NRL best 17s for 2025: Cronulla Sharks

The Cronulla Sharks head into the 2025 season with one goal - to win the premiership.

They have been close enough without taking the chocolates in the last couple of seasons, but Craig Fitzgibbon's side will fast be growing tired of the ‘best of the rest' tag after again failing to compete with the Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm during 2024 when the whips were cracking.

But there is a genuine feeling that this might be the campaign where everything can turn around for the Sharks, following the critical signing of Addin Fonua-Blake.

Add that to a host of young talent coming through the ranks that will put pressure on regular first-grade options who themselves had improved 2024 seasons, and the Sharks might be primed to be in contention for their first title since 2016.

Here is how Zero Tackle sees the men from the Shire lining up in 2025.

JOIN NOW!

Recruitment report

Ins: Addin Fonua-Blake (New Zealand Warriors, 2028), Hohepa Puru (Canberra Raiders, 2026)

Outs: Dale Finucane (retired), Samuel Healey (New Zealand Warriors), Royce Hunt (Wests Tigers), Siteni Taukamo (Newcastle Knights), Jack Williams (Parramatta Eels)

Re-signed: Jayden Berrell (2025), Billy Burns (2025), Jesse Colquhoun (2026), Braden Hamlin-Uele (2026), Tuku Hau Tapuha (2026), Mawene Hiroti (2026), Kayal Iro (2026), Oregon Kaufusi (2025), Niwhai Puru (2025), Toby Rudolf (2026), Chris Vea'ila (2025)

Off-contract at end of 2025: Jayden Berrell, Billy Burns, Kade Dykes, Thomas Hazelton, Mawene Hiroti, Oregon Kaufusi, William Kennedy, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Niwhai Puru, Sam Stonestreet, Chris Vea'ila

Full squad

Daniel Atkinson, Jayden Berrell, Blayke Brailey, Billy Burns, Jesse Colquhoun, Kade Dykes, Addin Fonua-Blake, Michael Gabrael, Braden Hamlin-Uele, Tuku Hau Tapuha, Thomas Hazelton, Mawene Hiroti, Nicho Hynes, Kayal Iro, Sione Katoa, Oregon Kaufusi, William Kennedy, Cameron McInnes, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Briton Nikora, Hohepa Puru, Niwhai Puru, Jesse Ramien, Toby Rudolf, Sam Stonestreet, Siosifa Talakai, Braydon Trindall, Chris Vea'ila, Teig Wilton

Supplementary contracts: Max Bradbury, Dylan Coutts, Liam Ison, Riley Pollard

Who plays where?

Fullback
William Kennedy is under significant pressure to retain his number one jumper during 2025, and if not then, then certainly beyond the end of this season.

He will likely need the best season of his career to retain it in fact.

Make no mistake - Liam Ison might be a development player as it stands after coming out of the Penrith junior system, but he is a name to remember. He will have an enormous NRL career having excelled at every level he has tried his hand at thus far.

He will start 2025 as back-up, but there is no guarantee it stays that way in what could turn into a genuine two-way battle for the number one jumper.

Kade Dykes, previously thought as the biggest competition to the number one jumper, is still at the club and provides extra back-up, while, in a serious pinch, Nicho Hynes could also play fullback. Craig Fitzgibbon will be more than hesitant to shuffle his first-choice halves though.

Wingers
Like at fullback, a name worth remembering in Sam Stonestreet will be putting plenty of pressure on Ronaldo Mulitalo and Sione Katoa for the starting wing spots in 2025.

Tall and powerful with speed to burn, Stonestreet has set the world on fire in reserve grade, and looked like he belongs in his opportunities at NRL level to date, scoring eight tries in five games last year.

It's a good headache to have for Craig Fitzgibbon, but that said, the Sharks need to find him playing time if they want to hang onto him.

Beyond that, Mawene Hiroti has been a solid option to back up in the outside backs in recent years, and Michael Gabrael - who came across from the Bulldogs at the start of 2024 - will also be pushing hard for higher honours.

Centres
The centres appear to be another locked in position for Cronulla, with Jesse Ramien and Kayal Iro to hang onto their spots.

