Sharks captain addresses Perth Bears threat and reaffirms Origin desire

Cronulla Sharks captain Blayke Brailey has conceded the 2026 season is already shaping up to be slightly different, not just for him, but also for his side.

The Perth Bears are only a year away from joining the competition, and without a full roster, they are still looking to bring in players from the best clubs in the league, such as the Sharks.

They have already signed Siosifa Talakai, but with many players off contract, more could be departing the Shire than expected.

However, despite admitting there is an obvious threat, Brailey believes the noise won't reach the playing group.

"It's obviously a different time for the club, we haven't been in this position before," Brailey told the media.

"But for the team, you're all focused on playing well, the chat around leaving and contracts isn't spoken about too much.

"We're all focused on playing well this year, and for the meantime, we're all together, we all want to produce something special this year as a team and I know everyone is focused for that, and they're not focused on anything outside of that."

While the imminent arrival of a new team set to disrupt, Brailey conceded that while his main focus is on the Sharks, he still has a major desire to make his State of Origin debut for the NSW Blues.

After a standout 2025 season which saw Brailey pull on the green and gold for the first time, he was invited to the NSW Origin planning camp in January, reaffirming the fact he is well in contention to debut this season.

"Every year my goal is to pull on that Blue jersey," he said.

"I bleed blue, I've grown up supporting the Blues for as long as I can remember.

"So I wanna be there, I'm not gonna hide around that, but that comes off the back of playing well for the club and doing everything that I can for my side and for the team here."

"Hopefully I do get a call, but that's a long way away, I definitely want to put my best foot forward for the Sharks and the team and the Sharks supporters."

Brailey's quest for an Origin jersey begins this weekend when he leads his side out as against the Gold Coast Titans at Ocean Protect Stadium, formerly known as Shark Park.