‘A world class front rower’: Sharks emerge as 2025 premiership contenders after signing Addin Fonua-Blake

The Bulldogs and Dragons have missed out on another major target with Addin Fonua-Blake signing a monster contract with the Sharks.

Addin Fonua-Blake has knocked back interest from several Sydney clubs to sign a huge deal with the Sharks from 2025 onwards. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

The Sharks have landed the big fish they so desperately needed with world-class front-rower Addin Fonua-Blake set to join Cronulla in 2025 on a four-year deal.

The news comes just weeks after the 28-year-old informed the Warriors that he wanted an immediate release from the final three seasons on his current deal to return to Sydney on compassionate grounds.

The club held discussions with their star prop and agreed that he would stay in New Zealand for the 2024 season where he would assess his personal circumstances for 2025 and beyond.

Those chats have seemingly only delayed the inevitable with the Sharks announcing the new deal on Tuesday which will keep him at the club until the end of the 2028 season, with Cronulla set to match the $1 million he was earning per season.

Addin Fonua-Blake will join the Sharks in 2025. Picture: NRL Photos

The Tongan forward was named in the Dally M Team of the Year for the 2023 season after he ran for the fourth-most metres in the NRL, with no Cronulla middle even in the top 100 for that stat.

Getting a guy like Fonua-Blake will make the Sharks one of the favourites for 2025 with the big man set to lay a wonderful platform for 2022 Dally M Medal winner Nicho Hynes to weave his magic, which in turn will create countless opportunities for their electric back three.

“Addin is a world class front rower and we are delighted to be adding him to our roster from 2025,” Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said of a prop forward with tremendous footwork and a handy passing game.

“Throughout the negotiation process we have been impressed by his attitude, his genuine desire to help make the Sharks successful and to complement and work alongside both those in our leadership group and the young forwards we have coming through our system.

“As Dally M Front Rower of the Year and on the back of a couple of outstanding seasons, everyone has seen what he is capable of and we look forward to Addin playing a major role for us here at the Sharks.”

✍️ AFB is coming to Cronulla!https://t.co/vl62IrCFJl

— Cronulla Sharks (@cronullasharks) December 19, 2023

The news is another setback for the Dragons who were confident of luring Fonua-Blake back to the club, and it will doubly hurt to see him at their noisy neighbours.

The Bulldogs were also in the hunt for his services after club supremo Phil Gould was spotted meeting with him last month.

Fonua-Blake’s arrival could be what the Sharks need to get over their finals struggles, but they’ll have to wait another 12 months with the damaging prop confirming in November that he’ll play for the Warriors in 2024.

“My only motivation for this move is for family reasons,” he said after a career-best season where he scored nine tries.

“But I really want all Warriors fans to know that I am fully committed to getting into the 2024 season.

“I can’t wait to get back to training with my teammates with the aim to go even further in the upcoming season.”