2024 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season explained

Year:	2024
Team Colour:	lightblue
Font Colour:	black
League:	NRL
League Link:	NRL
Ceo Title:	CEO
Ceo:	Dino Mezzatesta
Coach Title:	Coach
Coach:	Craig Fitzgibbon
Captain:	Dale Finucane Cameron McInnes
Prev Season:	2023
Next Season:	2025
List:	yes
List Link:	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks#History

The 2024 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season is the 58th season in the club's history and they compete in the National Rugby League.

The club is coached by Craig Fitzgibbon in his third season with the Sharks and captained by Dale Finucane and Cameron McInnes. On Tuesday 23 April, in the lead up to Round 8, co-captain Dale Finucane announced his immediate retirement from the NRL on medical advice, due to repeated head knocks.^[1]

Milestones

• Round 1: Jack Williams played in his 100th NRL and club game.
• Round 2: Tuku Hau Tapuha makes his club debut having previously played for the Sydney Roosters.
• Round 2: Dale Finucane plays his 250th NRL match.
• Round 2: Cameron McInnes plays in his 50th club match.
• Round 3: Billy Burns makes his club debut having previously played for the St. George Illawarra Dragons.
• Round 4: Kayal Iro scores his 1st NRL try.
• Round 7: Samuel Stonestreet makes his NRL debut and scores his first NRL try.
• Round 7: Braden Hamlin-Uele plays his 100th NRL match.
• Round 8: Braden Hamlin-Uele plays his 100th club match.
• Round 11: Oregon Kaufusi plays his 100th NRL match.
• Round 13: Sione Katoa plays his 100th NRL and club match.
• Round 13: Daniel Atkinson scores his 1st NRL try.
• Round 14: Ronaldo Mulitalo plays his 100th NRL and club match.
• Round 17: Siosifa Talakai plays his 100th NRL match.
• Round 21: Liam Ison and Jayden Berrell make their NRL debuts.

Squad changes

Transfers in

		Player	From
	SR	Billy Burns	St. George Illawarra Dragons	^[2]
	C	Michael Gabrael	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	^[3]
	FB	Liam Ison	Penrith Panthers	^[4]

Transfers out

		Player	To
	SR	Wade Graham	Retirement	^[5]
	W	Matt Ikuvalu	Catalans Dragons (mid season)	^[6]
	FE	Matt Moylan	Leigh Leopards	^[7]
	FB, W, C	Connor Tracey	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	^[8]
	PR	Josh Finau	Western Suburbs Magpies (NSW Cup)	^[9]

Pre-season

See main article: 2024 NRL pre-season results.

Regular season

See main article: 2024 NRL season.

Matches

See main article: 2024 NRL season results. The league fixtures were announced on 13 November 2023.^[10]

Player Appearances

FB=Fullback	W=Winger	C=Centre	FE=Five-Eighth	HB=Halfback	PR=Prop	H=Hooker	SR=Second Row	L=Lock	B=Bench	R=Reserve

