Cronulla appoint new NYC coach
BY MICHAEL CARAYANNIS
CRONULLA Sharks hope Joe Grima is the man to lead their under-20 side out of the cellar in 2009.
Grima has been appointed to a one-year deal to take over from Jim Dymock (who joined Canterbury mid-season) as coach of Cronulla's National Youth team.
Grima, head coach of Malta's national side has spent the past six years as coach in the Parramatta Eels set up, including head coach of Harold Matthews, SG Ball, Premier League assistant and this year as under-20s assistant coach.
His relationship with Sharks chief executive Tony Zappia played a small part in his recruitment. ``Not many clubs had opportunities to coach at the NYC (national youth competition) level,'' Grima said.
Cronulla finished a disappointing third-last this year, winning only six games.
The recruitment of former Parramatta forwards Jon Mannah and Luke Latham have added depth to the squad while signings of NSW under-18 player Matthew Wright from Penrith and half Jason McGrady have the coach excited.
``I was the coach of the NSW under-18 side and Wright played centre for me,'' Grima said. ``He scored three tries in the game against Queensland and was the difference between the sides. He reminds me very much of Krisnan Inu.
``[McGrady] has all the skills. He has a very intelligent passing game and is a sound defender. For an 18 year-old half to be playing A Grade in the country tells you a bit about the kid.''
Grima, 35, who spent hours trolling through videos of Cronulla's matches, nominated Jayson Bukuya and Ben Orcher as two players to watch out for. He now wants to create a winning attitude so players can ``believe they can win every time they go out to play''.
``I think we've got a good mixture of kids. We've got 50 players in the squad and more than 50 per cent locally based,'' he added. From next month the squad will be put through their paces for two hours, four times a week, one doing weights and the other field work,
before swapping.
SHARKS UNDER 20s
Jake Anelzark, Jayson Bukuya, Jack Bosden, Jake Denford, Levi Dodd, Cameron Dunstan, Ahmed Ellaz, Blake Ferguson, Adam Goode, Trent Grubb, Blake Hewitt, Lancen Juodo, Danny Kerr, Luke Latham, Andrew Madden, Jon Mannah, Brad Marks, Stewart Mills, Brody Ollard, Ben Orcher, Daniel Perkins, Shane Pumipi, Nick Read, Dane Snelson, Nathan Stapleton, John Viiga, Liam Wesley, Blake Williamson, Matthew Wright, Cass Aiga, Matt Arnold, Jason McGrady, Nick Boland, Jared Brodrick,
Josh Casey, Matt Casey, Luke Coleman, Andrew Fifita, Jason Gray, Ian James, Joel Johnson, Peter Knowles, Ricky Leutele, Nathan O'Regan, Jamil Saleh, Joe Taefu, Mikos Tempania, Adam Volkers, James Willan.
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