how do you think we will go in 2013

[gosharkies]

with confirmed signings of micheal gordan, luke lewis johnathan wright and topou sopoaga.
plus the likely signings of beau ryan and heighington.
with best and frizzell confirmed as leaving and smith likely to be going to newcastle.
we will also have gardner available as well.
we will have a very strong pack with good depth, much improved back line, we will also
have decent depth in the back line with players like mills, stapelton, etc as back up players.
i am expecting us to build on our better than expected performance this year and finish in the
top 4 and from there anything is possible.
*i base this on our strong pack
* state of origin 5/8
* 2 back line players with a x factor, who can make a break from nothing. (gordan and gardner).
* ryan and wright will be big improvements on our current wingers.
*much more speed in our back line
* competition for both both starting and bench spots should bring the best out of all of our
players.
* plus if chad starts at half back it will create competition for the 2 hooking spots in our top 17.
* competition for half back spot betwen chad and robinson
* we will have much improved top 17 next year
* cause a number of players have played together before the team should gel quickly

 

[Mr Wright]

If we don't finish top 4 it's a fail in my eyes. Upgrade on last years squad, should corolate onto the field. Next year will be the year that flanno has a team pretty much recruited all under his reign as coach bar our long serving players. If we don't make the finals he needs to go.

 

[since1967]

I agree, barring injuries and everything being equal (everything in order off field etc) we should improve on 2012. we have replaced Best, Smith, Kelly, Frizzel and Williams with Wright, Ryan, Gordon, Heighnington and Lewis. There is def no going backwards there. I think losing Trent Elkin needs to be seen as an opportunity as well. He has been at the club a long time, and as he has left, the replacement should be well versed with what is going on in other professional sporting clubs not just in Australia but around the world. We need someone who can get the team, bigger faster and stronger than ever whilst maintaining an eye on injury prevention. The more often our side stays 1-17 next year the better!!!

 

[Gumby]

If we don't finish top 4 it's a fail in my eyes. Upgrade on last years squad, should corolate onto the field. Next year will be the year that flanno has a team pretty much recruited all under his reign as coach bar our long serving players. If we don't make the finals he needs to go.

I agree. Flanno now been in charge for 2 1/4 years. time to start making things happen. This year was good but next year should be great.

 

[Mark^Bastard]

I agree, barring injuries and everything being equal (everything in order off field etc) we should improve on 2012. we have replaced Best, Smith, Kelly, Frizzel and Williams with Wright, Ryan, Gordon, Heighnington and Lewis. There is def no going backwards there. I think losing Trent Elkin needs to be seen as an opportunity as well. He has been at the club a long time, and as he has left, the replacement should be well versed with what is going on in other professional sporting clubs not just in Australia but around the world. We need someone who can get the team, bigger faster and stronger than ever whilst maintaining an eye on injury prevention. The more often our side stays 1-17 next year the better!!!

Didn't realise Elkin had gone.

I know some people have made remarks about him, but I've liked our teams strength and conditioning. I hope whoever replaces him can turn soft players into harder players.

 

[Bundy Shark]

Based on this year & where we finished I think top 4 is realistic, for the first 16 rounds we probably over achieved with the squad we had in terms of our position on the ladder but in saying that we still lost games in those rounds we shouldn't have.

Its early days so I don't know how every other team will line up in 2013 but we definatley have a stronger squad in 2013 than 2012 & we have bought well, top 4 should be our first goal & then its a whole new ball game.

 

[IronShark]

We'll go good.

 

[SharksMichael]

We should be looking for Top 6 next year at the very least. Many things have gone in our favour so far and this year was a good year so we need to build on that. I think in a way we are a bit like Souths were a couple of years ago now. We've got the players, we just need the results now.

 

[josh11223344]

We have a top 6 team on paper so obviously we need to be around the top 4.

 

[baanya]

We'll go good.

this

 

[since1967]

Didn't realise Elkin had gone.

I know some people have made remarks about him, but I've liked our teams strength and conditioning. I hope whoever replaces him can turn soft players into harder players.

Yeah gone to parra. My bro actually got a call about the job, but he won't do it. Is gonna talk to the guy the Titans sacked this year. Only reason they sacked was because of $$$ issues. Well respected trainer so i am told.......

 

[Mark^Bastard]

Yeah gone to parra. My bro actually got a call about the job, but he won't do it. Is gonna talk to the guy the Titans sacked this year. Only reason they sacked was because of $$$ issues. Well respected trainer so i am told.......

Followed Sticky aye, oh well.

 

[since1967]

Yeah i think $$$ had a lot to do with it!!

 

[Loyal Shark]

Yeh we have a top 4 side on paper but how hungry are the players for a premiership . It all starts now in pre season. we have always relied on Gal to be there. with Lewis and gordon we now have gone from 1 inspirational player to 3

 

[Thresher]

A lot relies on how we go without Jez the Muss.

I'm hoping Highno is hungry and aggressive next year. I don't remember much about him to be honest but by the accounts I've read he could add some mobility to our pack?

We need more depth in our attacking line IMO. The Storm and Cowboys seem to have players running so many different angles at high pace that it looks quite difficult to judge which one of them is going to get the ball and then there's not a lot of time to adjust once it's been delivered.

I'm also hoping Gardner rips it next year.

If Gards plays to his potential and we don't miss Jez too much in defence I think we'll make it to the finals play off next year and then hopefully carry home the trophy the year after.

 

[Matty C of the Shire]

I'm believing that we can win this comp in 2013!

 

[Gumby]

I honestly don't think we'll win the comp but I truly believe we'll make the top 6-4 and shake the **** outer the competition next year. Big things are coming towards the shire in the next couple years !!

 

[ABshark]

Looks like some people are setting themselves up for disappointment.

Its one thing being optimistic- confident even- its another thing to throw out a lifetime's experience following the Sharks. Just when things seem to be going to plan... that's when they get ya.

The last few years have seen, without fail, one of the contenders drop out of the 8 altogether the following year. And its not always the team you think... Parra n(and the Dogs) in '10. GC (and Panthers and Raiders) in '11. Warriors (and Dragons) in '12. And they often aren't the ones you'd expect- they're often ones that significantly "improve" their rosters.

Smith will be an enormous loss. Teams he plays in win. Luke Lewis? Chris Heighnington? Michael Gordon? They're clubs are barely any more successful than us.

Obviously we're bringing in more talent than we're losing, but don't underestimate the value of Smith. Why else would Bennett be giving him a 3 year deal at his age? And the Sharks wanting to extend him a few months ago?

What's more... this club doesn't deal well with expectation. At all.

That said, any talk of moving Flanagan on is ludicrous- whether we come last or first. He sees out his deal. We overacheived this year and most of the on field improvement can be attributed to his coaching and recruitment decisions. Sacking him would be suicidal.

 

[SharksMichael]

You raise some good points AB. I remember back in 09 after we signed Tupou and I'm thinking "how good is this? We are going to have the NSW back row" cause I think Toops was playing for NSW back then. Anyway, Birdy did his nah nah and you know what happens next . I think at the moment that situation has a few similarities to what we have now, or at least it made me think about it. Also, Kimmorley played his best the year we released him. My mate (who supports Brisbane) never let me forget that,

 

[blacky]

Top 4 finish after 26 rounds then on to glory