3 minute read

Former captain Wade Graham is said to be a big chance to make his return from an ankle injury in Cronulla's NRL clash with Brisbane on Thursday night.

Cronulla's stocks continue to soar with Wade Graham likely to make his first appearance of the NRL season in Thursday night's clash with Brisbane.

Already boosted by the return of new captain Dale Finucane, Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon says former skipper Graham is also poised for a comeback from an ankle injury suffered in the pre-season.

"He's a good chance. He trained yesterday, trained really strongly. He's got to get screened and assessed this morning and then get through the captain's run," Fitzgibbon said on Wednesday.

"But he's looking really good at the moment."

Graham hasn't played since sustaining the syndesmosis injury in a February trial against Canterbury.

But Fitzgibbon isn't ruling out starting the former NSW State of Origin and Australian Test forward rather than easing him back via the bench at Suncorp Stadium.

"I'll keep that up my sleeve until an hour before," the coach said.

"But at this stage I don't want to over commit. He trained very strongly yesterday and I would say he's a very good chance of playing."

Flying high after a five-from-seven start to 2022, Cronulla have a golden opportunity to cement their place in the top four with the return of the two big guns adding further strike power to their already formidable pack.

Finucane missed last week's win over Manly after a head knock.

"He's very important to the team," Fitzgibbon said.

"He makes players inside and outside of him better with his leadership."

The Broncos, sitting just outside the eight in ninth spot, are hopeful Payne Haas will play after the representative prop completed Wednesday's training run despite hurting his shoulder in last Friday night's impressive comeback win over the Bulldogs.