They were labelled ‘flat track bullies’ and ‘pretenders’ in 2023, but the Sharks are working hard to “prove them all wrong” under Craig Fitzgibbon.
A Sam Walker field goal dumped them out of the finals race in week one last season, only 12 months after flunking out in straight sets in 2022 after losses to the Cowboys and Rabbitohs.
Cronulla lost seven of their 10 games against teams that finished in the top eight last season, with their defence rearing its head as a big issue.
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Against top eight teams they conceded 25.8 points, while they only conceded 17.1 points per game whilst boasting an impressive attacking average of 25.7 points across all teams.
But now, with Fitzgibbon’s finals record sitting a 0-3 after his two years in charge, how can the Sharks make a charge to the grand final?
“The only thing we can do, they can say all they want, we can tune in or tune out, but that conversation is always going to be there,” Toby Rudolf said to foxsports.com.au.
“But all we can do is just improve, we have to come together as a team and not let the outside noise creep in. We just have to get better at training.
“That’s all you can ever do, there’s literally no secret recipe that is alluding us as to why we’ve been unsuccessful in certain areas of the year.
“There’s no reason why this year can’t be our best season yet.”
Both superstar halfback Nicho Hynes and experienced prop Braden Hamlin-Uele echoed Rudolf’s sentiment and explained no one has thought about their finals record.
Instead, they’ve focused on the season ahead and rallying after losing their most experienced player in veteran backrower Wade Graham.
“It’s a new year right, I feel like it’s hard to explain without giving too much away on what we really feel about it,” Hynes said.
“Look we aren’t worried about it, it’s a new year, it’s in the past now and we will go out there and prove them all wrong this year hopefully.”
“Everyone’s going to have their opinion aren’t they,” Hamlin-Uele added.
“Everyone’s entitled to it, but we aren’t here to prove anyone wrong. All we are here to do is prove our believers right.
“Whether you are Penrith, winning a three-peat, there’s still going to be people bad mouthing them so there’s no point in even worrying about it.
“People are going to say what they are going to say… but we are going to keep walking tall no matter what, our belief is still there in Fitzy.”
Their support of Fitzgibbon also hasn’t waivered, and all three stars remain adamant the legendary Roosters forward is the man to deliver a premiership to the Shire.
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Cronulla’s draw over the past two seasons has also been considered a “rails run” to finals football, only adding more pressure to deliver come post-season games.
But Rudolf explained: “Fitzgibbon isn’t the one on the field playing, that’s us”.
“We’re the ones that have to stick to the game plan he provides. We are the ones that have to defend the way he’s instructed and not leak so many points throughout the finals runs we’ve had so far,” he added.
“Fitzy is the man for the job, we all back him and I love playing for him and I know everyone is exactly the same so we have just got to be better.”
Meanwhile, Hamlin-Uele hailed Fitzgibbon’s ability to be personable with his players, boasting a relationship with a coach he hasn’t experienced in the past.
“He’s a coach that coaches the person first, he makes sure you’re okay as a person and then as a player. I’ve never been able to talk to a coach about off field things,” Hamlin-Uele said.
“But to finally have that with Fitzy, it’s massive. There’s a time for work and then there’s a time to drop the shoulders and just be easy, not be too uptight.
“He brings that belief in us, he makes sure we know he believes in us. From top to bottom, shaking everyone’s hands, he has brought that belief in the group.”
Now, in Hynes’ own words it’s “about putting the performances on because he’s given us all the tools, all the reasons to be a great team”.
Here foxsports.com.au breaks down all the key factors for the Sharks heading into the 2024 season!
