Blayke Brailey is riding a wave of career-best form. Signed through to the end of 2026, the Sharks have moved to lock him in for the long haul with a multi-year contract extension offer.
In a surprise development, the local junior has rejected the Sharks contract offer and now looms as a genuine chance to hit the open market on November 1, as reported by Nine’s Wide World of Sports.
“They [Cronulla] made an offer—we didn’t accept it” Brailey's manager David Riolo told Wide World of Sports.
"I put a counter offer and they are considering it. We are kind of in limbo at the moment."
"But the clock is ticking and if it can't get sorted before November 1, he will go to the open market."
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The news will concern Sharks fans, with Brailey enjoying a career-best season that has reignited calls for him to become the long-term New South Wales Blues hooker.
Fresh from a man-of-the-match display in the Cronulla Sharks’ 31-18 win over the Sydney Roosters—where the in-form No. 9 produced two try assists—the 26-year-old is staking a strong claim as the best hooker in the NRL right now.
For years he has been tipped as a future representative player, and in 2025 he has taken his game to a new level looking every bit the representative player his potential has shown he could be with a mix of toughness, stellar work ethic and attacking nous.
Brailey has consistently expressed his desire to remain a one-club man and his love for the Shire, making this contract impasse a significant twist for a player who as a child grew up running around the grassy family hill during Sharks matches.
Now entering his prime footballing years, Brailey’s value is rising rapidly—and if he does become available in November, it will likely trigger a fierce bidding war.
There is not only a lack of depth at the hooker position across the NRL, but also a shortage of quality No. 9s off contract in 2026, making Brailey a rare and valuable commodity.
While he’s a lifelong Shark and a local junior, Cronulla now face the serious risk of losing one of their best and most important players.
No doubt rivals can already smell the blood in the water and unless the Sharks can return to the table with a significantly improved offer, other clubs will start circling quickly.