One of the side’s leading lights in a campaign that netted just seven wins and 15th position on the ladder, Muller was stunned to be crowned player of the year, with the medal named after the Sharks’ two-time Dally M winning legend Gavin Miller.

“It was a bit of a shock actually,” Muller, 20, said.

“We had our awards on Wednesday night and it was a club thing, all of the first grade guys were there as well. I didn’t really expect it, but when they started reading I thought it was me.”

Muller has been a long-time gun playing in the National Rugby League’s lower grades.

He began at the Roosters in the SG Ball, and made the move over to Cronulla in 2014. 

The 2015 season was his last in the National Youth Competition (NYC) as well, and the 193 centimetre and 105 kilogram prop or lock says the speed of the game at an under-20 level made it one of the toughest competitions he’s played in.

“The guys down here are a lot fitter. It’s quite different,” he added.

The player of the year award caps a stunning 2015 for Muller, who also won a NSW Housing Industry Association (HIA) Apprentices awards, taking out the prize for second year carpentry apprentices along with the Work Health and Safety (WHS) award.

“It hasn’t been the best year on the field, but it’s a great group of guys here at Cronulla,” he said.

“It’s something I’ve really enjoyed.”

With his final season of under 20s now behind him, Muller admitted 2016 was a bit of an unknown.

He will, however, look back on his NYC career fondly, especially having enjoyed a brief stint as captain of the Sharks throughout 2015 when skipper Anthony Moraitis was out.

“That was a big moment for me,” he said.

The other major NYC recipient for Cronulla was Greg Pierce players’ player medallist Josh Addo-Carr, who Muller says is a player to watch having signed with the Wests Tigers for the 2016 season.