Cronulla Sharks 2023 NRL Preview & Predictions

<p>Cronulla will still be feeling the sting of a straight sets finals exit in 2022 as they head into the new season.</p> <p>Despite finishing second on the ladder in the regular season, the Sharks were sent packing at the hands of the Cowboys and South Sydney last time out.</p> <p>Revenge will definitely be the flavour of the month, with the Sharkies kicking off their campaign against Souths on March 4th.</p> <p>With a relatively unchanged team, the boys from the Shire will be out to prove that last year’s second placed finish was not a one off.</p> <p>Will they continue building towards just their second ever premiership? Or will it be a case of second year syndrome for Craig Fitzgibbon and his team? Read our 2023 season prediction for the Cronulla Sharks below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Key Gains</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li><em><strong>Oregon Kaufusi (Parramatta Eels)</strong></em></li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>“If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”, appears to be the mantra adopted by Craig Fitzgibbon heading into this season. The only notable offseason addition has been interchange forward Oregon Kaufusi who joined from Parramatta in search of more game time.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Key Losses</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li><strong><em>Andrew Fifita (retired)</em></strong></li> <li><strong><em>Luke Metcalf (New Zealand Warriors)</em></strong></li> <li><strong><em>Franklin Pele (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)</em></strong></li> <li><strong><em>Aiden Tolman (retired)</em></strong></li> <li><strong><em>Lachlan Miller (Newcastle Knights)</em></strong></li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Cronulla have farewelled two veteran forwards in the form of Andrew Fifita and Aiden Tolman. Age and injuries finally caught up with the pair after distinguished careers on the frontline.</p> <p>Elsewhere the loss of backup spine players Luke Metcalf and Lachlan Miller will hurt the overall depth of their squad, but their departures were inevitable considering the players above them in the selection pecking order.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Player To Watch</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>Nicho Hynes</strong></em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>As the reigning Dally M medallist, Nicho Hynes is an obvious choice for the Sharks player to watch. After leaving Melbourne for a starting berth at Cronulla, the 26-year-old has never looked back.</p> <p>Handed the No.7 at the Sharks, Hynes went from strength to strength leading his team to within a whisker of the minor premiership, while claiming rugby league’s highest individual honour in the process.</p> <p>The pressure will be on in 2023 to deliver again, but there seems to be nothing that the always level-headed Hynes can’t take in his stride.</p> <p>While a second Dally M is unlikely to be on the cards, a NSW origin jersey could be, with Hynes’ form getting to the point of being impossible to ignore for Blues’ selectors.</p> <p>If the Sharks are to have another big year, you can bet the man with mullet will be a big reason why.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>Cronulla Sharks’ Season Prediction</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Predicted finish</em>: <strong>5th</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>It’s popular belief that the Sharks were handed one of the softer draws in 2022, that helped facilitate their lofty ladder position at the end of the regular season.</p> <p>This won’t be the case this season, so they’ll have to prove they get the job done against the top sides more often than not.</p> <p>Cronulla’s biggest strength is undoubtedly their backline, with their wingers and centres resembling more of a forward pack than traditional outside backs.</p> <p>Ronaldo Mulitalo, Siosifa Talakai and Jesse Ramien are all elite metre eaters and were a large part of the reason why Cronulla topped the NRL for tackle busts last season.</p> <p>All in all, expect Cronulla to have another impressive campaign, but another top four finish may be a stretch too far due to the improvement of some of their direct rivals.</p> <p><br /> &nbsp;</p> <h3>Predicted Team For Round 1</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <ol> <li>Will Kennedy</li> <li>Sione Katoa</li> <li>Jesse Ramien</li> <li>Siosifa Talakai</li> <li>Ronaldo Mulitalo</li> <li>Matt Moylan</li> <li>Nicho Hynes</li> <li>Toby Rudolf</li> <li>Blayke Brailey</li> <li>Royce Hunt</li> <li>Briton Nikora</li> <li>Wade Graham</li> <li>Dale Finucane</li> <li>Cameron McInnes</li> <li>Teig Wilton</li> <li>Braden Hamlin-Uele</li> <li>Oregon Kaufusi</li> </ol>