As the 2023 season ends for a number of clubs, we look back on the highs and lows for every team, their best player, the changes they need to make for next season and an early prediction for where they will finish in 2024.
In this edition, we take a look at the Cronulla Sharks, a team that lost its third finals game in 12 months and fell severely short of all preseason expectations.
Sharks– 6th – (14-10, -+122)
After going out in straight sets in the 2022 season, the Cronulla Sharks had a massive chip on its metaphorical shoulder to drastically improve in 2023. On the back of a Dally M season and earning his first game with the NSW Blues, Nicho Hynes was expected to carry this team to another top four finish with ambitions of going all the way. Cronulla’s season was hindered by a shocking record against top eight sides (3-8), which eventually caught up to the club in finals when they were defeated by a severely undermanned Roosters side in Week One.
Highlight Back-to-back Derby demolitions
In a season where not much stood out for the Sharks, two impressive wins over cross-town rivals, the St George Illawarra Dragons typified the 2023 season. The results put a massive emphasis on the gap between the two clubs on and off the field and gave the Sharks faithful bragging rights for another eight months. Not only did Cronulla secure its sixth straight win over the Dragons, but the 52-16 win set the record for the biggest winning margin and most points scored in the 56-year-long rivalry.
Lowlight Record against top eight sides
The aforementioned record against top eight sides has become an all-too-common notion associated with the Sharks in the last couple of years. Despite finishing in the top four last year, Cronulla was defeated by the remaining three sides in all their meetings and nearly suffered the same fate this year. Only managing wins against the Raiders, Knights and Roosters during the regular season, Cronulla were once again labelled as the NRL’s ‘Robin Hood’. Two years in a row the Sharks’ record against the elite sides in the NRL has come back to bite them come finals time and there is serious reason for concern coming into next season.
Best player Blayke Brailey
The 24-year-old had a breakthrough season in 2023, earning a spot in the NSW Blues extended squad. Brailey’s impeccable defence has always been a massive asset for the Sharks, but it was his improvement in organising the side in attack that stood out. Learning alongside Nicho Hynes, Brailey produced a career-best ten try assists from dummy-half – accounting for 33 per cent of his total career assists in his five-year career. Making a league-leading 1057 tackles at 92.7 per cent efficiency, Brailey’s immeasurable effort in defence helped the Sharks to the 6th best defensive record in the NRL.
Honourable Mentions: Nicho Hynes and Briton Nikora.
What they need for 2024 An X-Factor signing
The Cronulla Sharks are lacking a game-changer outside of Nicho Hynes. In a side full of consistent performers, Hynes is the only real spark in attack and often has to carry all of the weight close to the line. Whether it’s an experienced half or a gamebreaker forward, the Sharks need one more big name to push them into serious premiership contention.
Early prediction 5th
The Sharks have the core to continue to the regular season success of the last two years but as currently slated there is unlikely to be any serious improvement come September.
Grade
D+