‘Redemption’: New recruit Addin Fonua-Blake goes all in as the Sharks hope to hit the jackpot in Vegas

The Sharks already boasted a strong hand going into 2025, but Addin Fonua-Blake looms as the trump card who can lead them to a shock win in Las Vegas.

Addin Fonua-Blake may not be the card shark he says he is, but the Cronulla recruit has gone all in at pre-season training as the club looks to hit the jackpot in Las Vegas with a win against the premiers who ended their 2024 campaign.

The former Warriors enforcer is one of the biggest signings in the club’s history, with Fonua-Blake looming as the missing piece in a forward pack that already has speed, size and a relentless work ethic.

The Tongan front-rower was awesome in the Pacific Championships, with the Dally M Prop of the Year earning his award having scored more tries than any other front-rower last year, while he also had the second-most tackle busts in that position.

His influence has been telling in the pre-season, with Fonua-Blake quickly earning the trust of his teammates on the field and even letting them win a few hands off it as well.

Addin Fonua-Blake has made an immediate impact at Sharks training. Picture: Sharks

“He’s hosted some poker nights. Claims he’s a card shark but he didn’t win last week,” teammate Toby Rudolf said.

“He’s spoken openly about wanting to earn the players’ trust, and that’s something he’s doing.

“He’s a tackle-busting machine and someone who is very hard to handle, and he’s been nothing short of that at training where the boys have noticed him putting his hand up for extra work.

“He’s also been promoted to the leadership group which speak volumes of what he wants to bring to the team, so I can’t speak highly enough of him.”

Rudolf will miss Cronulla’s round 1 clash against the Panthers in Las Vegas due to injury, but Fonua-Blake will be there to lead from the front against a vaunted forward pack that has lost James Fisher-Harris to the Warriors.

There is plenty of history between the teams after Penrith knocked the Sharks out in the preliminary final last year thanks to three tries in the final 20 minutes that blew the game wide open.

Nathan Cleary helped the Panthers eliminate the Sharks last year, with Cronulla seeking revenge when the sides meet again in Las Vegas. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

It’s been one-way traffic between the clubs, with Penrith winning the past three games by a combined score of 96-6, but the four-time defending premiers could be vulnerable with a few fresh faces in key positions.

“I don’t know if revenge is the right word, but there’s definitely an element of wanting to test ourselves again,” Rudolf said.

“If a few bounces of the ball had gone our way in that match then it would have been a very different scoreline.

“To be able to test ourselves against the best again is important, and it’s well known that you have to beat the best to be the best.

“To do it against Penrith in Vegas, I don’t think there’s a grander stage to right the wrongs of last season.

“I know the team is really looking forward to it. I’m not entirely sure if there’s been a whole lot of chat about redemption, but I don’t see how there wouldn’t be a bit of it in the back of our minds.”

Originally published as ‘Redemption’: New recruit Addin Fonua-Blake goes all in as the Sharks hope to hit the jackpot in Vegas