Official Craig Fitzgibbon

[Shortfin Mako]

It’s not even that we’re not great in big games, that’s also pollywaffle.

We haven’t solved our fundamental Achilles heel and that’s our handling and discipline. Mainly our handling.

Until we fix that we’ll continue to make finals as Fitz has the team well structured in attack and defence, but we won’t make a splash in the finals.

I was mad at the end of the first half when there was a minute to go and Kaufusi lost the ball and we had to defend a full set. Right before the half time. That was so dumb to spend all that energy.

 

[MMsharks]

I was mad at the end of the first half when there was a minute to go and Kaufusi lost the ball and we had to defend a full set. Right before the half time. That was so dumb to spend all that energy.

this forms part of the 1% ers we lack

ball handling
need to play smart at top level, and master the little things

 

[Purple Shark]

Did we? Comparing to our first final at home last yr? Nope, last nights D would've seen us piss it in against Cows 2022.

Were the Cowboys missing both their wingers and have a Fullback in the bin?

 

[Purple Shark]

Spot on. Fitz is a long term investment, need to give it time.

How much time? 5 years? 10 Years? A lifetime deal?

 

[HaroldBishop]

How much time? 5 years? 10 Years? A lifetime deal?

More the two years.

 

[Purple Shark]

More the two years.

Definition of insanity

 

[Sir Chadley]

How much time? 5 years? 10 Years? A lifetime deal?

Definition of insanity

So you want Fitz gone mate, is that it?

Ok, fair enough. Who do you sign instead?

I don't profess to declare that Fitz is perfect - he is still learning how to be a first grade coach.

He has made mistakes, he would certainly admit that, but making the finals two years in a row says he deserves more time in my book.

 

[Proud Shark]

Not sure if this has been said, but in the presser he and Wade kept referring to how we've 'grown up' as a footy side. Also mentioned how we'd fixed the things the media was reporting on...

I'm not sure we've grown up at all, or what that really even means. He was commenting all year on Nicho overplaying his hand and needing to settle down. He didn't.

Sure our defence seemed better in the cows and raiders games, but the Knights ran through us and the roosters made heaps of errors in our red zone.

I'm not convinced anything major really changed.

 

[HaroldBishop]

Not sure if this has been said, but in the presser he and Wade kept referring to how we've 'grown up' as a footy side. Also mentioned how we'd fixed the things the media was reporting on...

I'm not sure we've grown up at all, or what that really even means. He was commenting all year on Nicho overplaying his hand and needing to settle down. He didn't.

Sure our defence seemed better in the cows and raiders games, but the Knights ran through us and the roosters made heaps of errors in our red zone.

I'm not convinced anything major really changed.

I agree, I don't see how we've grown up. If he honestly believes that, not sure where we go from here.

Nicho overplaying his hand is a massive issue for mine. We are terrible in tight games against half decent opposition, we have no idea how to close a game out.

I love Nicho but if the coach believes he isn't overplaying his hand, nothing will change.

I know he's only been playing HB at NRL level for two years but the fact is he's on huge coin. If the mindset doesn't change, we're in trouble.

 

[Blue_Eyes84]

I think we all can agree we overachieved last year. This year is what level we are at regarding ability, Above average at best.

Fitzy isn't going anywhere. Not for the foreseeable future. Our hope is some of the players can grow and find another level. I'm not sure if they

are capable of getting there, though. Or if Fitzy can get it out of them. I think a few players have regressed this season. In particular, Hynes, who at times has struggled with the demands of the position.

There is work to do over the off-season regarding the squad. The coach needs to assess and re-evaluate every position and determine how and what changes are needed to improve the team.

 

[Proud Shark]

I agree, I don't see how we've grown up. If he honestly believes that, not sure where we go from here.

Nicho overplaying his hand is a massive issue for mine. We are terrible in tight games against half decent opposition, we have no idea how to close a game out.

I love Nicho but if the coach believes he isn't overplaying his hand, nothing will change.

I know he's only been playing HB at NRL level for two years but the fact is he's on huge coin. If the mindset doesn't change, we're in trouble.

I don't think he believes this. He has been critical of him all year for it, so I'd doubt that he stopped noticing.

Nicho feels very much like Mitch Moses from 3-4 years ago. Capable of brilliance but often erratic and unable to go for the percentage plays over the big ones. He needs to chill a bit, but he also needs someone next to him who will be another dominant voice and overcall him when it's on. Hopefully Tricky can deliver this next year.

I'd like to see us defend consistently, cut the **** errors and show some resilience before I'd consider saying we've grown up.

 

[Wiz]

Not sure if this has been said, but in the presser he and Wade kept referring to how we've 'grown up' as a footy side. Also mentioned how we'd fixed the things the media was reporting on...

I'm not sure we've grown up at all, or what that really even means. He was commenting all year on Nicho overplaying his hand and needing to settle down. He didn't.

