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Sharks underachieving says Gallen

Stonecutter

First Grade
Messages
5,445


Sharks underachieving says Gallen

July 07, 2007
IT HAS been perched in the top eight for most of the season, but Sharks forward Paul Gallen insists the club is still underachieving.
The New South Wales backrower's stunning admission comes ahead of a gruelling run into the NRL finals for Sharks starting with tomorrow's Toyota Park stoush with the resurgent Bulldogs.
That's followed by a game against Sydney Roosters before a daunting five-week stretch which includes games against Manly, Brisbane, Melbourne, Parramatta and Wests Tigers in consecutive weeks.
All five of those sides are currently in the top six.
"It's going to be hard for us, we've let ourselves go a little bit," Gallen said.
"We should be higher on the table than what we are because we've had a good run up until now.
"We've probably underachieved where we are so far and it's a little disappointing, we've certainly got to start winning now."
Its task isn't made any easier with halfback and skipper Brett Kimmorley unlikely to play again before the finals after suffering a knee injury in the State of Origin finale on Wednesday night.
The man who would have slotted into halfback, Adam Dykes, is in extreme doubt to take on Bulldogs tomorrow with coach Ricky Stuart set to pair NSW hero Greg Bird and rookie Anthony Watts in the halves.
Interchange Reece Williams will take Bird's place in the starting pack with Henry Perenara coming onto the bench.
Bulldogs has no such injury concerns as it welcomes back NSW forwards Willie Mason and Andrew Ryan and prop Mark O'Meley from suspension.
Bulldogs has won its last two matches and finds itself equal on 16 competition points with the eighth-placed Sharks.
"You would almost say it's a must-win game for us and the Bulldogs," Gallen said.
"This week's a big game and we'd be hoping to beat the Roosters.
"We probably owe them a bit after what happened at Shark Park (when the Roosters came back from the dead to win 13-12 in round 11.)
"If we can string a couple together it would sort of cement us back in the eight a little bit."
Bird, who may have played himself in to the NSW No.6 jumper for many years to come with a brilliant display in Origin III on Wednesday night, said Sharks could still make a run at the finals without Kimmorley.
"It's going to make it a lot harder for us now to secure our semi-final spot," he said.
"I'll probably slot into five-eighth now with Dyksy moving to half (when he's fit) and I'll try and keep a bit of that formula from Wednesday night going."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22033345-23214,00.html

This is going to be a huge game. :fist:
 
Messages
14,495
To make the 8 I think we have to somehow pull a win off against the Dogs.
If we don't chasing teams down of their quality on the ladder with our run home will be extremely hard.

Our for and against is our only saving grace and could sneak us threw if we can win 5 out of our remaining 9. But will 26 points be enough this year?
 

wittyfan

Referee
Messages
29,859
Too many games have been dropped this year against ordinary opposition.

Noddy's injury however may be the tonic for a string of wins.
 

Quigs

Immortal
Messages
34,014
U.K SHARK said:
The sharks have been underachieving for 40 years, tell us something we dont know.

Now thats a bit harsh U.K.

We did over achieve 1 year - I believe it was 1973.

Only 34 years ago, but whose counting.

Cheers
Declared Idiot #88
Quigs
 
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