LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
"His manager gave us a bell": Sharks general manager spills the beans on how Fonua-Blake was recruited
Darren Mooney, Cronulla Sharks' general manager of rugby league, has lifted the lid on the unexpected signing of Addin Fonua-Blake for the 2025 NRL season.
It wasn't in the playbook for the Sharks, but sometimes in sport, unexpected opportunities arise.
Fonua-Blake, a powerhouse prop, made a heartfelt request to leave the New Zealand Warriors at the close of the 2024 season for personal reasons.
His wish was granted, leading to the Warriors acquiring James Fisher-Harris as his replacement.
The return to Aussie shores nearly saw Fonua-Blake don the red V jersey for the St George Illawarra Dragons, his first club in the NRL.
However, in a twist of fate, he ended up putting pen to paper with the Sharks on a deal that reportedly didn't break the bank.
Speaking on SEN Radio, Mooney disclosed that Fonua-Blake's management team initiated talks with the Sharks.
The departure of Matt Moylan to the Leigh Leopards in the Super League and Connor Tracey to the Canterbury Bulldogs created the financial wiggle room for the Sharks to make a move.
"I guess with Addin, we never planned to sign Addin.
He was contracted to the Warriors for a few extra years, so obviously there was a complication there with working through with the Warriors on how he would be released," Mooney revealed on SEN's The Run Home with Joel and Fletch.
In the game of rugby league, sometimes you have to adapt and seize unexpected opportunities when they come your way.