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'Unusual' stat Sharks will own with grand-final berth
Jasper Bruce & Scott Bailey, AAP • September 25th, 2025 3:07 pm
Cronulla could become the first team since 2005 to make a grand final without any Origin players | Photo: Mark Kolbe/AAP
Cronulla are on the cusp of becoming the first team in 20 years to make it to the NRL grand final without any State of Origin players.
Subsequently crowned premiers, the 2005 Wests Tigers are currently the only team in the NRL era to contest the decider having not had anyone selected in that year's Origin series.
Wests Tigers captain Scott Prince celebrates their win over the Cowboys in the 2005 grand final | Photo: Dean Lewins/AAP
Cronulla's Siosifa Talakai, Nicho Hynes and Cam McInnes have all been picked for NSW in the past, but were overlooked when selectors picked the cream of the crop for this year's interstate series.
In fact, preliminary finalists the Sharks are the only team across the NRL that was unrepresented in the Origin arena this year.
By contrast, Friday's opponents Melbourne had five Origin players in 2025, with fellow grand-final hopefuls Penrith (five) and Brisbane (three) also represented.
"It definitely is unusual," Talakai told AAP.
"When none of us made the Origin squad, I don't think it really affected us in any way."
What Cronulla's title push may lack in household names, it makes up for in stability with coach Craig Fitzgibbon able to avoid reshuffling his team during the Origin period.
The Sharks have used a total of only 33 players across the past three seasons, compared to the 43 used by opponents Melbourne.
"It plays a big part (in our success)," Talakai said.
Siosifa Talakai says the lack of Origin representation has given Sharks players more time together | Photo: Jono Searle/AAP
"Because by the time you peak, everyone knows each other's games, everyone knows each other on and off the field and relationships grow off of that."
"It plays a big part when it comes to a bit of chaos on the field. Everyone's reliable."
Blayke Brailey's career-best season will have the Sharks hooker firmly in NSW selection conversations to begin 2026, while second-rower Teig Wilton was earmarked as a future Origin player by being invited to this year's Blues camp.
"I really think that there's a few players in here that should be playing Origin," prop Addin Fonua-Blake told AAP.
"No one really looks into the (Sharks) team and spots out any sort of talent, but the boys here don't really mind it. They just go about their business every day.
"Don't worry, I'm sure there's going to be a few of them in those representative teams in the near future."
Tune into Sport Nation for SEN's live commentary of the Cronulla Sharks vs Melbourne Storm NRL Preliminary Final - coverage starts 8pm NZ time, kick-off 9.50pm - available on the SN app and all NZ frequencies.
