2025 NRL Team Previews

Cronulla Sharks NRL 2025 Team Preview, Predictions & Player Movement

Ryan Tucker

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Last updated: 11 Feb 2025

Ryan Tucker 11 Feb 2025

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Cronulla Sharks predicted to finish 3rd in NRL 2025.
Projected win total of 17, with key player Nicho Hynes expecting big season.
Addin Fonua-Blake's recruitment a major boost; challenging season schedule ahead.

Nicho Hynes and Sione Katoa of the Sharks. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Cronulla Sharks NRL 2025 Team Preview, Predictions & Player Movement

Where Cronulla Sharks finish in 2025: 3rd

Cronulla finished equal 3rd last season but 4th on the ladder due to points differential. With the Roosters likely falling away and no other teams than Melbourne and Penrith proven to be in the upper echelon it is a likely outcome that Cronulla find themselves close to the top.

Missing Nicho Hynes for 9 (and a half) games last season definitely played a part in their win total. If he is healthy for the majority of the upcoming season we will surely see them hit similar numbers in attack which will continue to generate wins.

Projected Win total: 17

The Sharks won 16 games last season but slightly under performed against their pythagorean expectation despite having the 3rd best points differential of any team in the league.

Last season Cronulla lost 4 of 5 games that were decided by 4 points or less, law of averages dictates that they might have a little more luck on their side this year. If just one of those results are reversed, we get to this win total.

Best contender for Dally M: Nicho Hynes

Hynes won the Dally M in 2022 and ranked 3rd in 2023. Despite missing so many games last season he was still in the top 10 after Round 23 but fell away toward the end of the season missing 6 of the last 8 rounds.

Nicho is still the best player on this team and has the biggest impact on them winning or losing. That will ensure he continues to receive the majority of votes for the Sharks.

What’s to like

The recruitment of Addin Fonua-Blake is massive! He was one of the most damaging forwards in the game last season, playing every single game for the Warriors while scoring 8 tries in the process. Add to that the Sharks improved their defence last season by 61 points, their outlook for 2025 is very bright.

What’s NOT to like

The Sharkies have had favourable schedules the past few years. This year is almost the opposite, they start their campaign in Las Vegas then travel to Townsville to take on the Cowboys in Round 2. Following that 2 home games in a row then on the road for 6 straight games with a home game in Perth and at Magic Round meaning the travel burden is big over the first half of the season.

They also play 12 games against teams predicted to be in the top 8 this season, something they have not had to do for the past 3 seasons.