PJ Marshal
Coach
- Messages
- 13,525
Here's an article i have written on my views on your team for next year, i dont mean to be offensive in anyway towards your club, its just my basic opion! All the best for 2004
Cronulla Sharks
The Sharks are a club that is in turmoil with Coach Chris Anderson and his fellow board members and coaching staff all at logger heads, a huge exodus of players leaving the club including many big names, Anderson causing a rift between players and club officials. There is just endless drama at this once seemingly successful club and thats why all sings point to a Wooden Spoon in 2004.
Cronulla are seemingly a cursed club, while they have had many teams in seasons passed with the ability to come away with a Premiership, the Cronulla curse of choking has hit them and they have fallen at the final hurdle. A dismal 2003 season saw the Sharks finished 12th place, their lowest finish in the post Super League era. Again in 2004 I can see the club struggling to match it with any club in the NRL considering they have made some fairly impressive player signings for next year. Yet I think Andersons constant whinging and complaining will again effect the club so much that players will begin to not care about playing for the Sharks and want to get out the club and move onto greener pastures as many players have done already. It seems that Anderson has brought nothing but turmoil with him to the club and his promise of delivering the Sharks a Premiership in 3 to 5 years is a false one. Unfortunately I have to say to all you Cronulla fans out there that I think your club is destined for a Wooden Spoon in 2004 and here are the contributing factors to why I believe it will be another disappointing year for the club.
Chris Anderson is doing nothing good for the club in terms of building for a successful future. All he seems to be doing is arguing with board members and players and just generally spitting the dummy if he doesnt get his own way. He is causing a rift between himself, his team and the board. This is not what you want heading into seasons where you desperately have to make amends for a poor 2003 campaign.
The huge exodus of players leaving the club has been a telling factor in Cronullas demise. Ever since John Lang has left the club the Sharks have lost 19 players who were players usually in the Cronulla 17 each week. This has seen plenty of experience leave the club meaning a lot of younger blokes have to be brought into the team blooded in first grade footy earlier than they possibly should have. Some of Cronullas young stars have found it tough to play top grade footy which is expected considering the circumstances the club is in. Not only has their player retention been poor, but their recruiting skills havent been to flash either. The only successful recruits in the post John Lang era have been Brett Kimmorley, Phil Bailey and Danny Nutley. The rest have showed some signs of promise but have been pretty ordinary most of the time. Hopefully new buys in Nigel Vagana, Andrew Lomu and Nathan Merritt can spark your team into a possible successful finals campaign.
The club for starters doesnt have a decent goal kicker, I know a lot of you will be going well what the hell does not having a goal kicker got to do with the price of eggs. Yet in reality its a huge factor in the Sharks game, how many games have Cronulla blown in the past due to the fact their kicker has only kicked 1/5 etc. Ever since Mat Rogers left the club goal kicking skills have left also. Perhaps it would be in their best interest to either recruit a player who is decent and can kick or get Kimmorley or someone some proper practice from a professional like Jason Taylor or Daryl Halligan.
The flat attack approach is a real worry as that game plan is so predictable and easy to defend against. Since when was the last time a team who adopted flat attack as their choice of play won the competition? I cant even remember. Cronulla got their attack slaughtered last year by teams this just shows the flat attack simply does not work in this day and age yet Mr Anderson persists.
Kimmorley is relied upon too much in the Sharks outfit, he is their only real attacking option and without him look like Souths. He provides the team with a good kicking game and good direction around the park and seems to add new dimension to the Sharks team, but without him they will struggle and the team must learn how to win without him. People might say well Kimmorley isnt the only player in the team what about Peachey and Stevens. Well both those two are passed their days of great Rugby League, the Peach is going rotten and Stevens wedgie giving days are coming to an end.
The final telling factor at why the Sharks will take the spoon is their inexperience. The Sharks are full of young blokes who have just gone through their first full season of first grade earlier probably than they should of. Yet this could work to an advantage while it could also lead to a telling disadvantage. Who can remember the baby Eels they simply did not know what pressure was and got out there and gave it their all. They brought youth and optimism into league and benefited from it entirely, yet now the baby Eels are lazy teenagers. The Baby Sharks could turn themselves into a real force if they follow the same road Parramatta once did. Although the baby Sharks could get stage fright and crumble under the pressure of first grade footy causing huge trouble for a club starved of success.
There you have it, the Sharks are a club in trouble, very big trouble and I dont think much can be done about it until Chris Anderson is removed from his Coaching position. It seems this man once hailed as a super coach is a super pain in the arse. Cronulla are a good club with enormous potential, but with Anderson at the helm I very much doubt that potential will ever be realised. He is the type of coach that can tell world class players what to do, but struggles with rising juniors which is a big problem. The way Cronulla are headed at the moment I can only see all doom and gloom for a now seemingly soulless club.
Predicted Finish: 15th
Key Player: Brett Kimmorley
One to Watch: Nathan Merritt
Likeley Best 17
1. David Peachey
2. Nathan Merritt
3. Paul Franze
4. Nigel Vagana
5. Matthew Reick
6. Michael Sullivan
7. Brett Kimmorley ( c )
8. Jason Stevens
9. Matt Hilder
10. Danny Nutley
11. Andrew Lomu
12. Phil Bailey
13. Greg Bird
14. Chris Beattie
15. Paul Gallen
16. Dean Bosnich
17. Matt Bickerstaff
Cronulla Sharks
The Sharks are a club that is in turmoil with Coach Chris Anderson and his fellow board members and coaching staff all at logger heads, a huge exodus of players leaving the club including many big names, Anderson causing a rift between players and club officials. There is just endless drama at this once seemingly successful club and thats why all sings point to a Wooden Spoon in 2004.
