Two days after a fine outing in his State of Origin debut, Cronulla co-captain Blayke Brailey is facing an extended stint on the sideline after suffering a broken arm in the Sharks’ 28-22 against Manly on Friday night.
The injury is a setback for Laurie Daley’s NSW, for whom Brailey made a strong impression after coming off the bench in the epic opening match of the series at Accor Stadium.
Brailey’s absence will leave the Blues having to turn to an alternative back-up to hooker Reece Robson, with Wests Tigers No.9 Api Koroisau likely to come into the frame after sitting out his club’s last three games with suspension.
It is an even tougher blow for Craig Fitzgibbon’s team, who withstood a determined fightback from the Sea Eagles to rise into the top eight.
“Hopefully if it is fractured it’s clean and not displaced, that would minimise the time [he is not able to play],” Fitzgibbon said.
“He was playing such a good game tonight. He’s such a player. But he’s not going to be out forever.”
The Sharks, preliminary finalists the past two years, have been a hit-and-miss side this season – this was only the second time they have recorded successive victories in 2026.
Brailey helped get them there, splitting the Manly markers and bursting through the line to set up debutant halfback Niwhai Puru after only nine minutes.
But he was forced from the field at the hour mark, with his forearm coming off worse for wear in a tackle on Manly’s Jason Saab.
The 27-year-old had played 139 NRL games in a row before having to miss Cronulla’s clash against Canterbury at Magic Round this month to adhere to concussion protocols.
He had backed up from Origin along with teammate Addin Fonua-Blake while Manly’s NSW duo Tolutau Koula and Haumole Olakau’atu were missing.
The Sharks were not without key players themselves even before kick-off, with Queensland forward Briton Nikora and centre KL Iro out, and having had playmaker Nicho Hynes withdraw earlier in the week with a calf strain.
In Hynes’ absence, Braydon Trindall revelled with the added responsibility, dashing over for a try himself and setting up a quickfire double for second-rower Billy Burns with two expertly directed kicks to the right corner at Ocean Protect Stadium.
Cronulla led by 16 points with half than half an hour remaining after Trindall waltzed past Ben Trbojevic, who offered little challenge due to an apparent shoulder problem incurred when scoring himself minutes earlier.
However, they were made to battle for the win as the Sea Eagles charged back to within four.
The result was still in the balance until the final stages, when winger Sam Stonestreet produced a pair of decisive tackles sending opponents into touch.
The victory came after a week in which several Sharks players signed deals elsewhere for next season, among them Brailey’s fellow co-captain Cameron McInnes, who is off to England and was marking his 100th game for the club on Friday night.
The defeat was only Manly’s second since Kieran Foran took over as coach in March, with the Sea Eagles having won seven of their previous eight games.
Foran bemoaned a slow start in which Cronulla dominated physically.
“They did to us what we’ve been able to do to sides over the past eight weeks,” he said.
“You just can’t let a game of footy get away from you like that. That was the first real time we’ve missed the jump.”
The match was also notable for an equal record number of set-restarts signalled by referee Todd Smith in the first half.
There were 12 in the first 40 minutes alone – only the second time there have been that many in a half since the six-again rule was introduced in 2020.
By comparison, there had been just six awarded during NSW’s come-from-behind triumph against Queensland during the week.
There ended up being 14 in total here but according to Fitzgibbon there could have been many more.
“Pardon my language but F the controversy,” he said. “That’s a good game.”
North Queensland-bound Sharks centre Jesse Ramien was placed on report for striking Manly fullback Clayton Faulalo with his forearm early in the match.