The Sharks' early-evening news conference on Friday was an exercise in spin and self-protection, and nothing more. It was held at a time designed to make it difficult for television news bulletins and newspaper deadlines - it was a classic Friday evening bad news release in the hope of minimising the impact. The news conference failed on every level. You had to feel sorry for Sharks deputy chairman
Keith Ward - he was clearly out of his depth facing an angry media pack who had been given no answers for more than three weeks.
However, it was the smug performance from from former deputy chairwoman of the Australian Sports Drug Agency Dr Tricia Kavanagh that did the Sharks the biggest disservice. The contempt she showed and the belittling nature of her answers should ensure that she is never put up to represent the Sharks again. She appeared to have no idea of the hurt the Cronulla club and its fans are going through and, more to the point, the way those who were sacked and stood down would feel. The whole reason the news conference was held was to protect the board members. The reason given for the standings-down was ''management deficiencies''. The reason that was offered as an explanation was to hopefully prevent Sharks players from suing the club. If the board could say they knew nothing of what was going on because of bumbling management, they could not be viewed as liable for the players being given substances ASADA is determined to prove are illegal. For the entire week, Sharks media manager
Rob Willis was forced to fend off every journalist in town and beyond. Willis did a great job in difficult circumstances and if the Sharks want to get out of this mess, he should be given a greater role in ongoing communications.