Cronulla are seemingly a cursed club, while they have had many teams in seasons passed with the ability to come away with a Premiership, the Cronulla curse of choking has hit them and they have fallen at the final hurdle. A dismal 2003 season saw the Sharks finished 12th place, their lowest finish in the post Super League era. Again in 2004 I can see the club struggling to match it with any club in the NRL considering they have made some fairly impressive player signings for next year. Yet I think Andersons constant whinging and complaining will again effect the club so much that players will begin to not care about playing for the Sharks and want to get out the club and move onto greener pastures as many players have done already. It seems that Anderson has brought nothing but turmoil with him to the club and his promise of delivering the Sharks a Premiership in 3 to 5 years is a false one. Unfortunately I have to say to all you Cronulla fans out there that I think your club is destined for a Wooden Spoon in 2004 and here are the contributing factors to why I believe it will be another disappointing year for the club.
Chris Anderson is doing nothing good for the club in terms of building for a successful future. All he seems to be doing is arguing with board members and players and just generally spitting the dummy if he doesnt get his own way. He is causing a rift between himself, his team and the board. This is not what you want heading into seasons where you desperately have to make amends for a poor 2003 campaign.
The huge exodus of players leaving the club has been a telling factor in Cronullas demise. Ever since John Lang has left the club the Sharks have lost 19 players who were players usually in the Cronulla 17 each week. This has seen plenty of experience leave the club meaning a lot of younger blokes have to be brought into the team blooded in first grade footy earlier than they possibly should have. Some of Cronullas young stars have found it tough to play top grade footy which is expected considering the circumstances the club is in. Not only has their player retention been poor, but their recruiting skills havent been to flash either. The only successful recruits in the post John Lang era have been Brett Kimmorley, Phil Bailey and Danny Nutley. The rest have showed some signs of promise but have been pretty ordinary most of the time. Hopefully new buys in Nigel Vagana, Andrew Lomu and Nathan Merritt can spark your team into a possible successful finals campaign.
The club for starters doesnt have a decent goal kicker, I know a lot of you will be going well what the hell does not having a goal kicker got to do with the price of eggs. Yet in reality its a huge factor in the Sharks game, how many games have Cronulla blown in the past due to the fact their kicker has only kicked 1/5 etc. Ever since Mat Rogers left the club goal kicking skills have left also. Perhaps it would be in their best interest to either recruit a player who is decent and can kick or get Kimmorley or someone some proper practice from a professional like Jason Taylor or Daryl Halligan.
The flat attack approach is a real worry as that game plan is so predictable and easy to defend against. Since when was the last time a team who adopted flat attack as their choice of play won the competition? I cant even remember. Cronulla got their attack slaughtered last year by teams this just shows the flat attack simply does not work in this day and age yet Mr Anderson persists.
Kimmorley is relied upon too much in the Sharks outfit, he is their only real attacking option and without him look like Souths. He provides the team with a good kicking game and good direction around the park and seems to add new dimension to the Sharks team, but without him they will struggle and the team must learn how to win without him. People might say well Kimmorley isnt the only player in the team what about Peachey and Stevens. Well both those two are passed their days of great Rugby League, the Peach is going rotten and Stevens wedgie giving days are coming to an end.
The final telling factor at why the Sharks will take the spoon is their inexperience. The Sharks are full of young blokes who have just gone through their first full season of first grade earlier probably than they should of. Yet this could work to an advantage while it could also lead to a telling disadvantage. Who can remember the baby Eels they simply did not know what pressure was and got out there and gave it their all. They brought youth and optimism into league and benefited from it entirely, yet now the baby Eels are lazy teenagers. The Baby Sharks could turn themselves into a real force if they follow the same road Parramatta once did. Although the baby Sharks could get stage fright and crumble under the pressure of first grade footy causing huge trouble for a club starved of success.
There you have it, the Sharks are a club in trouble, very big trouble and I dont think much can be done about it until Chris Anderson is removed from his Coaching position. It seems this man once hailed as a super coach is a super pain in the arse. Cronulla are a good club with enormous potential, but with Anderson at the helm I very much doubt that potential will ever be realised. He is the type of coach that can tell world class players what to do, but struggles with rising juniors which is a big problem. The way Cronulla are headed at the moment I can only see all doom and gloom for a now seemingly soulless club.
Predicted Finish: 15th
Key Player: Brett Kimmorley
One to Watch: Nathan Merritt
Likeley Best 17
1. David Peachey
2. Nathan Merritt
3. Paul Franze
4. Nigel Vagana
5. Matthew Reick
6. Michael Sullivan
7. Brett Kimmorley ( c )
8. Jason Stevens
9. Matt Hilder
10. Danny Nutley
11. Andrew Lomu
12. Phil Bailey
13. Greg Bird
14. Chris Beattie
15. Paul Gallen
16. Dean Bosnich
17. Matt Bickerstaff