Ramien was on the brink of an Origin spot in 2024 and could push again in 2025 pending fitness of players ahead of him and his own form.

Iro, on the other hand, solidified himself as an NRL-level player after struggling to win a spot from Fitzgibbon during the first part of his career. He now has that, having displaced Siosifa Talakai from the side last year.

Talakai remains the first back-up at centre, while Cronulla will also look to Chris Vea'ila as a potential to feature at some point this year as he adds experience through the NSW Cup.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 10: Jesse Ramien of the Sharks watches on during the round 14 NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Wests Tigers at Southern Cross Group Stadium on June 10, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Halves
Both Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes missed time through suspension and injury throughout 2024, but they will remain the first-choice halves for 2025.

Trindall out performed the more fancied Hynes during 2024, and won a new contract, as well as the number six jumper solidified moving forward.

Hynes meanwhile has been the star of the show for the most part since he arrived at Cronulla and will aim to get back to his best in 2025.

Daniel Atkinson remains the first-choice back-up in his first season at Cronulla before making the switch to the St George Illawarra Dragons and could feature off the interchange bench given his utility value.

Niwhai Puru was a key for Cronulla's NSW Cup affiliate the Newtown Jets last year and will continue to be a depth option in the squad, while the Sharks also have raps on development player Riley Pollard.

Middle forwards
In the middle third, the Sharks do have some selection questions to answer.

What is for sure is that Addin Fonua-Blake will win a start at prop. The star moves across from the New Zealand Warriors for 2025 after being granted a release, and will be hoping to put his best foot forward immediately for his new club.

Cameron McInnes is also a guarantee of running out at lock forward after the retirement of Dale Finucane during the 2024 campaign.

Who partners Fonua-Blake up front is up for dispute though, with Oregon Kaufusi, Toby Rudolf and Thomas Hazelton all likely fighting for one spot.

We have given Kaufusi the nod on the back of his form in the second half of 2024, but this could go any which way.

Hooker
Blayke Brailey remains the number nine for the Sharks heading into 2025, and could with any sort of form, put pressure on Reece Robson and Apisai Koroisau for the New South Wales number nine jumper.

That will take a significant uptick, but his form in 2024 was as good as it has ever been.

Jayden Berrell continues as the first-choice back up in the Cronulla system and could play some games off the bench if Fitzgibbon deems Brailey needs reduced minutes at any point during the campaign, something that is becoming increasingly prevalent around the NRL.

Cameron McInnes could slot in at hooker in a pinch as well, but certainly won't start any games there.

Depth in the number nine could be an issue for the Sharks if Brailey does cop an injury at any point.

Edge forwards
Like so much of the remainder of the Cronulla side, the second-row is a lock for 2025.

Briton Nikora has been a permanent fixture of the Cronulla outfit ever since his debut, and Teig Wilton has come on in leaps and bounds during recent times.

Both players are now among the best - and more importantly consistent - edge forwards in the competition.

Billy Burns is the most likely to provide a depth option, while Jesse Colquhoun could also shift out to the edge in a pinch.

Dylan Coutts, who is spending a second year on the development list, could see a debut this year.

Interchange
Maybe the biggest question for the Sharks is whether they actually bother running with a utility on the bench in 2025.

Daniel Atkinson certainly excelled in every position he played last year, but the fact he is heading into his final year with the club before joining arch rivals the St George Illawarra Dragons could play on the mind of head coach Craig Fitzgibbon.

We are going to pick him at 14, but if he is left out, it could pave the way for an extra forward.

It goes without saying that Siosifa Talakai and Thomas Hazelton will both be on the bench, leaving one spot, likely to fall the way of Toby Rudolf.

By all reports, Braden Hamlin-Uele is training the house down, and he could either replace Rudolf or take the place of Atkinson if the Sharks elect to run with a much larger bench.

The likes of Tuku Hau Tapuha, Billy Burns and Hohepa Puru are the next players likely to be in contention for a spot on the pine, while Cronulla could also toss up running Jayden Berrell in certain games to back up Brailey at dummy half.