Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks have mentality to retain NRL crown

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks secured their first NRL title by defeating the Melbourne Storm in the Grand Final.

Shane Flanagan's men held a half-time lead over the Storm, but their opponents battled back in the second period to forge ahead with 15 minutes left in the contest. However, Andrew Fifita notched the winning try late in the game, although the Sharks were forced to defend to the last man on their goalline to hold off a late surge from the Storm in the dying seconds to earn the crown.

Cronulla-Sutherland face a challenge to defend that win given the competitive nature of the league, but are backed in the latest NRL odds at 8/1 to retain their title. The last team to win the NRL in back-to-back years was the Brisbane Broncos in 1993, so Flanagan and his team have a lot history to overcome to taste glory in 2017.

Cronulla-Sutherland had been the worst team in the league in 2014, but the arrival of Flanagan a year later reversed their fortunes. After winning just five matches the term prior, the 50-year-old guided his new charges back into the post-season with a 14-victory campaign and a sixth-place finish in the overall table.

The Sharks produced a solid victory in the first round of the playoffs, overcoming the South Sydney Rabbitohs by a 28-12 scoreline. However, they went on to exit the tournament at the next stage, with a 39-0 hammering at the hands of the eventual NRL winners the North Queensland Cowboys. Flanagan made additions in the off-season and the experience of James Maloney at half-back would prove to be crucial in his side's drive towards the title. The 30-year-old was money with the boot for the duration of the campaign, ending with 219 points to his name.

While Maloney was impressive, at the other end of the age spectrum was full-back Valentine Holmes, at the age 21 he was deadly in attack for the club, scoring 19 tries over the course of the season. The Sharks progressed into the post-season courtesy of a 17-win campaign, which left them as the third seed, finishing behind only top-ranked Storm and the Canberra Raiders.

In the first match of the playoffs, Flanagan's men produced arguably the performance of their season by defeating the Raiders without the presence of skipper Paul Gallen and deputy Wade Graham, who was forced off with an injury in the opening minutes of the contest. The confidence gained from their win helped them brush aside the defending champions the Cowboys in the qualifying final before winning the crown at ANZ Stadium in their thrilling win over the Storm.

Flanagan harnessed a strong spirit in the Sharks team over the course of the season, and their wins over the Raiders in the first playoff contest and North Queensland in the second were testament to that achievement. Building a winning mentality is no easy feat and that will be challenged when the champions return to the field in the 2017 campaign. However, should they keep the nucleus of their squad intact and there are savvy additions made over the course of the off-season, there is no reason why they cannot be the first club in 24 years to win the title in back-to-back years.