Official Craig Fitzgibbon

[Shortfin Mako]

I find that we struggle against top teams in attack, we look lost when plan A doesn’t work

I agree with this. Coincidentally, this usually happens when our forwards are being dominated though so I think there is a correlation there.

 

[Shortfin Mako]

Carrigan and Farnworth being available all year didn’t hurt either.

... and their schedule usually favours them - even around SOO.

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

The counter argument of our attack can't have actually been good or we would have beaten more teams doesn't carry much weight either, as it was rare we found ourselves pounding the line and unable to crack it.
More common we'd make dumb errors and let good teams mount pressure on us. The our try line D would crumple.

Don't think Toovs or Maloney can coach a player to consistently bust through tackles on their 10 to go the length and score.

Raiders just appointed Justin Giteau to assistant coach - how come they didn't hire Toovs or a prominent ex player?

100% we lost most games off the back of poor decisions and poor defence. One problem is. Our attack at times is the poor decisions. Pushing that last pass out of desperation on a 2nd or 3rd tackle only to drop it over the sideline. I admire the effort in attack cos it was there all year but maybe they need a less is more approach. We’ve seen games where we’ve played the long game and scored the bulk of our points at the back end through just wearing them down then those plays nicho is trying from the start actually have a higher success rate. Maybe we show our cards too early

 

[Capital_Shark]

To your point - Hynes went to the highest bidder (us) & Finucane hasn’t provided much for us.. I don’t think many would be sad if we traded him tomorrow

That seems a little too simplified. My memory is **** but I recall hearing of him being recommended by Bellamy & Ponisi to go with us/Fitz for instance. I've heard both Hynes & Fitz talk about talking **** for hrs & understanding each others thoughts on the game. No idea on the $ but I don't think it was all down to that.

On Dale I don't recall anyone complaining at the time. Hasn't panned out as we'd hoped but unless you called it a bad call at the time you're just Captain Hindsight & no prizes for that.

Also why doesn't Mooney cop any flack for recruitment & retention? Not saying he deserves any but if you got R&R issues he's your main guy.

 

[Wiz]

That seems a little too simplified. My memory is **** but I recall hearing of him being recommended by Bellamy & Ponisi to go with us/Fitz for instance. I've heard both Hynes & Fitz talk about talking **** for hrs & understanding each others thoughts on the game. No idea on the $ but I don't think it was all down to that.

On Dale I don't recall anyone complaining at the time. Hasn't panned out as we'd hoped but unless you called it a bad call at the time you're just Captain Hindsight & no prizes for that.

Also why doesn't Mooney cop any flack for recruitment & retention? Not saying he deserves any but if you got R&R issues he's your main guy.

Because Mooney has got a proven track record of being really good at his job

Fitz is unproven and his recruitment decisions so far arent great, Im not going to rate him just because the media reckons we should - he’s landed a very good role at a strong club..
he needs to prove himself

The standards need to be high now or else we will as a club fall back down the ladder into an average team like we once were and that’s an ugly place to get out of

 

[Capital_Shark]

Because Mooney has got a proven track record of being really good at his job

Fitz is unproven and his recruitment decisions so far arent great, Im not going to rate him just because the media reckons we should - he’s landed a very good role at a strong club..
he needs to prove himself

The standards need to be high now or else we will as a club fall back down the ladder into an average team like we once were and that’s an ugly place to get out of

R&R would not be 100% Fitz call though. It would all go through Mooney. He makes the signings & $ management happen. If you're throwing blame he can't not be in the conversation.

 

[Wiz]

R&R would not be 100% Fitz call though. It would all go through Mooney. He makes the signings & $ management happen. If you're throwing blame he can't not be in the conversation.

I’m 99% sure this is Fitz squad not Mooneys

Sure, each signing goes through Mooney but it would also go through other stakeholders and the board too but it is ultimately Fitz team

 

[Capital_Shark]

I’m 99% sure this is Fitz squad not Mooneys

Sure, each signing goes through Mooney but it would also go through other stakeholders and the board too but it is ultimately Fitz team

Sack em all & save some money then if its all Fitz.

Funny the guy whose too nice in the dressing shed is so dominant everywhere else.

 

[Sparkles]

Because Mooney has got a proven track record of being really good at his job

Fitz is unproven and his recruitment decisions so far arent great, Im not going to rate him just because the media reckons we should - he’s landed a very good role at a strong club..
he needs to prove himself

The standards need to be high now or else we will as a club fall back down the ladder into an average team like we once were and that’s an ugly place to get out of

So you mean the coaches Mooney worked under previously were good at recruitment?

 

[BurgoShark]

I agree with this. Coincidentally, this usually happens when our forwards are being dominated though so I think there is a correlation there.

I usually find that “forwards being dominated” is fan speak for when the opposition had way more possession, often because the team made a bunch of errors.

Peak forum whinging about the forwards was in rd1 and rd15. Games where their forwards made good yards but the Sharks kept coughing up possession or giving piggy back penalties.

The games where the forwards actually got dominated people whinged about edge defence - because they couldn’t shut down the opposition on the back of super fast play the balls and being outnumbered.

