The off-field focus fuelling Hazelton's form surge
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When he isn't scoring tries for fun or watching the FIFA World Cup, Tom Hazleton can regularly be seen at community events around the Sutherland Shire.
While well-known for his exploits on the field, the Sharks prop has also become a fan favourite around Cronulla for his dedication to supporting a number of worthy causes.
So it was no surprise when Hazelton led the way to welcome a young Sharks supporter fighting brain cancer into the team's inner sanctum. The youngster, Coen, watched the team train last week and will attend Friday's showdown with the Knights at Ocean Protect Stadium.
Cronulla don't need any additional motivation as they chase a top-four finish, but the chance to invite Coen into the sheds to sing the team song will provide an a boost throughout the match.
Hazelton was recently named a finalist for the Ken Stephen Medal for his work in the community and is grateful rugby league has given him a platform to support those around him.
"Young Coen is going through a tough time at the moment," Hazelton told NRL.com. "He's a big fan of ours, a local fella from Jannali so it's good to have him down here to meet all the boys.
"There's a lot of people that look up to us and want to experience what we do. Having the ability to make people's day and make them smile through tough times is something I really enjoy.
"Getting the [Ken Stephen] nomination is as important to me as any playing award would be. It's something that's important to me and we strive really hard at this club to include our community and to give back. It's not lost on me how important that medal is."
Match: Sharks v Knights
Round 20 -
home Team
Sharks
4th Position
away Team
Knights
5th Position
Venue: Ocean Protect Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
While he has developed into a key figure of the Cronulla pack, Hazelton grew up in the country town of Goulburn dreaming of a career in a different sport.
The hulking prop spent his formative years playing soccer and was picked in a host of junior representative teams as a teenager.
Hazelton retains a fondness for the sport and has kept a close eye on the World Cup. With an English grandfather, the 27-year-old had hoped England would go all the way, before Thursday morning's crushing semi-final defeat to Argentina.
"I've been watching a fair bit, maybe a little too much," Hazelton said. "I get pretty nervous watching England, my grandfather was born there so I've got that family tie.
"Growing up I always watched the Socceroos. There was the Aloisi penalty back in the day, I used to love Lucas Neil at centre-back, which was the position I played. I used to dream of being in that position one day but things change."
At 198 centimetres tall and 116 kilograms, Hazelton eventually realised his body shape wasn't particularly well-suited to the round-ball game.
Instead, he had the perfect build for life in the middle of an NRL field and the prop hasn't looked back since turning his full attention to rugby league.
Not your average try scoring machine
"When I was 14 or 15 I started to grow a bit," he said. "My mum got me a gym membership so I could go to the gym with all my mates after school.
"It was about that time I realised soccer might be a bit too far a stretch for me. At that point rugby league wasn't something I thought of as a career, I was just playing footy with my mates and enjoying it. I'm grateful to be here now."
Since making his NRL debut for the Sharks in 2022, the prop has developed into a cult hero among the Cronulla faithful thanks to his impressive ability to find the try line.
Hazelton has scored 13 tries in his career, including his second of the 2026 season in last week's dominant win over the Dolphins.
Throw in his trademark head tape and uncompromising playing style and it's not hard to see why the prop is a fan favourite.
More importantly, perhaps, are the reasons why Hazelton has become a favourite teammate as the Sharks chase a long-awaited premiership in the coming months.
"Tommy's one of those good country boys from Goulburn," coach Craig Fitzgibbon said. "He's so popular, he's a cult hero here at the Sharks and he's just a quality guy.
"He's incredibly reliable and he's playing some of his best footy this year. To be nominated for [the Ken Stephen Medal] shows you what sort of person he is away from the Sharks and he's such a good guy. He's so reliable and one of the more popular players I've seen in my time."
