We are now just three weeks away from the 2025 NRL Finals series kicking off.
The top three are decided, although the order remains anyone’s guess. Penrith and the Warriors are playing Finals, but from there it becomes a little more difficult.
The Roosters’ late charge has put them right in the frame, while the Dolphins and Broncos are capable of anything, on any given day.
There is one team though that no one is really talking about, for good or bad; The Cronulla Sutherland Sharks.
Nicho Hynes, Addin Fonua-Blake and co. have their feet up this weekend, enjoying their third and final Bye of the season. This all but secures their return to Finals footy.
For a team that often gets written off as “flat track bullies”, this sure is a team that plays regular Finals footy.
In fact, since 2015, they’ve only missed the Finals once. In 2021, they finished 9th when they missed the Finals due to points differential.
We all know the Sharks Grand Final record, one win in the history of their club. That seems to get brought up a lot more than the fact that they are close to guaranteed Finalists every year.
The club would have gained a world of confidence last season when they won their first Finals game under Craig Fitzgibbon.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JULY 18: Chris Vea’ila of the Sharks runs with the ball during the round 20 NRL match between Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters at Sharks Stadium, on July 18, 2025, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Bowing out in the Preliminary Final to a fully fit and firing Penrith Panthers is hardly cause for concern. I’d even go so far as to say the Sharks slightly overachieved in 2024.
There’s also absolutely no reason that the Sharks can’t match their 2024’s efforts, or perhaps even go one game further this season.
Currently in seventh spot, with a guaranteed two points this weekend, the Sharks can finish this weekend anywhere from fourth to seventh depending on results.
Given the way the fixtures fall, coupled with their next game being a very winnable home game against the Knights, the Sharks look set for another Finals appearance.
Much to the horror of the collection NRL fanbase (at least on social media) it looks as though they may even host yet another Final.
That’s where things get interesting.
The Sharks are on course for a Finals appearance despite not really playing all that well.
Hear me out!
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 12: Nick Tsougranis of the Dragons is tackled during the round 15 NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and St George Illawarra Dragons at Sharks Stadium on June 12, 2025, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The Sharks have won four of their past five games. That run includes wins over the Roosters and Dolphins, as well as massive wins over the Cowboys and Titans. The fourth win, over the Bunnies, will never be mentioned again.
Ok they dropped a game to the Dragons, and that should worry fans, but the way they reacted to belt the Titans to the tune of 54 points to 22 shows they learned lessons.
Over the past few weeks we’ve seen returns from Thomas Hazelton and Toby Rudolf, while superstar centre KL Iro is due back next week. He’ll likely have two games under his belt before Finals.
Throw in the returning Briton Nikora (suspension) come Finals time and the Sharks are only Cameron McInness and Jesse Ramien away from full fitness.
Nicho Hynes’ form across those aforementioned six weeks has been close to magnificent. There was one horror game against the Dragons, and a few less-than-stellar decisions, but he’s been very, very good.
Will Kennedy has put his mid-season “yips” behind him and looks back to his early, Dally M medal leading form.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 31: Nicho Hynes of the Sharks runs the ball during the round four NRL match between Cronulla Sharks and Canberra Raiders at PointsBet Stadium, on March 31, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Blayke Brailey was being referred to by plenty as the best hooker in the competition a month ago. Since then Harry Grant has ended all discussions, but Brailey would be top three at worst.
The aforementioned return of KL Iro, coupled with the incredible form of Mawene Hiroti will allow Sifa Talakai to return to his preferred role in the middle.
He will likely share the newly vacated role at lock with young gun Jesse Colquhoun.
It must be stated that I am an unashamed fan of the 23-year-old middle turn back-rower turn middle again.
With that fully admitted to, Colquhoun’s inclusion has completely changed the Sharks’ game plan in the forwards. I’m not comparing his abilities to those of Isaah Yeo, but his role is very similar.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 08: Oregon Kaufusi of the Sharks rwtbduring the round 14 NRL match between Brisbane Broncos and Cronulla Sharks at Suncorp Stadium, on June 08, 2024, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The Sharks need to find something positive out of losing their skipper, leader and hard head Cameron McInnes, but it just might be 12 months of footy under the belt of the 23-year-old Colquhoun.
Addin Fonua-Blake has been everything the Sharks could have wanted, and then some. He’s averaging 165 metres, has five tries and leads the post-contact metres by almost 300 metres.
Toby Rudolf and Tom Hazelton’s return to the bench has levelled out the Sharks middle rotation in a big way. Braden Hamlin-Uele is playing his best footy in literal years.
The worry re Cronulla is always their ability to beat the big teams in the big games.
In 2025, they’ve beaten the Melbourne Storm, the Roosters and the Dolphins.
They were the most ridiculous of final play miracles away from toppling the Minor Premiers-elect Canberra Raiders earlier in the season. If not for the mother of all late collapses, they had Brisbane beaten, too.
The Dogs and Warriors did handle them earlier in the season, but both of those sides are a far cry from the sides that owned Shark Stadium on those nights.
They also have the added advantage of a perfect draw heading into the Finals.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 22: Addin Fonua-Blake of the Sharks is tackled during the round three NRL match between Cronulla Sharks and South Sydney Rabbitohs at Sharks Stadium, on March 22, 2025, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
A bye this weekend allows a week to rest up and work out how to replace Cam McInness. It also allows Craig Fitzgibbon to decide on his bench moving forward.
Next week, they host the Knights, who, although desperate to avoid the wooden spoon, are a side looking toward 2026.
Then they play the Bulldogs in the final round. The Dogs will have their top four spot wrapped up by then but likely won’t rest players due to circumstance.
This presents a final before the Finals type game for Cronulla, and should allow the club and their fans to find out where they really are.
Most of all, though, and again this comes from a Sharks fan desperate to find the positives, they’re cruising to yet another Finals series without playing all that well yet.
Whether or not they can find that top level is up for debate, but if they can, anything is possible in September.