Official Craig Fitzgibbon

[Shortfin Mako]

It was interesting to hear Luke Keary on Fox/Kayo after the game, saying how we have totally changed our game since the final last year…

“They’ve had a big shift in their game, Cronulla. I remember playing them last year year in the semi final, they were a difficult team to defend, you’d be defending a lot of shifts, Nicho was on ball, one of the highest teams for shifts coming out of yardage. This year, I remember playing them, we did a bit of work on them, they’ve flipped their game into outside backs are taking a heap of carries in that Penrith style, then the forwards take over. They’re playing a lot more conservative, less offloads, less shifts, kicking game in the corner, kick chase, they’ve really simplified their game.”

He was being complimentary but seemed a bit surprised still. I’m not convinced myself...

Keary was good on the panel, and obviously well liked by the Sharks players based on comments during their interviews. Looks like he’ll have a good future in the media or as a coach.

It’s that simplicity that led to less ball handling errors. I remember the last few years, we just couldn’t hold on to the ball And therefore had a lot of incomplete sets.

 

[Western Sharkie]

It was good to see the Sharks boys having some banter with Keary after the game.

LK’s “uncle Nick’s” life after footy contract starting to kick in.

A few commentary appearances

 

[Sevshark]

Can our apparent defensive mastermind teach the boys to wrap up the ball in tackles please?

 

[G.H Shark]

Can our apparent defensive mastermind teach the boys to wrap up the ball in tackles please?

This. Such a basic and fundamental aspect of making a friggin tackle.

 

[Walley_01]

His bench use is useless...he waits until we are being dominated to bring fresh forwards on.

When we are 20 nil behind we don't need plodders like Kaufusi and Rudolph STILL on

 

[Vichyssoise]

His bench use is useless...he waits until we are being dominated to bring fresh forwards on.

When we are 20 nil behind we don't need plodders like Kaufusi and Rudolph STILL on

Rudolph was gasping for air like a newborn after 5 minutes. No break whatsoever since the start of the game, but still... Made a couple of good tackles in the following set to be fair.

 

[Tiger Shark]

His bench use is useless...he waits until we are being dominated to bring fresh forwards on.

When we are 20 nil behind we don't need plodders like Kaufusi and Rudolph STILL on

It’s not useless but he could have brought them on a touch earlier to try to start the comeback earlier. Though he was expecting more from his starting props.

Should he have brought them on earlier he’d have to bring them off earlier which might have had other repercussions

End of the day we need to start better.

 

[G.H Shark]

His bench use is useless...he waits until we are being dominated to bring fresh forwards on.

When we are 20 nil behind we don't need plodders like Kaufusi and Rudolph STILL on

He keeps the same bench plan for every game. He doesn't seem to be able to adapt to different games, still pretty rookie level at some things.

 

[Gumby]

Didn’t make a change to our starting middles until we’re 22-0 down. What a ****ing idiot seriously

 

[Proud Shark]

Are you guys serious? We conceded 4 tries during that time, so the middles were getting massive breaks. Other than a poor tackle from Oregon they weren't solely responsible for the tries. If we needed to bring them back early at the end for a longer stint because our benchies were gassed we would have run out of juice.

Yes our middles were flat to start, but so we're the other 10 players out there after our 5 day turn around. Ronnie dropping two easy balls caused way more damage than Toby being gassed.

Could we benefit from a more impactful starter, sure, but to talk like Fitz has no clue is ridiculous. Any time there are lots of points the forwards play longer stints.

 

[Wilson]

Can our apparent defensive mastermind teach the boys to wrap up the ball in tackles please?

Yep, up to our first grade coach to teach professional footballers the fundamentals of tackle technique which they’ve learned since under 7’s.

 

[G.H Shark]

Yep, up to our first grade coach to teach professional footballers the fundamentals of tackle technique which they’ve learned since under 7’s.

So glad Fitz is relying on the tackling advice of an u7s coach.

 

[ben]

Yep, up to our first grade coach to teach professional footballers the fundamentals of tackle technique which they’ve learned since under 7’s.

If they dont do it then it is, unfortunately. But i get your point. I honestly hate the low bar we set our footballers.

Defensive systems on the other hand is a different beast. I get the confusion here sometimes because its different from time to time.

Ive been curious whether its a defensive system that we train when Ronnie runs out of the line and attempts to tackle a ball carrier early, which is hit and miss, and Iro runs behind and tackles the ball runner if Ronnie misses.

 

[Wilson]

If they dont do it then it is, unfortunately. But i get your point. I honestly hate the low bar we set our footballers.

Defensive systems on the other hand is a different beast. I get the confusion here sometimes because its different from time to time.

Ive been curious whether its a defensive system that we train when Ronnie runs out of the line and attempts to tackle a ball carrier early, which is hit and miss, and Iro runs behind and tackles the ball runner if Ronnie misses.

Yeah I agree. I hate how we expect coaches to fix errors in the fundamentals that every first grade football player should excel in.

A coach can’t be out there making their tackles or catching the ball for them.

 

[Gumby]

We just look so unfit. Can’t keep up half the time. Very poor

 

[apezza]

We just look so unfit. Can’t keep up half the time. Very poor

Interesting observation because at the start of the season we seemed super fit.

Wonder if we over trained in the preseason to come out firing in round 1 and we are feeling the effects now

 

[sharks2010]

Interesting observation because at the start of the season we seemed super fit.

Wonder if we over trained in the preseason to come out firing in round 1 and we are feeling the effects now

We looked fit enough against the broncos...

 

[vicsharkfan]

Not sure it’s a team fitness thing, we have scored ridiculous amount of second half points compared to first. Unfit teams don’t do that IMHO
We just come out to passive to start a lot of the time.
Vicks on the bum hole req,
This is now up to Fitz to unlock, untangle I do have faith that he will

 

[Thresher]

In 2016 we had a run of losses which seemed like the end of the world.

 

[apezza]

We looked fit enough against the broncos...

Yeh I don't think it's a fitness issue as such, more that we peaked early and now a bit zapped for energy.

We had a big turn around for Brisbane that sank back down v fins.