Sitting here at home tonight feeling sorry for myself for being a Sharks fan and feeling pretty down about our prospects. So I decided to watch the 2016 Grand Final. Not the whole game mind you, just those last exciting 12 minutes. As I watched I couldn’t help thinking what a brilliant side we had and what we need to do to get our present squad to that level. It’s like standing at base camp at Mt Everest and looking up. Daunting.
Look at that gorgeous forward pack. Fifita, Ennis, Prior, Lewis, Graham and Gallen. What would you give for that pack to be playing today. None of our present pack comes close. Perhaps Talakai because of his damaging runs but he’d be coming off the bench. Battle hardened men who gave their all in that game to ensure history was made.
With our backs Ronnie could possibly be replacing Beale but that would be all. Perhaps with Flanno as coach probably you could have Nicho in place of Townsend.
Speaking of Flanno, there’s a great shot of him with about two minutes to go barking orders into the walk-in talkie laden with expletives. You wouldn’t dare go against what he wanted. By 2016, despite his alleged indescretions, he knew his job, he knew his players and he knew how to get the best out of them. I really wish the events of 2018 hadn’t happened, Flanno would still be our coach and who knows, we may have won a couple more comps in that time.
But sadly the Flanno at Sharks ship has sailed. I cannot see any circumstance that will see him return. We have Craig Fitzgibbon who is just in his third year of coaching. Yes, he is no Shane Flanagan. Never has been, never will be. Despite how **** we are playing at the moment we need to support him as best we can to try and get us out of this mess. By all means make him accountable but there are times where he’ll need our support.
He‘s made mistakes. Flanno made them too. We are all human. I would love to have Flanno back but it ain’t happening. But if we don’t want Fitz who do we get? Bennett’s not coming here, neither is Bellamy. Robinson is entrenched at the Roosters, Cleary at Penrith. I’m sure no one wants the Potato here or whinging Todd Payten. Hasler? No way. AOB? I don’t think so.
The ball shoots along Melbourne’s backline, a long pass from Smith to Cronk and then onto Korobeite. Luetele has him. He’s on the ground. Ennis runs to the ball boys, Gal thumps the ground, the crowd is roaring. The porch light is off, Harold Holt is home. We would all love to see this again.