Cronulla hooker Blayke Brailey has declared he is ready to step into the crucial halfback role if called upon by coach Craig Fitzgibbon.
The Sharks have been thrust into a halves crisis after Braydon Trindall left Saturday night's win over the Rabbitohs with 11 minutes remaining with a hamstring injury.
Cronulla are already without Nicho Hynes, who fractured his ankle earlier in the year and is pushing to be back for Round 27.
Trindall was sent for scans to determine the severity of the injury, with the Sharks fearing he could be set for a stint on the sidelines.
Match: Sharks v Rabbitohs
Round 22 -
home Team
Sharks
4th Position
away Team
Rabbitohs
15th Position
Venue: PointsBet Stadium, Sydney
Should that be the case, Brailey quickly emerged as a halfback option and the 25-year-old is confident he will be up to the task.
"It's obviously big for us," Brailey said. "With Nicho out, Tricky stepped up and now the thought of him not being there really hurts our side. He played great again tonight and really stepped up but we'll be looking to [five-eighth] Daniel Atkinson if he's out, and I'll have to step up as well.
"I'm sure I have the players around me who can help me out. It's not my preferred spot, but whatever is best for the team, I am happy to do. If that's in the halves or whatever, I am happy to play there."
Braydon Trindall Try
Brailey played halfback through much of his junior career before switching permanently to hooker once he progressed to senior rugby league.
Among the other options are Niwhai Puru, who plays for Sharks feeder club Newtown Jets and led the side to a NSW Cup win over South Sydney on Saturday afternoon.
The Penrith junior moved to Cronulla in 2023 and was promoted to the club's top 30 this year.
Puru was joined in the halves for the Jets on Saturday by Jayden Berrell and he shapes as another option for Fitzgibbon. The 29-year-old made a long awaited NRL debut in last week's loss to the Cowboys in Townsville.
Jayden Berrell Try
While Puru is a youngster with a bright future, Berrell is more experienced and could provide a steady hand for the Sharks.
"We've got young Niwhai Puru, he's played really good footy for the Jets, had another strong game today," Fitzgibbon said post-game. "We've got the option of Blayke to go there as well.
"We've got some options there, we've got Jayden Berrell played in the halves for the Jets as well this afternoon. We've got some flexibility there, we'll look at it and just hope Tricky will be OK."
Trindall is channelling Zac Lomax!
Trindall's injury overshadowed a crucial win for the Sharks at PointsBet Stadium.
Cronulla were below their best, but after a mid-season slump featuring two wins from eight games, it was a vital two points and kept the team inside the top four for another week.
The focus now turns to a Gold Coast road trip to face a red-hot Titans side on Friday night.
The short turnaround means it's unlikely Trindall will feature, with Fitzgibbon eager to avoid a more serious injury.
Blayke Brailey Try
While a shift to halfback would be a change for Brailey, he is used to having his hands on the ball and said it will only be a minor adjustment if he wears the No.7 jumper next week.
"They are pretty similar in their own right, you're controlling the team there," he said. "You have middles at No.9, you just have to work the edges more and a few more different plays you have to come up with [as halfback].
"They are similar, but different at the same time. I'm not sure if I will be playing there, but if I do, I'll make sure I am prepared to go out and do it this week."
