Sharks face nervous wait on fullback

The Cronulla Sharks will face a nervous wait this week as they await to find out if Connor Tracey can play against the Sydney Roosters.

While nothing is yet to be confirmed, Tracey left the stadium on Sunday in a knee brace after being forced from the field against the Canberra Raiders with 10 minutes left to go in the contest.

The club will wait for scan results on Monday morning before a decision is made on his ability to play this weekend, per News Corp.

“I'm a bit banged up and have a bit going on, but hopefully it's nothing too serious,” Tracey said after a 10-minute consultation with the team doctor via News Corp.

“I got a few corks and then I sprained my knee a bit when it got caught a bit awkwardly, but hopefully it's not too bad.

“The doctor has said it's a little sprain of the joint, but fingers crossed it's not too bad.”

“It would be (a blow) if I'm out, but we'll get the scan first and then we can think about that,” he replied when asked how disappointed he'd be to miss the finals.

If Tracey is ruled out of the game, it will create a significant shake-up to the Sharks back-line. Reports have emerged that Nicho Hynes, Matt Moylan, and Daniel Atkinson are all options to wear the number one jersey. However, one surprising name that hasn't been mentioned is Kayal Iro.

Constantly named as the 18th man, Iro has been biding his way in the lower levels and was named the 2022 NSW Cup Player of the Year whilst playing as a fullback. Destined to be a breakout player eventually, he represented the Cook Islands in last year's World Cup.

"He's definitely got the most potential out of all of us (in) our whole back line," Siosifa Talakai told this masthead earlier this year.

"He's a freak of nature. He just puts his head down (and) works hard. He's young, tough, he's got raw talent, and he's real real real powerful.

"When he gets his opportunity, he is just gonna put a string of highlight reels together and rack them all up...he's a freak and he's definitely got the most potential."

Tracey made his way into the number one jersey after first-choice fullback Will Kennedy was sidelined with a hamstring injury, and Kade Dykes, the Sharks' second-choice fullback, has been unavailable all season due to rupturing his ACL.

After the game against the Canberra Raiders, coach Craig Fitzgibbon spoke about the injury to the in-form fullback who has done a fantastic job in place of Will Kennedy.

“At this stage, they weren't thinking that it was his ACL or his medial, but it's jammed up so it could be something or it could be nothing,” he said.

“We'll hang by and see how Connor is (before we think about a replacement).”