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STRENGTH
Their outside backs. The Sharks back five is loaded with talent, boasting two of the competition’s best centres and lethal try-scoring wingers. Jesse Ramien is one of the NRL’s best ballrunner and his partnership with Sione Katoa has shown time and time again to be dangerous. Meanwhile, Ronaldo Mulitalo is a New Zealand representative and has scored 38 tries across the last two seasons. Throw in the mix Siosifa Talakai, who has previously played for the NSW Blues, and Craig Fitzgibbon isn’t short of firepower. At fullback, Will Kennedy certainly has competition. The 26-year-old was on fire before an injury hampered him at the back-end of the season, but young gun Kade Dykes will be hot on his tail. The 22-year-old made his NRL debut in 2022 but suffered a knee injury that saw him sit out for the entire 2023 campaign. Dykes is clearly a talented player and could be pushing for a spot in the No.1 in the future.
IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR
Braydon Trindall. The gun five-eighth cemented a spot in the Sharks spine in 2023, replacing experienced playmaker Matt Moylan. Fitzgibbon has put his faith in the 24-year-old to be Hynes’ long-term halves partner and if the 2024 All Stars game is anything to go by, he’s ready to fire. Trindall won the Preston Campbell Medal for player of the match, recording two try assists against a red-hot Maori All Stars side. The five-eighth did a lengthy apprenticeship in NSW Cup before becoming a first grade regular, playing 43 games for the Newtown Jets across five seasons alongside his 51 NRL appearances. Now Fitzgibbon will be desperate for him to excel in 2024, hopefully allowing Hynes to do the bulk of the organising so Trindall can utilise his solid running game.
WHO’S UNDER PRESSURE
The props. With Addin Fonua-Blake arriving at the club in 2025, every front rower will be desperate to stamp their mark and cement a spot in the side across the next 12 months. Cronulla have a number of impressive props on their books, including Braden Hamlin-Uele, Jack Williams, Oregon Kaufusi, Royce Hunt, Tom Hazelton and Toby Rudolf. Generally Fitzgibbon selects four to five players who can play in the front row in his 17, meaning at least two of these players will miss out on selection. Hamlin-Uele and Rudolf battled injuries last year, while Hazelton emerged as one of the club’s best impact players. Williams is also without a contract for the 2025 season and will be desperate to perform and earn himself an extension. Regardless, one player will be forced out of the side with Fonua-Blake’s arrival.
THE RISING STAR
Tom Hazelton. The Sharks new cult hero. Every team needs impact off the bench and Hazelton is the perfect injection of brute force, cementing his spot on the pine in 2023. The 25-year-old played 18 games last year, adding to his singular appearance the year prior in a true breakout season. Hazelton is adored by Cronulla’s fans and if he continues to improve will only get better and his teammate Braden Hamlin-Uele is backing him to potentially win a starting spot in 2024. “I’m so proud of him. I’ve known him for a few years now and to see his progression, it’s been pretty fast but really amazing,” he said. “He’s come in and he hasn’t put a foot wrong and he’s gone and shown what he can do… he has all the tools to start.
THE UNLUCKY ONES
Kade Dykes and Kayal Iro. At many other clubs these two talented outside backs would likely get more chances to show their skills. Dykes, in his two games, was very impressive in 2022 and many pundits believed he would push Kennedy out of the No.1 jersey in years to come. However, his growth has been set back by 12 months due to a knee injury, but many clubs would be desperate to have a talent like him on their books. Meanwhile, Iro, who has played one NRL game to date in 2022, has been one of NSW Cup’s most consistent performers and won the competition’s player of the year award that same season. Iro has the ability to play in multiple positions in the outside backs and could now be next in line following Connor Tracey’s departure. However, he will once again have to bide his time in 2024 and wait for his opportunity.
BEST 17
1. Will Kennedy
2. Ronaldo Mulitalo
3. Siosifa Talakai
4. Jesse Ramien
5. Sione Kato
6. Braydon Trindall
7. Nicho Hynes
8. Toby Rudolf
9. Blayke Brailey
10. Braden Hamlin-Uele
11. Teig Wilton
12. Briton Nikora
13. Dale Finucane
14. Cameron McInnes
15. Tom Hazelton
16. Royce Hunt
17. Jesse Colquhoun
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