dylan the villian
Jaws
wowza, some good signs here...... sopoaga groomed for 1st grade and sharks trying to get fergo contract registered.....
EXCITING Cronulla Sharks back rower Tupou Sopoaga will be groomed for first grade to take the place of departing Jayson Bukuya next season.
Bukuya, who is joining New Zealand Warriors, is among several Sharks NRL stars who played their last game for the club on Friday night in the 24-18 loss to Manly Sea Eagles at Allianz Stadium.
Despite losing five-eighth star Todd Carney last week and then centre Ben Pomeroy, benched near half-time after he reinjured his thigh, the 16-man Sharks gamely stayed "alive" right up until the final 30 seconds of the drama-filled semi-final, which included controversial decisions again.
Of the squad named on Friday, fill-in half Chad Townsend is joining Bukuya at the Warriors and veteran prop Ben Ross is retiring. Of the top 30 squad, Tyrone Peachey is heading to Penrith and Stewart Mills, Mark Taufua, Jon Green and Matt Wright remain unsigned, with centre Ben Pomeroy in discussions about a possible extension.
Sopoaga, 21, whose older brother Lima plays Super Rugby for the Highlanders in Dunedin, has been one of the stars of the Sharks NSW Cup side which easily won the 2013 Cup minor premiership, and has advanced to this Sunday's grand final qualifier at Leichhardt Oval, after Cronulla's 54-18 demolition of Newtown on Sunday.
Like Fijian World Cup player Bukuya, Sopoaga is a fine attacking backrower, and with more size on him.
After playing for the NRL side in their last round win over Canberra, coach Shane Flanagan said he was ‘‘excited’’ by his potential.
Flanagan and Sharks chief executive Steve Noyce have 4-5 ‘‘second tier’’ positions to fill, with former Shark and Canberra centre Blake Ferguson still a chance of returning to the club if the NRL allows a new contract to be registered.
The Sharks have locked up all of their stars, with extensions given to the likes of John Morris, Sam Tagataese, Nathan Stapleton and Nathan Gardner.
Coach Flanagan is also looking towards securing a long-term contract.
‘‘We gave it a good crack and just missed moving through [finals], and looking towards 2014 I hope fans are excited about the squad we’ve built,’’ said Sharks chief executive
Steve Noyce.
John Morris, now finishing his coaching degree, will mix NRL football next year with recruiting more young talent and coaching in the Sharks Junior Academy.
The Sharks NSW Cup team take on North Sydney in a grand-final qualifier at 3pm this Sunday at Leichhardt Oval.
The Tony Herman-coached Sharks were back to their brilliant best on Sunday, running in 10 tries and highlighted by their back three forwards — Tyrone Peachey, Tupou Sopoaga and Junior Moors — and front- rower David Fifita, twin brother of Andrew Fifita.
The Sharks led 28-12 at the break and continued on after, including an 80-metre solo try to fullback Nathan Gardner.
SHARKS IN 2014
Into top 30: Centres Blake Ayshford (Wests Tigers) and Ricky Leutele (injured all season), second rower Tupou Sopoaga (NSW Cup), prop David Fifita (drafted into NSW Cup late), under 20s hooker Michael Lichaa, and 4-5 extra players.
Out of top 30: Ben Ross, Chad Townsend, Tyrone Peachey, Stewart Mills, Mark Taufua, Jon Green and Matt Wright.
Possible inclusion: Centre Blake Ferguson (dependent on NRL registering his contract for 2014).