cronullashark
Juniors
- Messages
- 770
Glenn Jackson
June 10, 2006
THE BIG MATCH
TALK about two sides at the crossroads. Cronulla headed north to Townsville yesterday with their season very much heading in the same direction.
The Sharks, quietly but confidently, have won five of their past six matches, and are surging up the NRL ladder with the sort of momentum which hasn't attracted a lot of talk yet, but soon may.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, are heading south at the same speed, with five losses from their past six games.
They've lost their key playmaker Johnathan Thurston and impact forward Carl Webb to Queensland camp, not to mention the Maroon's shock call-up Jacob Lillyman. And to add to the intrigue surrounding this one, they won't even have their regular coach tonight - the reins will be taken by Grant Bell, with Graham Murray in the NSW camp and his assistant Neil Henry involved with Queensland's preparations.
The only thing the two sides really have in common is that they are both on 16 points. But Sharks coach Stuart Raper, nonetheless, is wary.
"This is certainly one game you can throw records out the window," Raper said. "They're a good unit, and they've got to do something to get themselves out of a bit of a slump. We're not thinking, 'We can roll these blokes'. We're taking a completely different attitude in. We're giving them plenty of respect. They're still a top side."
There's a very good reason for his unease. Raper, and his Sharks, have been burnt before by similar circumstances. Three weeks ago, as they strove for a fourth consecutive win, they met the Bulldogs, who had four key forwards - Willie Mason, Mark O'Meley, Andrew Ryan and Nate Myles - missing through Origin duties. And they were beaten.
"We learnt a couple of weeks ago, they had four big guns out, but they rattled us early," Raper said. "We certainly won't be worried about what they look like on paper."
Funnily enough, the Cowboys will still field a formidable side. With Matt Bowen, dropped from the Queensland squad for Origin II next Wednesday, and experienced heads such as Paul Bowman, Matt Sing and Travis Norton in the side, they can easily turn their fortunes around.
Bowen's the type of player who can spark anything - it's not so far-fetched to suggest he can spark the Cowboys' season again.
Brett Firman will also be out to prove a point. While Thurston has been the club's preferred halfback this season, Firman, who began his senior career at Cronulla, has had remarkable success for a bloke who has been regarded as "on the outer" - he has only one loss to his name in five first-grade starts this year.
He'll be out to send his coach a message, even if it's only through a television screen in Coogee. Especially against the man who effectively forced him out of the Shire - Brett Kimmorley.
The thing is, while the likes of the Bulldogs are used to the State of Origin drain, it is becoming clear the Cowboys are still getting used to the idea, and they will need to overcome that hurdle to prevail.
The club has really only been forced to face losing their stars for the past two seasons. It's no coincidence that they stalled about the same time as the representative season began.
Ironically, Cronulla's impressive recent run - not to mention the Cowboys' not-so-impressive one - began when the two sides met at Toyota Park in round seven, with the Sharks prevailing 24-22.
One of those runs will end tonight. Something has to give.
"I know we can improve," Raper said. "We're not sitting back thinking, 'Geez, things are going all right'. We're thinking, 'This is what we want to achieve. Let's work hard'. That's our philosophy."
June 10, 2006
THE BIG MATCH
TALK about two sides at the crossroads. Cronulla headed north to Townsville yesterday with their season very much heading in the same direction.
The Sharks, quietly but confidently, have won five of their past six matches, and are surging up the NRL ladder with the sort of momentum which hasn't attracted a lot of talk yet, but soon may.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, are heading south at the same speed, with five losses from their past six games.
They've lost their key playmaker Johnathan Thurston and impact forward Carl Webb to Queensland camp, not to mention the Maroon's shock call-up Jacob Lillyman. And to add to the intrigue surrounding this one, they won't even have their regular coach tonight - the reins will be taken by Grant Bell, with Graham Murray in the NSW camp and his assistant Neil Henry involved with Queensland's preparations.
The only thing the two sides really have in common is that they are both on 16 points. But Sharks coach Stuart Raper, nonetheless, is wary.
"This is certainly one game you can throw records out the window," Raper said. "They're a good unit, and they've got to do something to get themselves out of a bit of a slump. We're not thinking, 'We can roll these blokes'. We're taking a completely different attitude in. We're giving them plenty of respect. They're still a top side."
There's a very good reason for his unease. Raper, and his Sharks, have been burnt before by similar circumstances. Three weeks ago, as they strove for a fourth consecutive win, they met the Bulldogs, who had four key forwards - Willie Mason, Mark O'Meley, Andrew Ryan and Nate Myles - missing through Origin duties. And they were beaten.
"We learnt a couple of weeks ago, they had four big guns out, but they rattled us early," Raper said. "We certainly won't be worried about what they look like on paper."
Funnily enough, the Cowboys will still field a formidable side. With Matt Bowen, dropped from the Queensland squad for Origin II next Wednesday, and experienced heads such as Paul Bowman, Matt Sing and Travis Norton in the side, they can easily turn their fortunes around.
Bowen's the type of player who can spark anything - it's not so far-fetched to suggest he can spark the Cowboys' season again.
Brett Firman will also be out to prove a point. While Thurston has been the club's preferred halfback this season, Firman, who began his senior career at Cronulla, has had remarkable success for a bloke who has been regarded as "on the outer" - he has only one loss to his name in five first-grade starts this year.
He'll be out to send his coach a message, even if it's only through a television screen in Coogee. Especially against the man who effectively forced him out of the Shire - Brett Kimmorley.
The thing is, while the likes of the Bulldogs are used to the State of Origin drain, it is becoming clear the Cowboys are still getting used to the idea, and they will need to overcome that hurdle to prevail.
The club has really only been forced to face losing their stars for the past two seasons. It's no coincidence that they stalled about the same time as the representative season began.
Ironically, Cronulla's impressive recent run - not to mention the Cowboys' not-so-impressive one - began when the two sides met at Toyota Park in round seven, with the Sharks prevailing 24-22.
One of those runs will end tonight. Something has to give.
"I know we can improve," Raper said. "We're not sitting back thinking, 'Geez, things are going all right'. We're thinking, 'This is what we want to achieve. Let's work hard'. That's our philosophy."
