At 27 years old, Tom Hazelton is poised to make a significant impact in this year's NRL finals series, reflecting on a challenging year in 2025.
Last season, Hazelton battled unfortunate setbacks, missing the elimination final against the Sydney Roosters due to a golden staph infection. Although he returned for the semi-final against Canberra, a concussion sustained just four minutes into the match sidelined him from the preliminary final loss to Melbourne.
This year finds Hazelton in better spirits as he prepares to face North Queensland in Saturday's elimination final. A hip-drop tackle on Parramatta's Ronald Volkman recently resulted in only a one-match ban, allowing him to participate in the crucial match.
"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 stated. "So to miss out on games like that (last year) was disappointing for sure." He expressed enthusiasm for this year's journey, stating he looks forward to playing on the weekend.
Hazelton will mark his 80th NRL appearance against a formidable Cowboys forward pack led by Jason Taumalolo. He acknowledged the challenge, saying, "It's going to be a challenge because in big games they can be won or lost in these departments."
The match is also set to feature a clash between Taumalolo and Sharks prop Addin Fonua-Blake, representing a combined weight of 238kg. Hazelton humorously reflected on watching the matchup, noting, "That'll be a good watch as they are both incredible players."
Hazelton highlighted the danger posed by the Cowboys' lineup, including veteran fullback Scott Drinkwater and emerging talents like Jaxon Purdue and Tom Dearden, among others.
The Sharks, however, are equipped with their own strengths in the halves. Hazelton expressed confidence in Braydon Trindall, returning from a shoulder injury after three weeks, and his partnership with former Dally M Medal winner Nicho Hynes.
"I know he's going to bring the best version of himself on the weekend," Hazelton said of Trindall, mentioning his relentless training efforts during recovery.