NRL 2025 fixture analysis: Cronulla Sharks

The Cronulla Sharks will face a much tougher run through the 2025 NRL season than they have in recent campaigns.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of the season kicking off for the Sharks draw.

Teams to play twice
North Queensland Cowboys (Round 2, 22), South Sydney Rabbitohs (Round 3, 21), Canterbury Bulldogs (Round 4, 27), Manly Sea Eagles (Round 6, 10), Newcastle Knights (Round 7, 26), Melbourne Storm (Round 11, 17), Sydney Roosters (Round 12, 20), St George Illawarra Dragons (Round 15, 23)

The Sharks have had one of the easiest draws in the competition during recent seasons, but that won't be the case this time around.

They tackle the Cowboys, Bulldogs, Sea Eagles, Knights, Storm and Roosters out of last year's top eight, as well as the Rabbitohs who have the potential to improve.

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The Dragons - as local rivals - are their other double-up for 2024. They avoid playing four-time defending premiers the Panthers twice despite clashing with them in Round 1 halfway around the world, but it won't be a straightforward campaign for Cronulla.

Travel schedule
The big drama for Cronulla when it comes to travel is that they obviously start their season on the other side of the world in Las Vegas against the Panthers.

Going straight to Townsville after that won't be straight-forward either, but they are then in Sydney - or Canberra - until Magic Round.

Following Magic Round, they only leave Sydney twice more, with games against the Broncos and Melbourne in back-to-back weeks during the Origin period.

Turnaround times
The Sharks have an equal-NRL high of three five-day turnarounds in 2025, but on the flipside of that, they only have three six-day turnarounds, with the rest of their games coming in at seven or more days.

The five-day turnarounds come ahead of Round 5 against the Raiders, Magic Round against the Eels, and Round 15 against the St George Illawarra Dragons, a game that will be played without State of Origin players.

A bye in Round 25 will give them ample opportunity to rest up ahead of the finals too.

Start of the season
The Sharks are going to very quickly find out whether they are the real deal or not in 2025.

They kick-off their campaign with games against the Panthers and Cowboys (away), then clash with the likely to improve Rabbitohs and Bulldogs, before taking on the Raiders at home and Manly.

Plenty of bogey teams, plenty of difficult opposition, and if the Sharks come through the first six weeks with a winning record, they will be well placed to attack the rest of the year.

The Origin period
The Sharks will play two games without any players selected for State of Origin, with the Roosters and Dragons on their agenda prior to Game 1 and 2 respectively.

The men in black, white and blue have the bye prior to Game 3. They also have a bye directly after Game 1, but play the Broncos away from home after Game 2, and the Dolphins at home after Game 3.

The run home
As already mentioned, the Sharks have a bye in Round 23. Games against the Knights and Bulldogs finish their season.

Prior to the bye, they play the Rabbitohs (Round 21), the Cowboys at home (Round 22), local rivals the Dragons (Round 23) and the Titans at home (Round 24).

It's a run home which will leave the Sharks the only ones to blame if they fall down the table during the final six weeks.

Toughest stretch
The Sharks have a terribly difficult two-week period in the middle of the season. In the week after Origin 2, they will play the Brisbane Broncos, with any players backing up doing so on just four-days rest.

They then have a seven-day breather before travelling to Melbourne where they will clash with the Melbourne Storm, who happen to be plenty of people's pick for the premiership this year.

Easiest stretch
It's hard to call anything an easy stretch on this fixture list for the Sharks, but if they don't make something of the stretch between Round 7 and 9, when they play the Knights, Tigers and Eels in back-to-back-to-back weeks, there will be grave concerns for their season.

That will be particularly the case if they wind up struggling over a difficult opening six weeks.

Games to watch
Round 1, vs Penrith Panthers at Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas), Sun, Mar 2, 3:30pm
Round 6, vs Manly Sea Eagles at Optus Stadium (Perth), Sat, Apr 12, 3pm
Round 11, vs Melbourne Storm at Sharks Park, Sat, May 17, 7:35pm
Round 15, vs St George Illawarra Dragons at Sharks Park, Thu, Jun 12, 7:50pm
Round 20, vs Sydney Roosters at Sharks Park, Fri, Jul 18, 6pm

The must-win games
Round 5, vs Canberra Raiders at GIO Stadium, Thu, Apr 3, 8pm
Round 7, vs Newcastle Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium, Sun, Apr 20, 4:05pm
Round 15, vs St George Illawarra Dragons at Sharks Park, Thu, Jun 12, 7:50pm
Round 19, vs The Dolphins at Sharks Park, Fri, Jul 11, 8pm
Round 24, vs Gold Coast Titans at Sharks Park, Sat, Aug 16, 3pm

Full fixtures