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SHARKS - MY TEAM - NRL 2008 - ULTIMATE PRE-SEASON GUIDE
BARRY TOOHEY, IAN COLLIS, DARRYL BROHMAN
1016 words
11 December 2007
Daily Telegraph
----- Full of fight -----
WITH the race for Big Willie run and lost, the Sharks will go into 2008 without any new big name signings.
But the way Greg Bird sees it, that's not necessarily a negative.
The Kangaroo five-eighth maintains his coach Ricky Stuart has enormous faith in the talent already at the club.
"It's a plus for the guys still here to know Ricky thinks we can get the job done," Bird said.
"We were pretty competitive for the majority of last season and I'm sure we are going to be even more so next year.
"The younger guys will take a lot out of the experience of what happened this year."
In Bird and Paul Gallen, the Sharks boast two of the game's elite players and, while he is not getting any younger, Brett Kimmorley's influence on a game from halfback is still significant.
Stuart will be banking on the trio carrying plenty of the burden next season while demanding a host of others step up to the plate and go to the next level.
Not surprisingly, a big component of pre-season training has been on improving the individual skill levels of the entire squad.
"It's been pretty noticeable," Bird said.
"We have just done a lot more skill work than normal and we've seen the footy a lot more than we usually do in the off-season.
"Ricky wants everyone to really pick up their skills and the props and hookers have been working together. The outside backs have been doing their own thing.
"It has been really good actually, especially for a bloke like me who doesn't like doing too much of the straight out fitness running stuff.
"There has been some tough sessions but it will probably be stepped up again after Christmas."
Of the new signings, Bird believes former Knights prop Kade Snowden is set to make a big impact.
"He is a big strong kid who has got some skill and will take it forward for us," he said.
"With Luke Douglas having a year under his belt, those two are going to be good for us up front."
-------THE HOT SEAT - Greg Bird -------
The best part of summer: The beach without a doubt. Get there as much as I can.
Worst part about summer: Running - the fitness. I always struggle with that sort of stuff..
Hardest training session: Expecting it to come after Christmas but any fitness session is hard for me.
Christmas lunch - roast or rabbit food: Not really into rabbit food. Will have a decent pick at whatever is on the table.
----- The big man -----
My boys are certainties to make the semis and I reckon $21 is way over the odds to win the competition. Bird and Gallen are genuine superstars and if Kimmorley has a decent year then the Shire might finally have a premiership to celebrate. Add the Australian coach in Ricky Stuart and a tremendous group of youngsters headed by Douglas, Pommeroy and De Gois and the ingredients are all there for a successful season.
MY RATING - 4/5 Thongs
----- The dreaded headline -----
" RICKY SENDS NODDY TO ENGADINE DRAGONS."
----- THE SHARKS - INS AND OUTS -----
INS
Blake Green (Eels), Karl Filiga (Bulldogs), Bryan Norrie (Penrith), Kade Snowden (Knights), Adam Peek (Dragons), Grant Millington (Roosters), Sam Toa (Tigers), James Storer (Eels).
OUTS
Adam Dykes (Hull), Craig Stapleton (Salford), Dayne Weston, Anthony Watts (Cowboys), Sitaleki Timani (Western Force), Cameron Ciraldo (Knights).
FINAL WORD
We were pretty competitive for the majority of last season and I'm sure we are going to be even more so next year. - Greg Bird
INTRODUCING...Kade Snowden
A victim of the big player cleanout at the Knights. He has already tasted first grade and has the size and skill with the football to really make his mark if he knuckles down and really gives it a shot.
Snowden has been earmarked for stardom since his schoolboy days a few years back and Ricky Stuart will be hoping he will be a major success story for the club.
----- MEMBERSHIP DETAILS -----
Prices for new memberships
(single and family)
1. Platinum $750
2. True Blue
Child/Conc. from $135
Adult from $180
Family from $420
www.sharks.com.au
BETTING - TAB Sports
To win title: $21
Top-NSW team (Rd1-26): $11
----- DRAW -----
1 Sea Eagles (A)
2 Storm (A)
3 Titans (A)
4 Dragons (A)
5 Rabbitohs (A)
6 Panthers (H)
7 Tigers (H)
8 BYE
9 Cowboys (A)
10 Broncos (H)
11 Bulldogs (A)
12 Titans (H)
13 Panthers (A)
14 Warriors (H)
15 Eels (H)
16 Raiders (A)
17 BYE
18 Sea Eagles (H)
19 Knights (H)
20 Broncos (A)
21 Dragons (H)
22 Rabbitohs (H)
23 Warriors (A)
24 Roosters (H)
25 Tigers (A)
26 Cowboys (H)
----- The stats that matter with Ian Collis -----
THE BAD:
The Sharks still have not won a premiership, now out to 41 years, the longest drought of any current club.
THE GOOD:
Despite having poor scoring ability, the Sharks had excellent go-forward, gaining the most metres per game in 2007, averaging 1459 metres.
The top men
1 M Brown
2 D Simmons
3 F Anderson
4 B Pomeroy
5 L Covell
6 G Bird
7 B Kimmorley
8 L Douglas
9 I De Gois
10 B Ross
11 R Williams
12 L Thompson
13 P Gallen
14 B Kearney
15 E Sua
16 K Snowden
17 K Filiga
And way back when ... BARRY RUSSELL
"It was all about road runs and sandhills when I was playing. Gibbo (coach Jack Gibson) had us doing 12km road runs around the streets of Cronulla but that's what every team did back then.
It's why we all need artificial knees now.
We had jobs as well so only trained three times a week. It was all about fitness.
There was never the concentration on skills in the off-season as there is now."
