CRONULLA coach Stuart Raper's perseverance with the halves combination of Adam Dykes and Brett Kimmorley - despite the team's poor record when the two are paired - could put him at risk of losing his job.
The Herald has learned that when concern at a high level within the Sharks over the club's poor season is broken down, Raper's decision to keep Dykes and Kimmorley together at five-eighth and halfback is among the key elements.
There is a feeling that perhaps Raper should have bitten the bullet and gone with a different halves combination - including only one out of Dykes and Kimmorley - before Cronulla finally lost all hope of making the finals.
The Sharks have won only two of 14 games this season when Dykes and Kimmorley have been paired.
Raper, who has one year left on his contract, has consistently defended his decision to keep the pair together, saying their combination wasn't the reason the Sharks were losing.
Every member of the coaching, playing and management staff at the Sharks will undergo a performance review at the hands of an independent consultant after the club's season ends this weekend.
The club has said the review is not meant to be a witch-hunt and is aimed at improving procedures, but the sudden availability of Ricky Stuart after he was sacked as Sydney Roosters coach has increased the heat on Raper to survive.
It's understood that while Cronulla would not want to have to pay out a coach, they would be prepared to do so if they thought a change of coach was the best option.
Meanwhile, Roosters chairman Nick Politis said last night there would not be any decision on a new coach for the club for a while yet, despite the intense speculation that St Helens coach Daniel Anderson would get the job.
"It will be another month before we make a decision," Politis said. "There are plenty of people expressing interest in the job. A lot of managers of a lot of coaches have made phone calls. We've got to find out who is available and get the structure right."
Ivan Cleary was crossed off the list of potential candidates yesterday after he signed a new deal with the Warriors.
Cleary, who has been signed until the end of 2007, extended his contract by one more season, with an option for 2009, although that is dependant on performance clauses.
Cleary insisted the contract extension had nothing to do with the Roosters' decision to axe Stuart - and the fact he was linked to the post at his former club. "It definitely wasn't a reaction," Cleary said. "We started talking a few weeks ago. It was probably unfortunate the circumstances that came out of it, all the innuendo."
