SQUADS: Betfred Super League - 2024 Round 8
7 hours ago | LeagueUnlimited Media
When all the dust settled Cronulla Sharks fans again put a line through another promising season that failed to end in Premiership glory. However the future is indeed looking bright for the Sutherland Shire based club who have signed very well for 2016 and showed signs of mental toughness throughout a topsy turvy season in 2015.
The Sharks were tied for 4th on the ladder and had they won one more game they would have been in a far different position to the one they found themselves in week 2 of the Finals against a rampant Cowboys outfit. Their 6th place finish was their highest position since 2008 and will give Sharks fans around the country optimism for the coming years.
The form of Jack Bird and Valentine Holmes was incredibly impressive throughout the season. Bird who played out of position grew in confidence through out the year and his 2 try salvo against the Roosters in round 5 was moment that fans stood up and knew this kid was something special. Valentine Holmes was equally impressive with 16 tries on the year, 16 line breaks and 1 try assist. The 20 year old played electrifying at times and should move back to his preferred Fullback role in 2016 which spells danger for the 15 other NRL clubs.
The Turning Point
The round 5 upset of the Sydney Roosters was a big movement in the right direction after starting the season 0-4. Jack Bird played out of his skin and Valentine Holmes was equally as impressive. Paul Gallen and Wade Graham led from the front and the victory provided the nucleus for a successful season for the Sharkies.
The Good
Their overall performance in 2015. One year removed from the ASADA drama and a wooden spoon year where they won just 5 games, the Sharks proved all the naysayers wrong and finished 6th on the ladder and bagged 14 regular season wins. The emergence of some good young talent, coupled with the fantastic forward play from Luke Lewis and Wade Graham laid the platform for a Finals appearance and an overall successful 2015 season.
The Bad
Their exit from the final series was very poor as they barely made a whimper. Despite the Shire boys comfortably accounting for the Rabbitohs, the eventual premiers in the Cowboys deserved favouritism heading into the second week of finals, which would be proven in the weeks that followed. However the 39-0 scoreline shocked the Sharks, who looked underprepared and out of their depth on the big stage. It was a disappointing end to a season that showed lots of promise. The porch light remains on for Harold...
Best Players
It was a mix of old and new when it came to the best performing players for the Sharks in 2015. Paul Gallen as always led the way with 564 tackles (averaging 35 a game), 3388 running metres (211 metres per game) and 1 try. Add to this the form of Wade Graham who came along in leaps and bounds particularly with his hole running and running game on the edges. Luke Lewis was one of the other star performers in the forward pack. An injury free year without the strain of State of Origin helped Lewis immensely, and he delivered with one of his best years since becoming a Shark.
Disappointing Players
Ben Barba springs to mind... particlarly with the Sharks shelling out $650,000 on the former Dally M winner. Barba struggled to hold down a spot, even when given a shot at his favoured Fullback role. Barba ended up on the bench for the most part and he was certainly a very disappointing player which caught the ire of many Sharks fans.
Another name to add to this list is Ricky Leutele. "Tricky Ricky" as he is referred to by team mates lacked creativity and smoothness out wide at the centre position. He scored just 7 tries had only 4 try assists, and far too often took on the line himself with support players unmarked. His passing skills and vision needs some work. Obviously he didn't get a lot of quality ball from his halves, but out in the centres you need to make your own mark on the game and unfortunately Leutele didn't do that enough in season 2015.
Rookies
As discussed earlier both Jack Bird and Valentine Holmes were standouts for the Sharks this season and made things happen when they were around the ball. Look for them to have an ever bigger impact next season with a full season of NRL under their belts.
2016 Chances
If the Sharks can have a solid pre season and remain injury free they have a big shot at finishing in the top 4. They have retained the majority of their playing squad from last season and it may be the last chance they have to send inspirayional skipper Paul gallen out as a winner. Their defence has always beenn solid but they will need to have some spark in their attack, most of this will rely on Valentine Holmes, although the signings of James Maloney and Chad Townsend will boost the Sharks chances in this department.
Best line-up for 2016
1. Valentine Holmes
2. Sosaia Feki
3. Gerard Beale
4. Ricky Leutele
5. Ben Barba
6. James Maloney
7. Chad Townsend
8. Andrew Fifita
9. Michael Ennis
10. Sam Tagatese
11. Luke Lewis
12. Wade Graham
13. Paul Gallen
14. Jack Bird
15. Chris Heighington
16. Jason Bukuya
17. Matt Prior / Jesse Sene-Lefao
Ins: James Maloney (Roosters), Chad Townsend (Warriors), Jesse-Sene-Lefao (Sea Eagles), Josh Cleeland (ISC - Ipswich), Jordan Drew (Broncos)
Outs: Josh Addo-Carr (Wests Tigers), Kyle Stanley (Retired), Michael Gordon (Eels), Blake Ayshford, Jeff Robson (Warriors), Anthony Tupou (ESL - Wakefield)