Sharks vs The Big Guns

[Sir Chadley]

As we’ve seen in the first four rounds, and hopefully on Sunday, we are a good side in 2022 and we are all excited at the work Fitz has done especially on our defence.

It is great to see the players have bought into the system and are working for each other.

Players that have struggled in recent years seem to have grown a new leg under Fitz – these are players like Nikora, Toby, BHU, Brailey.

The addition of Hynes, Finucane and McInnes has helped a lot with the right attitude and how we play the game.

So how are we going to go against the big guns?

This year we seem to have a bit more level playing field, in my mind only the Panthers and the Storm could be classified as the big guns.

Below them we have another tier that contains the Roosters, Parramatta, Newcastle, Rabbitohs. To a lesser extent we have Manly (who will struggle for the next month or so without Turbo) and Canberra. I don’t think any of the other teams we come up against will cause us much problems.

We have already played Parramatta and Newcastle and come out of those with good wins and the Raiders we should have won.

Panthers and Storm are our big tests – Storm is Round 6 down in Melbourne but the Panthers are not until Round 19 at Blue Bet Stadium. There are so many teams we play twice before we even play the Panthers once.

So, how will we go against these teams? What are your expectations now after seeing how we have performed this year?

 

[Gards]

Panthers are the only team I fear. They play aggressive and up tempo in attack and defense as well as wrestle and get away with murder in the ruck.

They aren't that different to us in 2022 except they have a jump on us and have been playing at this high level for 3 seasons already and have the experience and confidence in their systems and combinations.

I think we play more expansive than them spreading the ball wide and early from the middle with our halves while their halves seem to play and pass standing a bit wider of the ruck using relatively shorter ball but that's an inconsequential observation as they are a team that can do it all in attack including bullet cutout passes, they are adaptable and play what they see but have a solid structure to fall back into.

We are still building but have a good template showing very good early signs of being repeatable and successful week in week out

Storm are always a concern because they are always strong and rarely play bad but they don't scare me too much and I think our style of footy can trouble them. Both Storm and Panthers have lost some good players in 2022

Would hate to come up against Storm in finals series though they will be dissapointed getting eliminated before the grand final last year and will be determined to get through to the big dance in 2022 no matter who's in their way.

Panthers haven't taken their foot of the gas yet but mentally will they stay as motived as they were in 2021 into the back end ? They have some hot head players that might have a meltdown or 2

I think Roosters have lost alot of leadership and grit with the retirements of Cordner and Friend but can never really rule them out under Robinson

Parra are a solid team and will cause some teams headaches throughout the season and in the finals but I don't think they have quite what they need to go all the way. They don't worry me as a Sharks fan coming up against them.

 

[HaroldBishop]

We're a good side but still a work in progress.

Our halves need vast improvement on last play options when in the other team's half, particularly inside 20.

 

[Gards]

We're a good side but still a work in progress.

Our halves need vast improvement on last play options when in the other team's half, particularly inside 20.

Yes Panthers & Storm won't give us as many chances in their red zone. Need to find ways to get more repeat sets thought at least we are having teams start their sets inside their 10 metre zone alot of the time.

TBF though sometimes we have come up with points before we need to go to a 5th tackle kick haha

 

[Proud Shark]

We have a very soft draw this year.

To come, we have:

Melbourne Rd 6 and 17
Penrith Rd 19
Roosters Rd 12
Souths Rd 20
Parra - no more games
Manly - Rd 7 (no turbo) and 23

Those are the teams most agree would be up there this year and we only play 2 of them twice. Our big test is going to be that month from Rd 17-20 where we play Melbourne, Penrith and Souths.

If we continue to beat the lower sides we could find our way to the top 4 just based on our draw.

I think we are a long way off knocking over the big two come September, but if you get into that top 4 who knows what could happen. I'm looking forward to seeing where we are at in Rd 6.

 

[Gards]

Alot of the lower sides have improved this year , we are one of them. Those teams might continue to improve making things tougher for us, stagnate or go backwards.

I don't think there is such a thing as a soft draw in NRL and some of it just comes down to the luck and timing of when you play a particular team and how that team turns out for a particular season. Yes you may want to avoid some of the big clubs as much as possible but you have to face good strong teams eventually, regular season or finals.

Having said we get to play the Tigers, Dragons & Dogs all twice this season

 

[sharks2010]

We're a good side but still a work in progress.

Our halves need vast improvement on last play options when in the other team's half, particularly inside 20.