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

That seems a little too simplified. My memory is **** but I recall hearing of him being recommended by Bellamy & Ponisi to go with us/Fitz for instance. I've heard both Hynes & Fitz talk about talking **** for hrs & understanding each others thoughts on the game. No idea on the $ but I don't think it was all down to that.

On Dale I don't recall anyone complaining at the time. Hasn't panned out as we'd hoped but unless you called it a bad call at the time you're just Captain Hindsight & no prizes for that.

Also why doesn't Mooney cop any flack for recruitment & retention? Not saying he deserves any but if you got R&R issues he's your main guy.

100%

Everyone here creamed when Finucane signed. And i remember most also agreed his value would be probably greater off field than on as we all expected with age he’d see less game time. Fast forward 2 years and the nooses are out

 

[Wiz]

Sack em all & save some money then if its all Fitz.

Funny the guy who’s too nice in the dressing shed is so dominant everywhere else.

What’s he dominant with lol

 

[Wiz]

100%

Everyone here creamed when Finucane signed. And i remember most also agreed his value would be probably greater off field than on as we all expected with age he’d see less game time. Fast forward 2 years and the nooses are out

I was too.. under Bellamy he was a weapon, at the Sharks he’s just okay

 

[HaroldBishop]

I usually find that “forwards being dominated” is fan speak for when the opposition had way more possession, often because the team made a bunch of errors.

Peak forum whinging about the forwards was in rd1 and rd15. Games where their forwards made good yards but the Sharks kept coughing up possession or giving piggy back penalties.

The games where the forwards actually got dominated people whinged about edge defence - because they couldn’t shut down the opposition on the back of super fast play the balls and being outnumbered.

So do you think that if all things were pretty much equal in a game of footy, the two forward packs would pretty much cancel each other out?

 

[Wiz]

The numbers that prove Sharks’ critics correct as Fitzy’s unwanted record laid bare: State of Play

The unwanted record Fitzy shares with dad as brutal Sharks’ stat prove critics correct: State of Play

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[HaroldBishop]

WHO THEY SHOULD/COULD SIGN: A backrower

The retirement of Wade Graham has left a hole in the Sharks’ backrow, but there are some handy replacement options available from 2025.

Broncos gun Jordan Riki played a crucial role in his club’s grand final run and the 23-year-old is a rising star in the NRL.

Cowboys youngster Heilum Luki is another tipped for a bright future and the 22-year-old has already represented Samoa.

Why on earth would we need to spend good coin on a good NRL backrower???

 

[Proud Shark]

Why on earth would we need to spend good coin on a good NRL backrower???

Dj has convinced them that Teig Wilton doesn't exist.

 

[Sutty]

Recruitment is easier said than done at the moment. There isn't enough players to go around to cover the Dolphins addition, so good luck improving the squad you had from 2 years ago. Just look at last season: The big movers on the ladder were the Broncos, Knights and the Warriors. These weren't massive gains from player recruitment imho.

Broncos got gifted a golden ticket in Walsh, ok, but the main improvements was just the performance of the players. Players like Haas and Ponga stayed fit, Johnson had a career year, Fonua-Blake performed to his salary. Shitters like Crossland improved. Every Warriors player improved, even the guys they brought in.

Saying "we should recruit better" is ignoring the big picture. (That the NRL is f'd)

 

[Sparkles]

Recruitment is easier said than done at the moment. There isn't enough players to go around to cover the Dolphins addition, so good luck improving the squad you had from 2 years ago. Just look at last season: The big movers on the ladder were the Broncos, Knights and the Warriors. These weren't massive gains from player recruitment imho.

Broncos got gifted a golden ticket in Walsh, ok, but the main improvements was just the performance of the players. Players like Haas and Ponga stayed fit, Johnson had a career year, Fonua-Blake performed to his salary. Shitters like Crossland improved. Every Warriors player improved, even the guys they brought in.

Saying "we should recruit better" is ignoring the big picture. (That the NRL is f'd)

Personally, I think the 'there's not enough first grade players to go around' argument by clubs is lazy, deflective and mostly untrue. The real deficiency is in development, organisation and coaching.

Bellamy turns a brand new franchise into the most successful club of modern times. Bennett kicks off the Dolphins with a bunch of discards and has a strong foundation from game one. Next year they'll be a genuine top 8 threat. Flanno builds a franchise that's not too dissimilar for the Sharks' first premiership and an NRL leader in finals showings in the following years.

It'd be great if you could just buy winning players and win a premiership, but one thing that hasn't changed over the years is that great clubs and coaches make great teams with great results. Players will lift to those standards.

 

[Wiz]

Personally, I think the 'there's not enough first grade players to go around' argument by clubs is lazy, deflective and mostly untrue. The real deficiency is in development, organisation and coaching.

Bellamy turns a brand new franchise into the most successful club of modern times. Bennett kicks off the Dolphins with a bunch of discards and has a strong foundation from game one. Next year they'll be a genuine top 8 threat. Flanno builds a franchise that's not too dissimilar for the Sharks' first premiership and an NRL leader in finals showings in the following years.

It'd be great if you could just buy winning players and win a premiership, but one thing that hasn't changed over the years is that great clubs and coaches make great teams with great results. Players will lift to those standards.

Player development and growth under a coach is the most important thing ever

You could buy a star but under a not so good coach they all of a sudden turn into a waste of money