{"id":86330,"date":"2025-08-22T01:31:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T01:31:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/86330\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T01:31:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T01:31:14","slug":"are-the-sharks-timing-their-run-nrl-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/86330\/","title":{"rendered":"Are the Sharks timing their run? – NRL News"},"content":{"rendered":"

We are now just three weeks away from the 2025 NRL Finals<\/a> series kicking off.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Roosters’ late charge has put them right in the frame, while the Dolphins<\/a> and Broncos are capable of anything, on any given day.<\/p>\n

There is one team though that no one is really talking about, for good or bad; The Cronulla Sutherland Sharks.<\/p>\n

Nicho Hynes<\/a>, Addin Fonua-Blake<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

For a team that often gets written off as “flat track bullies”, this sure is a team that plays regular Finals footy.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The club would have gained a world of confidence last season when they won their first Finals game under Craig Fitzgibbon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"NRLSYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JULY 18: Chris Vea’ila<\/a> of the Sharks runs with the ball during the round 20 NRL<\/a> match between Cronulla Sharks<\/a> and Sydney Roosters<\/a> at Sharks Stadium, on July 18, 2025, in Sydney, Australia<\/a>. (Photo by Darrian Traynor\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Bowing out in the Preliminary Final to a fully fit and firing Penrith Panthers<\/a> is hardly cause for concern. I’d even go so far as to say the Sharks slightly overachieved in 2024.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Much to the horror of the collection NRL<\/a> fanbase (at least on social media) it looks as though they may even host yet another Final.<\/p>\n

That’s where things get interesting.<\/p>\n

The Sharks are on course for a Finals appearance despite not really playing all that well.<\/p>\n

Hear me out!<\/p>\n

\"NRLSYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 12: Nick Tsougranis<\/a> of the Dragons is tackled during the round 15 NRL<\/a> match between the Cronulla Sharks<\/a> and St George Illawarra Dragons<\/a> at Sharks Stadium on June 12, 2025, in Sydney, Australia<\/a>. (Photo by Cameron Spencer\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Sharks have won four of their past five games. That run includes wins over the Roosters and Dolphins<\/a>, as well as massive wins over the Cowboys and Titans. The fourth win, over the Bunnies, will never be mentioned again.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Over the past few weeks we’ve seen returns from Thomas Hazelton<\/a> and Toby Rudolf<\/a>, while superstar centre KL Iro<\/a> is due back next week. He’ll likely have two games under his belt before Finals.<\/p>\n

Throw in the returning Briton Nikora<\/a> (suspension) come Finals time and the Sharks are only Cameron McInness and Jesse Ramien<\/a> away from full fitness.<\/p>\n

Nicho Hynes’<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

Will Kennedy has put his mid-season “yips” behind him and looks back to his early, Dally M medal leading form.<\/p>\n

\"BluesSYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 31: Nicho Hynes<\/a> of the Sharks runs the ball during the round four NRL<\/a> match between Cronulla Sharks<\/a> and Canberra Raiders<\/a> at PointsBet Stadium, on March 31, 2024, in Sydney, Australia<\/a>. (Photo by Cameron Spencer\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Blayke Brailey<\/a> was being referred to by plenty as the best hooker in the competition a month ago. Since then Harry Grant<\/a> has ended all discussions, but Brailey would be top three at worst.<\/p>\n

The aforementioned return of KL Iro<\/a>, coupled with the incredible form of Mawene Hiroti<\/a> will allow Sifa Talakai to return to his preferred role in the middle.<\/p>\n

He will likely share the newly vacated role at lock with young gun Jesse Colquhoun<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It must be stated that I am an unashamed fan of the 23-year-old middle turn back-rower turn middle again.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>, but his role is very similar.<\/p>\n

\"OregonBRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 08: Oregon Kaufusi<\/a> of the Sharks rwtbduring the round 14 NRL<\/a> match between Brisbane Broncos<\/a> and Cronulla Sharks<\/a> at Suncorp Stadium, on June 08, 2024, in Brisbane, Australia<\/a>. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Sharks need to find something positive out of losing their skipper, leader and hard head Cameron McInnes<\/a>, but it just might be 12 months of footy under the belt of the 23-year-old Colquhoun.<\/p>\n

Addin Fonua-Blake<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

Toby Rudolf<\/a> and Tom Hazelton’s return to the bench has levelled out the Sharks middle rotation in a big way. Braden Hamlin-Uele<\/a> is playing his best footy in literal years.<\/p>\n

The worry re Cronulla is always their ability to beat the big teams in the big games.<\/p>\n

In 2025, they’ve beaten the Melbourne Storm<\/a>, the Roosters and the Dolphins<\/a>.<\/p>\n

They were the most ridiculous of final play miracles away from toppling the Minor Premiers-elect Canberra Raiders<\/a> earlier in the season. If not for the mother of all late collapses, they had Brisbane beaten, too.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

They also have the added advantage of a perfect draw heading into the Finals.<\/p>\n

\"NRLSYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 22: Addin Fonua-Blake<\/a> of the Sharks is tackled during the round three NRL<\/a> match between Cronulla Sharks<\/a> and South Sydney Rabbitohs<\/a> at Sharks Stadium, on March 22, 2025, in Sydney, Australia<\/a>. (Photo by Matt King<\/a>\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

A bye this weekend allows a week to rest up and work out how to replace Cam McInness. It also allows Craig Fitzgibbon<\/a> to decide on his bench moving forward.<\/p>\n

Next week, they host the Knights, who, although desperate to avoid the wooden spoon, are a side looking toward 2026.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Whether or not they can find that top level is up for debate, but if they can, anything is possible in September.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We are now just three weeks away from the 2025 NRL Finals series kicking off. The top three…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":86331,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-86330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86330\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}