SHARKS - MY TEAM - NRL 2008 - ULTIMATE PRE-SEASON GUIDE
BARRY TOOHEY, IAN COLLIS, DARRYL BROHMAN
1016 words
11 December 2007
Daily Telegraph
----- Full of fight -----
WITH the race for Big Willie run and lost, the Sharks will go into 2008 without any new big name signings.
But the way Greg Bird sees it, that's not necessarily a negative.
The Kangaroo five-eighth maintains his coach Ricky Stuart has enormous faith in the talent already at the club.
"It's a plus for the guys still here to know Ricky thinks we can get the job done," Bird said.
"We were pretty competitive for the majority of last season and I'm sure we are going to be even more so next year.
"The younger guys will take a lot out of the experience of what happened this year."
In Bird and Paul Gallen, the Sharks boast two of the game's elite players and, while he is not getting any younger, Brett Kimmorley's influence on a game from halfback is still significant.
Stuart will be banking on the trio carrying plenty of the burden next season while demanding a host of others step up to the plate and go to the next level.
Not surprisingly, a big component of pre-season training has been on improving the individual skill levels of the entire squad.
"It's been pretty noticeable," Bird said.
"We have just done a lot more skill work than normal and we've seen the footy a lot more than we usually do in the off-season.
"Ricky wants everyone to really pick up their skills and the props and hookers have been working together. The outside backs have been doing their own thing.
"It has been really good actually, especially for a bloke like me who doesn't like doing too much of the straight out fitness running stuff.
"There has been some tough sessions but it will probably be stepped up again after Christmas."
Of the new signings, Bird believes former Knights prop Kade Snowden is set to make a big impact.
"He is a big strong kid who has got some skill and will take it forward for us," he said.
"With Luke Douglas having a year under his belt, those two are going to be good for us up front."
-------THE HOT SEAT - Greg Bird -------
The best part of summer: The beach without a doubt. Get there as much as I can.
Worst part about summer: Running - the fitness. I always struggle with that sort of stuff..
Hardest training session: Expecting it to come after Christmas but any fitness session is hard for me.
Christmas lunch - roast or rabbit food: Not really into rabbit food. Will have a decent pick at whatever is on the table.
----- The big man -----
My boys are certainties to make the semis and I reckon $21 is way over the odds to win the competition. Bird and Gallen are genuine superstars and if Kimmorley has a decent year then the Shire might finally have a premiership to celebrate. Add the Australian coach in Ricky Stuart and a tremendous group of youngsters headed by Douglas, Pommeroy and De Gois and the ingredients are all there for a successful season.
MY RATING - 4/5 Thongs
----- The dreaded headline -----
" RICKY SENDS NODDY TO ENGADINE DRAGONS."
----- THE SHARKS - INS AND OUTS -----
INS
Blake Green (Eels), Karl Filiga (Bulldogs), Bryan Norrie (Penrith), Kade Snowden (Knights), Adam Peek (Dragons), Grant Millington (Roosters), Sam Toa (Tigers), James Storer (Eels).
OUTS
Adam Dykes (Hull), Craig Stapleton (Salford), Dayne Weston, Anthony Watts (Cowboys), Sitaleki Timani (Western Force), Cameron Ciraldo (Knights).
FINAL WORD
We were pretty competitive for the majority of last season and I'm sure we are going to be even more so next year. - Greg Bird
INTRODUCING...Kade Snowden
A victim of the big player cleanout at the Knights. He has already tasted first grade and has the size and skill with the football to really make his mark if he knuckles down and really gives it a shot.
Snowden has been earmarked for stardom since his schoolboy days a few years back and Ricky Stuart will be hoping he will be a major success story for the club.
----- MEMBERSHIP DETAILS -----
Prices for new memberships
(single and family)
1. Platinum $750
2. True Blue
Child/Conc. from $135
Adult from $180
Family from $420
www.sharks.com.au
BETTING - TAB Sports
To win title: $21
Top-NSW team (Rd1-26): $11
----- DRAW -----
1 Sea Eagles (A)
2 Storm (A)
3 Titans (A)
4 Dragons (A)
5 Rabbitohs (A)
6 Panthers (H)
7 Tigers (H)
8 BYE
9 Cowboys (A)
10 Broncos (H)
11 Bulldogs (A)
12 Titans (H)
13 Panthers (A)
14 Warriors (H)
15 Eels (H)
16 Raiders (A)
17 BYE
18 Sea Eagles (H)
19 Knights (H)
20 Broncos (A)
21 Dragons (H)
22 Rabbitohs (H)
23 Warriors (A)
24 Roosters (H)
25 Tigers (A)
26 Cowboys (H)
----- The stats that matter with Ian Collis -----
THE BAD:
The Sharks still have not won a premiership, now out to 41 years, the longest drought of any current club.
THE GOOD:
Despite having poor scoring ability, the Sharks had excellent go-forward, gaining the most metres per game in 2007, averaging 1459 metres.
The top men
1 M Brown
2 D Simmons
3 F Anderson
4 B Pomeroy
5 L Covell
6 G Bird
7 B Kimmorley
8 L Douglas
9 I De Gois
10 B Ross
11 R Williams
12 L Thompson
13 P Gallen
14 B Kearney
15 E Sua
16 K Snowden
17 K Filiga
And way back when ... BARRY RUSSELL
"It was all about road runs and sandhills when I was playing. Gibbo (coach Jack Gibson) had us doing 12km road runs around the streets of Cronulla but that's what every team did back then.
It's why we all need artificial knees now.
We had jobs as well so only trained three times a week. It was all about fitness.
There was never the concentration on skills in the off-season as there is now."