No	Player	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27
1	Daniel Atkinson	FE(NSW)	FE(NSW)	FE(NSW)	B	–	–	FE(NSW)	FE	FE	FE	FE	FE	FE	FE	FE(NSW)	HB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	W	FE	–	FE	FE
2	Jayden Berrell	H(NSW)	H(NSW)	H(NSW)	–	–	H(NSW)	–	H(NSW)	–	–	–	–	H(NSW)	H(NSW)	H(NSW)	H(NSW)	H(NSW)	–	H(NSW)	H(NSW)	B	FE(NSW)
3	Blayke Brailey	H	H	H	H	–	H	H	H	H	HB	H	H	H	H	H	–	H	H	H	–	H	H
4	Billy Burns	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	B	B	–	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	–	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	–	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)	SR(NSW)
5	Jesse Colquhoun													B(NSW)	PR(NSW)	B(NSW)	PR(NSW)	B(NSW)	L(NSW)	B
6	Kade Dykes				FE(NSW)	–	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	–	–	–	–	–	–
7	Dale Finucane	B	B	B					On 23 April, Finucane announced his immediate retirement from the NRL on medical grounds.^[11]
8	Michael Gabrael	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	–	–	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	–	–	–	–	–	–	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	–	C(JFC)
9	Braden Hamlin-Uele						PR(NSW)	B	B	B	B	–	–	B	–	B	PR(NSW)	PR(NSW)	PR(NSW)	B	PR(NSW)	B	B
10	Tuku Hau Tapuha	PR(NSW)	B	–	B	–	B	PR(NSW)	B	PR(NSW)	B	B	B	PR(NSW)	B	PR(NSW)	–	PR(NSW)	B	PR(NSW)	PR(NSW)	–
11	Tom Hazelton	B	B	B	PR	–	PR	PR	PR	PR	PR	PR	PR	PR	B	B	–	B	B	B	–	PR
12	Royce Hunt	PR	–	B				PR(NSW)	PR(NSW)	PR(NSW)	B	B	B	B	B	B	–	B	PR	PR	–	PR(NSW)	PR
13	Nicho Hynes	HB	HB	HB	HB	–	HB	HB	HB	HB		HB	HB		–	HB	–	HB	HB
14	Kayal Iro	–	–	C(NSW)	C	–	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	–	C	C	C	–	C	C
15	Sione Katoa	W	W	W	W	–	W		W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	–	W		W	–	W	W
16	Oregon Kaufusi	PR	PR	PR	PR	–	PR	PR	PR	PR	PR	PR	PR	PR	PR	PR	–	PR	PR	PR	–	PR	PR
17	William Kennedy	FB	FB	FB	FB	–	FB	FB	FB	FB	FB	FB	FB	FB	FB	FB	–	FB	FB	FB	–		FB
18	Cameron McInnes	L	L	L	L	–	L	L	L	L	H	L	L		L	L	–	L	L	L	–	L	L
19	Ronaldo Mulitalo	W	W	W	W	–	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	–	W	W	W	–	W
20	Briton Nikora	SR	SR			–	SR	SR	SR	SR	SR	SR	SR	SR	SR	SR	–	SR	SR	SR	–	SR	SR
21	Jesse Ramien	C	C	C	C	–	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	C	–	C	C	C	–	C	C
22	Toby Rudolf	B	PR	PR			B	B		B				B	PR	PR	–	PR	PR(NSW)	B	–	B	B
23	Sam Stonestreet	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	–	W(NSW)	W	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)			–	–	W
24	Siosifa Talakai	C	C	C	SR	–	B	B	B	B	B	B	B	B	SR	SR	–	SR	SR		–	B	B
25	Siteni Taukamo	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	FE(JFC)	–	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	W(JFC)	–	FB(JFC)	FB(JFC)	FB(JFC)	C(JFC)	C(JFC)	FB(JFC)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	W(NSW)	FE(NSW)	W(NSW)
26	Niwhai Puru	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	–	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	–	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)	HB(NSW)
27	Braydon Trindall	FE	FE	FE	FE	–	FE	FE	-	-	-	-	-	HB	HB	FE	–	FE	FE	HB	–	HB	HB
28	Jack Williams	B	B	SR	B	–	B	B	B	B	L	B	B	L	B	B	–	B	B				B
29	Teig Wilton	SR	SR	SR	SR	–	SR	SR	SR	SR	SR	SR	SR	SR				B	B	SR	–	SR	SR
Development Players
29	Max Bradbury	PR(JFC)	B(NSW)	PR(NSW)	PR(NSW)	–	PR(JFC)	PR(JFC)	–	PR(JFC)	PR(NSW)	PR(NSW)	PR(NSW)
30	Dylan Coutts	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	–	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	–	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	SR(JFC)	–	L(JFC)
31	Mawene Hiroti	FB(NSW)	–	–	–	–	FE(NSW)	W(NSW)	FE(NSW)	C(NSW)	C(NSW)	C(NSW)	–	C(NSW)	–	C(NSW)	C(NSW)	C(NSW)
32	Liam Ison	FB(JFC)	FB(JFC)	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	–	FB(JFC)	FB(JFC)	FB(JFC)	FB(JFC)	FB(JFC)	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	–	FB(NSW)	FB(NSW)	–	FB	FB(NSW)

Representative Honours

!Player!All Stars match

Michael Gabrael	New South Wales U19 Origin
Nicho Hynes	Indigenous All Stars
Cameron McInnes
Briton Nikora	Maori All Stars
Braydon Trindall	Indigenous All Stars

Awards

Sharks Awards Night

• Porter Gallen Medal and Pontifex Player of the Year:
• NRLW Player of the Year:
• Tommy Bishop Players Player:
• NRLW Player's Player:
• Steve Rogers Rookie of the Year:
• Members Player of the Year:
• Sharks Have Heart Community Award:
• Iron Man:
• Andrew Ettingshausen Club Person of the Year:
• Education Excellence:
• Jersey Flegg - Gavin Miller Player of the Year:
• Jersey Flegg - Greg Pierce Players Player:

Women's Awards Night

• Female Pathways Player of the Year:
• Tarsha Gale Coaches Award:
• Tarsha Gale Player's Player of the Year:
• Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership Coaches Award:
• Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership Player's Player of the Year:

Junior Rep Awards Night

Were presented on Tuesday 14th May.^[12]

Other awards

• Preston Campbell Medal: Braydon Trindall^[13]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2024-04-23 . Finucane announces medical retirement after 251-game career . 2024-04-23 . National Rugby League . en.
2. Web site: 2023-11-30 . Billy Burns a Shark in 2024 . 2024-04-05 . Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks . en.
3. Web site: 2023-12-07 . Sharks sign promising back Michael Gabrael . 2024-04-05 . Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks . en.
4. Web site: 2023-11-22 . Catching up with the young guns: Liam Ison . 2024-04-05 . Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks . en.
5. Web site: 2023-08-08 . Graham to hang up the boots at season’s end . 2024-04-05 . Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks . en.
6. Web site: 2023-04-22 . Ikuvalu granted immediate release . 2024-04-05 . Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks . en.
7. Web site: 2023-11-20 . Moylan granted release request . 2024-04-05 . Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks . en.
8. Web site: 2023-11-28 . Canterbury Confirms Connor Tracey Signing . 2024-04-05 . Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs . en.
9. Web site: 2023-11-21 . Josh Finau . 2024-04-05 . Wests Tigers . en.
10. Web site: 13 November 2023 . 2024 NRL Telstra Premiership schedule released .
11. Web site: 2024-04-23 . Finucane announces medical retirement after 251-game career . 2024-04-23 . National Rugby League . en.
12. Web site: 2024-05-15 . Dellow cleans up at boys junior rep presentation . 2024-05-17 . Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks . en.
13. Web site: 2024-02-16 . Trindall moves out of the shadows and into the history books . 2024-03-31 . National Rugby League . en.