Agree mate, by far our biggest area in need of improvement, need to be able to build pressure better with getting repeat sets, will need it against Penrith and Melbourne

 

[Bundy Shark]

We have a side that’ll match it with everyone if we are on, it’s really the percentages of how we’d fare against the top teams over a game on game match up

IMO, we’d beat the
Panthers 1/5
Storm 2/5
Manly 2/5 although it should he higher but it’s Manly so……..
Rooters 3/5
Parra 3/5
South’s 3/5 to 4/5

I think we’ll need our squad to play with each other for a another season or two before we have the ability slip into a almost pilot mode in game situations & how to close out games, that’s sort of how the Panthers & Storm are, they know how to get it done cause that know their systems so well

 

[Shortfin Mako]

We have a side that’ll match it with everyone if we are on, it’s really the percentages of how we’d fare against the top teams over a game on game match up

IMO, we’d beat the
Panthers 1/5
Storm 2/5
Manly 2/5 although it should he higher but it’s Manly so……..
Rooters 3/5
Parra 3/5
South’s 3/5 to 4/5

I think we’ll need our squad to play with each other for a another season or two before we have the ability slip into a almost pilot mode in game situations & how to close out games, that’s sort of how the Panthers & Storm are, they know how to get it done cause that know their systems so well

I think whatever happens this year is a bonus. Next year thought is a different story. I am happy that we are playing some of the top teams towards the end of the season as our team will click much better by that time, the plays will be more autopilot.

Next year is a different story…

I am very happy and excited to be witnessing this journey with our boys.

 

[apezza]

We have a very soft draw this year.

To come, we have:

Melbourne Rd 6 and 17
Penrith Rd 19
Roosters Rd 12
Souths Rd 20
Parra - no more games
Manly - Rd 7 (no turbo) and 23

Those are the teams most agree would be up there this year and we only play 2 of them twice. Our big test is going to be that month from Rd 17-20 where we play Melbourne, Penrith and Souths.

If we continue to beat the lower sides we could find our way to the top 4 just based on our draw.

I think we are a long way off knocking over the big two come September, but if you get into that top 4 who knows what could happen. I'm looking forward to seeing where we are at in Rd 6.

Thanks Gus!

 

[Snaggletooth]

re comments about the halves
I’ll take 2022: Nicho at HB and a fit MM at FE
over 2021: Chad at HB and broken down SJ/MM at FE
any day of the week
a massive, momentous upgrade for sure

 

[Gards]

Teams have also had more opportunity to study and work out our plays and weaknesses towards back end of year though I don't think we have many weaknesses at present

Manly don't worry me as much under Fitz, feel like they are just another team, Fitz don't care about our bs record against them. one of our big problems historically has not been turning up against them, i dont think that will be an issue now and I dont see us choking as bad.

Manly have had some luck against us but again I feel like we are getting some luck this season (comes from hard work I spose) . they arnt that good a team and without Turbo they are even worse off. I dont care we will have plans to cover him if he plays

I know we are riding high at the moment and at some point the bubble may burst but I guess its how we handle that and recover. I dont think this team will go as badly into a noise dive as it may have in the past. Not that I want to feel like we will lose or have to lose

Fitz really has done wonders for this team in such a short space of time , remarkable really

 

[bort]

Teams can figure us out all they want, the trick is stopping it.

And that’s pretty hard as we have a very diverse range of threats (vs like a Turbo only for Manly). That includes even just fast clean spread to decent wingers.

Bar trick plays etc. by end of season (probably much sooner) most teams know what opposition want to do. But if other team are winning ruck and/or playing off a quick ptb it’s usually pretty hard to stop.

Kind of inline with what burgess was saying earlier in our massive argument

 

[Gards]

you are right bort and when teams try to counter us I am sure we can come up with effective counter plans in attack to take advantage

they arn't going to find a way to completely stop us getting Katoa for instance in space. and once he makes a run for that corner post it's nearly always a try.

If they shut the play to Katoa down then we have options on the inside or in the centres / backrow

 

[HaroldBishop]

re comments about the halves
I’ll take 2022: Nicho at HB and a fit MM at FE
over 2021: Chad at HB and broken down SJ/MM at FE
any day of the week
a massive, momentous upgrade for sure

Well of course, no one is disputing that. They still need to improve quite a bit though.

 

[bort]

2021 was just a debacle, SJ not on park nearly enough and Dugan completely disintegrated into non existence.

If SJ played another 5 or so games or Dugan had kept his **** together and continued what had otherwise been a decent career with us we make the finals again, despite coach shuffle and being under cap still.
Cap definitely better spent now but having it all available still helps.

 

[Capital_Shark]

Penrith & Storm the only bigger guns than us after 4 rounds. I'm just keen to go against em & see how we handle it.

Right now I feel we can account for the rest.

 

[Thresher]

Penrith & Storm the only bigger guns than us after 4 rounds. I'm just keen to go against em & see how we handle it.

Right now I feel we can account for the rest.

Yep that's the way I see it too.

Roosters have started slow but if they've got the hunger they'll end up back in the mix before season's end.

 

[Capital_Shark]

Yep that's the way I see it too.

Roosters have started slow but if they've got the hunger they'll end up back in the mix before season's end.

Yeah as I quickly shuffled through others in my head Chooks popped up with an 'if/when they get it going'.

 

[sharkgaz]

I think key injuries are the other thing that could throw a curve ball at us. We have depth in the forwards especially, but wouldn't want a season ending injury to Nicho or Kennedy for example