lot more work to do.”

Brailey hasn’t quite clocked the extra 30 minutes of training like Cleary just yet.

“But I’m getting up there which is nice,” he said.

“It was also on the bus rides with the players and you talk about different games and to hear their perspective of me and hearing how much of a threat I can be out of dummy half when I run the ball and how it makes them feel of defence, that was pretty cool to hear.

“I probably didn’t realise the impact I did have until the players at the top of their game and top of the level really gave me that feedback. Hopefully I can use that this year.’’

BLUES AND WORLD CUP

Brailey said the Ashes tour was an awakening for his confidence and belief in just how close he is to being the best hooker in the game, with his burning desire to play for NSW and Australia at the World Cup.

A broken hand for NSW incumbent hooker Reece Robson for the first month of the season gives Brailey, 27, a valuable headstart for bragging rights.

“I went over (to the UK) there hoping to play but at the same time I was extremely grateful to be part of the tour,’’ Brailey said.

“The first week when the players got their jersey presentation, that was really special.

“Hearing how much the jersey meant to them… I really want that feeling.

“And although I didn’t get a chance in the UK I know the World Cup is coming up so that’s definitely on my list, with also representing NSW, that’s a goal of mine.

“Being over there definitely lit the flame inside me.’’

TROPHY HUNTER

Brailey gave the reason why after falling short in both the 2024 and 2025 preliminary finals, Cronulla can repeat history in the Shire, a decade after the club’s inaugural premiership.

“We’ll definitely be up there,’’ Brailey said.

“That’s obviously the plan. We’ve set out a goal and the last two years we’ve come so close, we’re one week away from being in a grand final.

“2016 was the year we first lifted that trophy, so why not ten years later we bring a second one back.

“I was in the stands when (Andrew) Fifita scored that try and I was down at Cronulla when the streets were closed and seeing the excitement on everyone’s faces.

“I definitely want that feeling back and I want to bring that feeling back to the Shire.’’

START FAST

Cronulla’s greatest shortcoming was failing to finish inside the top four, playing pressure footy for three straight weeks in the finals after a 2-3 start to the season and mid-season slump when they went 1-4, leaving them in fifth position after the regular season.

Brailey said both he and his teammates required a ruthless mindset from the first whistle of their opening round clash with the Titans.

“In an ideal world, that’s the goal,’’ Brailey said.

“I worked out the secret of, you know, when I run the ball, you know good things happen for our side and for my own game. So that’s definitely the mindset going into round one.

“And I think the first maybe 10 or 12 rounds I wasn’t happy with my game and it took a little bit for me to sort of find my groove.”

Brailey knows the Sharks are historically slow starters.

“I saw a stat the other day, we have a pretty bad round one win percentage,” he said.

“So I’ll be doing my part and I know everyone else is doing theirs to make sure they’re ready for that first game.’’

MINUS MULITALO

The Sharks will be without one of their most influential figures for at least the opening 14 rounds of the season as star winger Ronaldo Mulitalo recovers from ACL surgery.

Brailey identified who would cover the loss of Mulitalo, who scored 17 tries in 2025 and averaged 142 metres a game.

“Obviously playing-wise he’s (Mulitalo) a massive loss,’’ Brailey said.

“The energy he brings through our squad and the competitiveness and the way he goes about his business, it really energises the whole side.

“So we’re all going to have to find another layer of voice or find more energy in the times when it’s tough.

“I’m sure Sam Stonestreet is the front runner there to come in and he’s been training the house down.

“He’s fitter, I didn’t think he could get faster, but with Shirvo (sprint coach Matt Shirvington) here, he has been.

“He’s a world-class player and I know he’s already showed the fans and the Shark supporters how good he can be, so now he gets a few weeks on his belt, I’m sure he’ll be great and it’s good to have another local junior on the side.’’

Originally published as Blayke Brailey’s Nathan Cleary link the key to Cronulla Sharks’ premiership push