Sharks cult hero out to make up for lost finals time
Margie McDonald |
Sharks cult hero Tom Hazelton is highly motivated for this year’s NRL finals series after having a forgettable run in 2025.
To recap, luckless Hazelton missed last year’s elimination final win over the Sydney Roosters due to a golden staph infection then played in the semi-final win over Canberra but picked up a concussion after four minutes that forced him to miss the preliminary final loss to Melbourne.
Fast forward to this year and that luck may have changed as a hip-drop tackle on Parramatta’s Ronald Volkman in Round 26 only attracted a one-match ban, so he is ready to rip into North Queensland in Saturday night’s elimination final.
“It’s a year’s work of your life to get to play in a finals series and possibly play in a grand final,” Hazelton said.
“So to miss out on games like that (last year) was disappointing for sure. It was hard to watch but I’m feeling really good this year and looking forward to getting out there on the weekend.”
Hazelton, 27, will be playing his 80th NRL game when he rolls into the Cowboys forwards, including skipper Reuben Cotter who enjoyed success at the judiciary, escaping a ban for a head-high tackle.
“They’re a quality pack with Jase (Jason Taumalolo) as their leader. It’s going to be a challenge because in big games they can be won or lost in these departments,” Hazelton said.
However, a small part of him wishes he could sit with some popcorn to watch two fiercely proud Tongan internationals – Taumalolo and Sharks prop Addin Fonua-Blake – go head to head.
That’s a combined weight of 238kg.
“That’ll be a good watch as they are both incredible payers, who are going to go at it for sure,” Hazelton said.
When fatigue sets in Hazelton said the other danger men in the Cowboys line-up will surface.
“(Fullback Scott) Drinkwater at the back has been quality for a lot of years and then there’s the good young talent like centres (Jaxon) Purdue, Tom Chester and then Tom Dearden – one of the elite halves of the game.”
But the Sharks boast some potency in their own halves with Braydon Trindall (shoulder) returning from three weeks out to rekindle his combination with former Dally M Medal winner Nicho Hynes.
“Obviously ‘Tricky’ has done a really good job in rehabbing that shoulder to get it strong. I know he’s going to bring the best version of himself on the weekend,” Hazelton said.
“Every time anyone ran near him today at training he was dropping the shoulder into them.
“It was actually good not to get winded every week with him in rehab.”
AAP