DANGA HATCH
Grey Nurse
- Joined
- May 20, 2009
- Messages
- 558
- Reaction score
- 11
forget my previous posts on the board issues for now.
looking at this objectively, the top 25 squad for next year does not appear like it is going to contain any local juniors (born & bred locals..).
For me that is the beginning of the end for a community based club, especially the Sharks who's only relative "success" occurred when we were chock full of locals bleeding for the emblem. It is ripping the soul out of the club in my opinion.
Surely people should be as mildly outraged about this as other issues in recent times! (where's that stupid bb&w army now??)
I read a recent article that said the club was trying to re-connect to the community and the juniors and I applaud this.
BUT is that filtering down to the head coach or is he now free to run his own race because he is seen to be untouchable?
OR is the new board just all talk and no action?
Mate you and I are on the same page. Be careful though, many who call themselves Sharks supporters don't see it the same way. I'm not sure how long you have been supporting the Sharks but if it's as long as me then we have have a right to be peed off about what is happening.
The other day someone had a go about living in the past. Being a man of the 70's and 80's. Well for those uneducated Sharks fans, the 70's and 80's were/ are our only glory days. In all of those sides there were many local juniors. Household names: Go Docko, Go Bazza, Great tackle Danga, Come on Weapon Head, Top kick Mitch, Go Sparkles, Come on ET heard every week. Today footy is big business, yet this struggling 'family' club is still trying to compete against the big boys. We criticise the Rorters and Manly for stealing the juniors from other clubs, yet we don't have a junior or player from our lower grades in our current side. They do.
The run on side last Saturday had '0' juniors in it. Last year we had one or 2 in the 17 for the season.
Mate, some on here think that is a good thing. Personally, I think that it is the worst thing that is happening to the Sharks.
Flanagan has been the coach here for just on 3 years, he played for Parra, the Dragons and Magpies. He doesn't have the same investment in the Sharks as many of us do. He wants us to do well, I don't doubt this but in a few years he will be gone and we will still be here. His recruitment and retention of players is damaging the club long term. Yes he has signed some good players but it seems that his clear message to the Junior ranks is that he doesn't rate you. He prefers Robson, Morris, Pomeroy, Tupou before any of you. He wont pay overs for you if you are a junior but he will pay overs for you if experienced, have played origin and have a name.
What happens between now and the end of the year in regard to this will define us for this period. I am happy with our forwards but with the exception of one or two, we have the worst backs in the comp. There is just no ability to score points against the good sides (unless we are behind)
Mate, I really hope we are wrong but I've supported this joint all my life and to me what is happening feels wrong.