Official Craig Fitzgibbon

[HaroldBishop]

We all are pretty sure that Fitz will shore up our defence as that's what he did at the Roosters.

But will he be able to take our attack to a new level as well?

What do you all think?

Are you doubting the Great One? How dare you!

 

[Sparkles]

Are you doubting the Great One? How dare you!

Fitz'll fix Chad

 

[Sir Chadley]

Are you doubting the Great One? How dare you!

Ha ha! Not at all mate.

Just throwing it out there!

 

[Sir Chadley]

Fitz'll fix Chad

What does he have to fix with me?

 

[Sparkles]

What does he have to fix with me

Ha ha! Not at all mate.

Just throwing it out there!

Nothing now mate. Looks like you've accepted our new Overlord, so you're perfect

 

[Tiger Shark]

I actually don't think our attack is that bad when you consider how many halves we chopped and changed. Sounds like he doesn't want to tinker with the attack too much anyway, atleast for the first year. Only so much you can change in one off season.

Focus on the defence and minor tweaks to the attack. Then for the 2023 off season the defensive systems will be in place and go spend more time on attack.

 

[bort]

I actually don't think our attack is that bad when you consider how many halves we chopped and changed. Sounds like he doesn't want to tinker with the attack too much anyway, atleast for the first year. Only so much you can change in one off season.

Focus on the defence and minor tweaks to the attack. Then for the 2023 off season the defensive systems will be in place and go spend more time on attack.

Better defence should naturally help our attack a little anyway as our attack itself was reasonable and defence will improve ball in hand time (and subsequent less fatigue) and field position.

 

[apezza]

Yep defence and fitness should be main priority to start with.

 

[Capital_Shark]

We averaged 21.6pts a game with 23.1 against. Missed the finals (low bare this yr) by pts diff of 39 (1.6 per game). Our D was horrid & usually let one in at specific & key moments like right on half time. We're not a hopeless, heartless bunch. We got some good blokes willing to put in, I really feel our D can improve to where our offense isn't an issue.

 

[Proud Shark]

If McInnes can provide a Radley like roll in he 13 and allow us to spread the ball quick and crisp our attack will have more time to play off the front foot and ice chances.

The defence is a much bigger priority though.

 

[Western Sharkie]

We all are pretty sure that Fitz will shore up our defence as that's what he did at the Roosters.

But will he be able to take our attack to a new level as well?

What do you all think?

Didn’t realise that Fitz accepted a captain coach role!

 

[Sparkles]

I’m not sure he is going to play a Radley role tbh. He is effectively playing halfback. I think we should (hopefully) see a lot more ball movement between forwards and some more offloads though with the two new guns in there.

It seems like the last 3 years have been a real movement away from having forwards who can use the ball. Graham injuries, Lewis retirement haven’t helped - but guys who have a capable passing game (e.g. Woods, Prior, Paulo, Soro, Magoulias) have all been moved on in favour of guys who just provide simple go-forward.

In some cases these ball-playing guys just weren’t up to the defensive side of the game (Billy) but some of those go-forward guys have been given a long leash with their defensive issues.

Imo the 2019-2021 Sharks have been sorely lacking in having players in the middle who can hold defenders and then start that shift. Having two who can potentially do it - plus a healthy Graham and a well-coached Brailey - is exciting.

Getting the ball back from the left touch line to the middle of the field was also an issue this season. Once Townsend and Graham were both out of the lineup there was nobody on the left side of the field with a decent long left-to-right pass. Every time they ran that play after about round 12 it was slow and clunky.

That's interesting to think about our attack in that way. When we were looking slick I can remember seeing Brailey do a good job of taking a few steps before passing, then we sometimes had Woods in that distributing forward role going to Chad/SJ, who were good at straightening up the attack and stalling the defensive line. Then quick hands through someone like Moylan/Kennedy for the outside backs to take advantage.

 

[Proud Shark]

I’m not sure he is going to play a Radley role tbh. He is effectively playing halfback. I think we should (hopefully) see a lot more ball movement between forwards and some more offloads though with the two new guns in there.

It seems like the last 3 years have been a real movement away from having forwards who can use the ball. Graham injuries, Lewis retirement haven’t helped - but guys who have a capable passing game (e.g. Woods, Prior, Paulo, Soro, Magoulias) have all been moved on in favour of guys who just provide simple go-forward.

In some cases these ball-playing guys just weren’t up to the defensive side of the game (Billy) but some of those go-forward guys have been given a long leash with their defensive issues.

Imo the 2019-2021 Sharks have been sorely lacking in having players in the middle who can hold defenders and then start that shift. Having two who can potentially do it - plus a healthy Graham and a well-coached Brailey - is exciting.

Getting the ball back from the left touch line to the middle of the field was also an issue this season. Once Townsend and Graham were both out of the lineup there was nobody on the left side of the field with a decent long left-to-right pass. Every time they ran that play after about round 12 it was slow and clunky.

I'm not as up on the intricacies of each role as you, but I guess I just mean to say that first reciever 13 providing quicker shifts to the backline whist going to the line a bit. Freeing up the spine for more creative play/options.

 

[Jaz]

McInnes might be good at that role, but he also might not be. In his time at lock so far he has been used in a role closer to Woods than Radley.

Given his time at hooker you'd think he'd be a decent link man, but I'm hoping he's used more like Cam Murray.

 

[Sparkles]

As for the ball out the back, Woods did a little bit of it but he was much better at finding short runners. He'd only get involved in shifts once or twice per game (if at all). Technically it's a role any forward can do, but there are only 6-7 guys in the comp who do it really well. JDB was probably on par with Radley prior to his dramas.

Woods seemed to be able to throw a pretty handy little pass, but way too slow to throw the defence off too much. Those games when I think Chad was out, Woods was a handy hefty half-a-halfback.

 

[bort]

Big difference between tipping on a good pass and being a legit first receiver (pass options, run threat) like Radley is but still if McInnes can be somewhere in the middle of Woods and Radley it will help us a lot.
Closer he gets to Radley the more something like a left/right Moylan/Hynes split with McInnes linking on the long side becomes a threatening halves concept (I guess if you finish most sets in good field position you don't need a decent long kicker?)

 

[egg]

Cronulla Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon (11/11/21)

The boys are joined by Craig Fitzgibbon who's just begun his first pre-season as head coach of the Cronulla Sharks. Fitzy explains why he choose the Sharks and who he's looking forward to working with at the club. Most importantly who's been TTHD?

player.whooshkaa.com

 

[Super Impose]

Cronulla Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon (11/11/21)

The boys are joined by Craig Fitzgibbon who's just begun his first pre-season as head coach of the Cronulla Sharks. Fitzy explains why he choose the Sharks and who he's looking forward to working with at the club. Most importantly who's been TTHD?

player.whooshkaa.com

Every time I hear Craig talk he grows on me more and more - very impressive …

 

[MMsharks]

Every time I hear Craig talk he grows on me more and more - very impressive …

yep, definitely a confidence builder. early days.
lovely comment about ronaldo - I know I've been critical of showboating in players, but he does bring energy to the group for sure.

 

[Deleted member T1]

Liked what he said about Kennedy. Said Kennedy had thanked Tracey for pushing him so hard competing for the 1 jumper. Fitz said the ball dropped with Will and that he realised that hard work pays off and will be back at it this pre-season.