Blayke Brailey watches from the bench after sustaining a suspected broken arm. Picture by Dan Himbrechts / AAP Photos
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A suspected broken arm to classy hooker Blayke Brailey has soured Cronulla's rousing 28-22 victory over Manly as the Sharks finally cracked the NRL's "Fozball'' code.
The Sharks burst Manly's bubble with some dazzling tries on Friday night, but the sight of Brailey trudging off midway through the second half was a major blow for his club and state.
The NSW super sub will await the result of scans on Saturday before learning his fate ahead of State of Origin II in Melbourne on June 17.
Niwhai Puru opens the scoring for the Sharks with an eighth-minute try. Picture by Dan Himbrechts / AAP Photos
"He's dejected, obviously," said Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon.
"But he's not going to be out forever. If it is a fracture, hopefully it's clean and not displaced, so that would minimise the time (out). That's what it's looking like."
With his superstar halves partner Nicho Hynes sidelined with a calf strain, Braydon Trindall delivered a playmaking masterclass to pilot the Sharks to back-to-back wins for only the second time in 2026.
Trindall bagged one try and had a hand or boot in three others as Cronulla wowed their home fans at Ocean Protect Stadium.
Until being injured, Brailey and his NSW teammate Addin Fonua-Blake were also superb backing up from the Blues' thrilling series-opening win over Queensland on Wednesday night.
Back-rower Billy Burns - starting after Maroons bench forward Briton Nikora sat out the contest - also shone with a rousing try-scoring double as Cronulla jumped from ninth to seventh on the table, only behind Manly on points differential.
Manly's only defeat in eight previous matches since Foran took over from Anthony Siebold before round five was a two-point loss to Penrith.
The Sea Eagles had boasted the best attack and defence in the league under the rookie coach and club legend.
- Australian Associated Press
Halle Shield and Joseph Pirrello (front centre) and other Titans members at the council meeting. Picture by Murray Trembath
TITANS APPEAL FOR LIGHTING UPGRADE
Poor lighting at Gwawley Park north, Taren Point, is making conditions very difficult for rugby league and touch football teams training and playing at night.
Details were given when Taren Point Titans Junior Rugby League Club members attended this week's meeting of Sutherland Shire Council.
The group provided support for a motion by Cr Haris Strangas, which was unanimously passed, for an application to the NSW Rugby League for a grant for new lighting.
The AFL helped fund a similar lighting upgrade at Gwawley Park south in 2025.
Taren Point Titans life member, coach and trainer Joseph Pirrello and female club captain Halle Shield spoke during the council's public forum.
Pirrello, who has been involved with the club for more than a decade, said he had seen first-hand the positive impact the Titans has had on young people, their families and the wider community.
"The Titans now field 20 teams across male and female rugby league and league tag competitions," he said.
"We are proud to have been recognised as Cronulla Junior Rugby League's Club of the Year four times in the past 15 years, which reflects the strength of our club culture, our volunteers and our community spirit.
"However, with that growth has come increasing pressure on the facilities at Gwawley Park north.
"Training capacity is stretched, particularly during training sessions when multiple teams are competing for limited space under inadequate lighting conditions.
"Parts of Gwawley Park north has lighting as low as 25 lux which is well below the recommended average 100 lux.
"As a result, the teams are forced to train in a few small pockets of the field where lighting is acceptable.
"This creates overcrowding, compromises safety, and causes excessive wear and tear on concentrated sections of the playing surface."
Pirrello said Gwawley Park north was also the home ground for touch football in the Shire, hosting weeknight competitions and training.
"This means the current poor lighting conditions also impact the many Touch Football players, families and officials who use the facility each week," he said.
Halle, who plays both tackle and tag for the Titans and is also a trainer for her younger sister's Under 8s tag team, appealed particularly on behalf of female players.
"Our club has always been a huge supporter of female rugby league," she said. "Even though we're not one of the biggest clubs in the Shire, in 2026 we are proud to have the most female tackle teams of any club in Cronulla Junior League.
"We are also the only club fielding teams in the Women's Opens, Under 18s and Under 16s girls divisions. We even have an all-female Under 11s tackle team competing in the boys competition."
Shield said, "As female participation keeps growing, so does the demand for training space at our home ground".
"With so many Titans teams training during the week, access to field space is already difficult, and the poor lighting makes it even harder," she said.
"There are large dark patches across the field which not only makes training unsafe, but also means teams are all forced into the same small areas where the lighting is better.
"It gets overcrowded very quickly and it's not ideal for training.
"Because of the limited space and lighting, the club has had to shorten training sessions for teams just so everyone can get access to the field.
"If the lighting was upgraded, we could safely use more of the field and allow teams to train properly."
Shield said grassroots sport was really important for young people.
"It gives us confidence, friendships, opportunities and a place where we feel supported," she said.
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