Sure our defence seemed better in the cows and raiders games, but the Knights ran through us and the roosters made heaps of errors in our red zone.

I'm not convinced anything major really changed.

Agreed

 

[Purple Shark]

So you want Fitz gone mate, is that it?

Ok, fair enough. Who do you sign instead?

I don't profess to declare that Fitz is perfect - he is still learning how to be a first grade coach.

He has made mistakes, he would certainly admit that, but making the finals two years in a row says he deserves more time in my book.

John Morris made the finals 2 years in a row, so it's hardly the achievement of the century

What exactly is he learning? We made the exact same mistakes all year, and topped it off by losing to a Roosters team without any wingers on the field. A Roosters team that limped into the top 8

What really can he change?

 

[Deleted member T1]

The jury is still out on this guy. It all comes down to if he can get the guys to buckle down and play to his vision. I don’t think we have the troops or the mentality to meet his vision yet so the last 2 years have been just trying to get to that point.

If they don’t put in and we continue to pump out season after season of what we did this year, I reckon that’s on him for re-signing who he did because they 1) don’t have the skills to play how he wants or 2) they don’t have the guts.

The energy that we played with against Penrith and what we pumped out against the roosters was night and day compared to the rest of the year, if he can’t get them doing that every week, then again, that’s on him.

Still think we are two years away. Need our players to mature a bit and to add just a couple of key signings… time will tell if he can do that.

 

[Mr Ryan]

Last year we thought we were playing under 8s - so no keeping track of the score or semis.

We now know there is a score board and what sudden death means.

That’s what Fitzy meant by “growing up”

 

[Wiz]

John Morris made the finals 2 years in a row, so it's hardly the achievement of the century

What exactly is he learning? We made the exact same mistakes all year, and topped it off by losing to a Roosters team without any wingers on the field. A Roosters team that limped into the top 8

What really can he change?

Good call

I think the grace period is over.. he’s had 2 years of pretty much the squad he wants and training them the way he wants

He’s been blessed with a position in a club that has a healthy roster, healthy board, good junior systems already in place and no major infighting issues. That’s a privilege he’s been given that few new coaches don’t get

Next year has to be a step forward otherwise the return on investment will start to be In the negative

 

[Shortfin Mako]

I don't think he believes this. He has been critical of him all year for it, so I'd doubt that he stopped noticing.

Nicho feels very much like Mitch Moses from 3-4 years ago. Capable of brilliance but often erratic and unable to go for the percentage plays over the big ones. He needs to chill a bit, but he also needs someone next to him who will be another dominant voice and overcall him when it's on. Hopefully Tricky can deliver this next year.

I'd like to see us defend consistently, cut the **** errors and show some resilience before I'd consider saying we've grown up.

I think Nicho needs to be clear on what a leader is.

A leader is not someone who does everything but trust his team and steer them especially during tough times.

He needs to realise that we have other talented people on the team and if he lets them do what they do best then he will be fresh and ready when the time comes for him to make a difference.

 

[Shortfin Mako]

John Morris made the finals 2 years in a row, so it's hardly the achievement of the century

What exactly is he learning? We made the exact same mistakes all year, and topped it off by losing to a Roosters team without any wingers on the field. A Roosters team that limped into the top 8

What really can he change?

It feels like our issue is not physical but rather mental.

We seem to choke when it matters - especially if we have back to back important games. Some games we do not even put up a fight.

 

[Sir Chadley]

John Morris made the finals 2 years in a row, so it's hardly the achievement of the century

What exactly is he learning? We made the exact same mistakes all year, and topped it off by losing to a Roosters team without any wingers on the field. A Roosters team that limped into the top 8

What really can he change?

Good call

I think the grace period is over.. he’s had 2 years of pretty much the squad he wants and training them the way he wants

He’s been blessed with a position in a club that has a healthy roster, healthy board, good junior systems already in place and no major infighting issues. That’s a privilege he’s been given that few new coaches don’t get

Next year has to be a step forward otherwise the return on investment will start to be In the negative

OK guys, good points and I don't horribly disagree with you both. But seriously, who are we replacing him with? Who should Dino and Steve Mace go out to find?

 

[CrazyMatt]

It feels like our issue is not physical but rather mental.

We seem to choke when it matters - especially if we have back to back important games. Some games we do not even put up a fight.

Thats ingrained in our clubs DNA though. Cronulla has always been associated with choking and bottling, its just who we are. We dropped it for a very brief period in 2016, but it inevitably came back very quickly, throughout our history, stuffing up big games is what we do. No coach apart from Flanno briefly has been able to change that.

I mean are we seriously expecting to win a premiership at the moment? With Penrith in their golden era? A resurgent Brisbane? Thats unrealistic no matter who the coach is at the moment. If Fitz can get us back into the top 4 next year I’ll call that a major success, if we finish worse then 6th? Yeah even I’ll start asking questions.

For now, he has my total backing into 2024.