Up & Running: Sharks Junior Rep Season 2026 Begins

cronullajrl
2 hours ago
2 min read

Not long after the curtain came down on the 2025 junior rugby league season in late August, our Junior Representative players were back on the field — kicking off their pre-season training with gusto. Although the official 2026 Junior Representative competition doesn’t begin until February, the action truly starts well before then. Between Christmas and January, our squads have been grinding through weeks of training and trial fixtures, with the first trial action now in the books.

This past Sunday marked the very first trial, with our Under 16 and Under 18 development squads taking on the Illawarra Steelers at Centennial Oval in Albion Park. In scorching conditions that tested fitness and resilience, both Sharks sides put in strong performances.

The U16s came out on top 28–16, while the U18s dominated 24–0, with the match called off early due to the intense heat — testament to how commanding the lads were.

This Saturday evening in Camden we’ll see more of our future stars in action, with the Harold Matthews and SG Ball squads playing their first trials of the season against the Western Suburbs Magpies at Kirkham Oval — an exciting step as we build toward Round 1.

Check out the links to full galleries from the development squad games against the Illawarra Steelers below thanks to Cronulla JRL Photographer - Adam Wrightson.

Remember to visit the official Sharks Website and to follow the Cronulla JRL website and social media channels for all the action and excitement from the 2026 NSWRL junior representative season.

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