The Cronulla Sharks were again on the cusp of more in 2023, but a lack of depth and winning mentality in the finals again saw the men from the Shire come up short.

2024 promises more of the same for the Sharks - a side who are good enough to compete and challenge, but unlikely to be able to win a handful of straight games through the finals to take the premiership.

For some, attention on this Sharks outfit having a genuine premiership window being open will have already turned to 2025 following the recent announcement by the club that they have signed released Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake from the start of that campaign.

But there is a full season that the playing group won't want to be writing off before that, with Nicho Hynes again to be the man leading from the front, although with a significant personnel change in the halves alongside him.

Here are the big questions that will define season 2024 for the Sharks.

2. Is Blayke Brailey good enough to be a premiership-contending dummy half?

Blayke Brailey came out of the 2023 season with plenty of fans, but also plenty of detractors, with many Sharks fans left with a head-scratching question or two over both decisions he made in attack and defence.

That's not to say Brailey is a poor player, but he certainly hasn't yet proved he is going to be the number nine for a premiership-winning outfit at any point in his career.

Fitzgibbon has regularly talked about Brailey's work ethic, particularly in defence, but that isn't really what those who question his ability ask.

Instead, it's questions around his dummy half service, whether he can improve his kicking and running game, and increase his rugby league IQ which at times, particularly in moments of their knockout elimination final against the Sydney Roosters in 2023, has been poor.

The Sharks aren't about to move on Brailey - he is still contracted for another three years, but Jayden Berrell, who has been snapping for a first-grade opportunity since signing with the club from the QLD Cup, is on the cusp of pushing his way into first-grade, and Brailey may need a strong start to the campaign to ward it off.