Cronulla’s premiership campaign has taken a significant hit at the worst possible time.

Braydon Trindall’s shoulder dislocation in Saturday’s 24-20 loss to Canberra came as the Sharks were already struggling for momentum. The defeat was their second in succession against a team outside the top eight and pushed them out of the NRL’s top four with three rounds of the regular season remaining.

The initial concern was that Trindall could be lost for the finals. Scans on Sunday confirmed the five-eighth had dislocated his shoulder after scoring Cronulla’s opening try in the fifth minute. The Sharks have since indicated he will begin rehabilitation with the aim of returning at some point this season. More recent reports say he has avoided season-ending surgery, although his exact return date remains uncertain.

That uncertainty is particularly important because Trindall has become central to the way Cronulla attack. The 27-year-old has played 18 matches in 2026, producing eight tries and 26 try assists, while also recording 17 line-break assists. He is the Sharks’ leading try-assist player, and his combination with halfback Nicho Hynes has become one of the more settled halves partnerships in the competition.

His influence extends beyond the final pass. Trindall provides Cronulla with a second kicking option, regularly takes pressure off Hynes and has developed into an increasingly dangerous organiser close to the opposition line.

That makes replacing him particularly difficult. Cronulla’s issue is not simply finding another player to wear the No.6 jersey. The Sharks need someone capable of maintaining the balance that allows Hynes to operate effectively while preserving the team’s attacking structure.

The timing compounds the problem. Cronulla have already lost centre Jesse Ramien for the season with a pectoral injury, while Addin Fonua-Blake was unavailable through suspension against Canberra. They now face the Titans, before matches against the Bulldogs and Manly, with their position in the top four still under pressure.

There is, however, a crucial distinction between a disaster and a setback. Trindall has not been ruled out for the finals.

If rehabilitation progresses quickly enough, Cronulla could still have their preferred halves combination when the premiership is decided. If it does not, the Sharks will enter September having to restructure the most important partnership in their attack. After Saturday’s defeat, that is a problem they could have done without.