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Sharks coach Stuart Raper is fed up with some of his underperforming players and will make changes this week as he tries to snap the club's horror NRL losing streak.
Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Sharks-make-changes-after-sixth-NRL-loss/2006/08/06/1154802749840.html
Sharks make changes after sixth NRL loss
August 6, 2006 - 6:54PM
© 2006 AAP
Sharks coach Stuart Raper is fed up with some of his underperforming players and will make changes this week as he tries to snap the club's horror NRL losing streak.
Top four contenders just six weeks ago after winning eight of nine games, the Sharks have slipped to ninth following their two-point loss to the Warriors in New Zealand, their sixth consecutive defeat.
Raper hopes the return next week of utility David Simmons and secondrower Phil Bailey from injuries to face Parramatta will revitalise a line-up that has forgotten how to win.
The Sharks are on 22 points, one win outside the top eight and ahead of North Queensland and Penrith on points difference.
The Shire club also faces tough opponents in all of its remaining games, starting with the high-flying Eels.
Raper said some players didn't performed their roles and will pay the price at selection time.
"Some players let us down (on) what their job is to do and they didn't do it on certain aspects of play," he said.
"I'm going to have to look to make some changes, (but) I don't have a lot of options.
"Bailey and Simmons are available next week and I'm telling you, someone will go."
Neither has been available for a month, Simmons straining medial ligaments in his knee in round 17, while Bailey suffered a cheekbone fracture a week later.
"We're struggling and we've got to do something to get ourselves out of it," Raper said.
"I'm going to be looking at every aspect of what we've got to do to get a win."
Captain Brett Kimmorley said his side had been struggling to turn possession into points.
"We've had a lot of ball against a lot of good sides and we build pressure, but we haven't been able to go to the line," Kimmorley said.
"We're just not scoring and we need to score about 24 points these days to be in front.
"We showed against Newcastle (the week before) we had a ton of ball and couldn't score as well."
Warriors hooker Nathan Fien offered some insight into how his side managed to upset the Sharks.
"They came here with a good game plan to take us on up the middle," Fien said.
"We just played really well to control their play-the-ball speed.
"We concentrated on that and I think we did it fairly well."
After meeting the in-form Eels at Toyota Park, the Sharks play other top eight contenders Penrith, the Dragons and Canberra.
"The effort's there, the blokes are really putting in, our preparation's good, but we're just not getting the win at the moment," Raper said.
"We've got to turn that around real quick."
Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Sharks-make-changes-after-sixth-NRL-loss/2006/08/06/1154802749840.html
Sharks make changes after sixth NRL loss
August 6, 2006 - 6:54PM
© 2006 AAP
Sharks coach Stuart Raper is fed up with some of his underperforming players and will make changes this week as he tries to snap the club's horror NRL losing streak.
Top four contenders just six weeks ago after winning eight of nine games, the Sharks have slipped to ninth following their two-point loss to the Warriors in New Zealand, their sixth consecutive defeat.
Raper hopes the return next week of utility David Simmons and secondrower Phil Bailey from injuries to face Parramatta will revitalise a line-up that has forgotten how to win.
The Sharks are on 22 points, one win outside the top eight and ahead of North Queensland and Penrith on points difference.
The Shire club also faces tough opponents in all of its remaining games, starting with the high-flying Eels.
Raper said some players didn't performed their roles and will pay the price at selection time.
"Some players let us down (on) what their job is to do and they didn't do it on certain aspects of play," he said.
"I'm going to have to look to make some changes, (but) I don't have a lot of options.
"Bailey and Simmons are available next week and I'm telling you, someone will go."
Neither has been available for a month, Simmons straining medial ligaments in his knee in round 17, while Bailey suffered a cheekbone fracture a week later.
"We're struggling and we've got to do something to get ourselves out of it," Raper said.
"I'm going to be looking at every aspect of what we've got to do to get a win."
Captain Brett Kimmorley said his side had been struggling to turn possession into points.
"We've had a lot of ball against a lot of good sides and we build pressure, but we haven't been able to go to the line," Kimmorley said.
"We're just not scoring and we need to score about 24 points these days to be in front.
"We showed against Newcastle (the week before) we had a ton of ball and couldn't score as well."
Warriors hooker Nathan Fien offered some insight into how his side managed to upset the Sharks.
"They came here with a good game plan to take us on up the middle," Fien said.
"We just played really well to control their play-the-ball speed.
"We concentrated on that and I think we did it fairly well."
After meeting the in-form Eels at Toyota Park, the Sharks play other top eight contenders Penrith, the Dragons and Canberra.
"The effort's there, the blokes are really putting in, our preparation's good, but we're just not getting the win at the moment," Raper said.
"We've got to turn that around real quick."
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