Tonight – Community Forum #1
The first of two Community Fan Forums will take place tonight from 7.00pm at The Club on East (formerly the SUS Club) in Sutherland.
Members, sponsors, fans and the general public are all invited, with Group CEO Lyall Gorman, Chairman Damian Keogh and Head Coach Shane Flanagan to take questions while also listening to community opinion as to the current health and future direction of the Sharks.
The second forum is scheduled for 7.00pm at Sharks Leagues Club tomorrow evening (Tuesday).
Gorman speaks to 2MMM
Sharks Group CEO Lyall Gorman spoke with the Dead Set Legends crew of Ray Warren, Dan Ginnane and Richard Freeman on radio station 2MMM on Saturday morning.
Gorman didn’t dodge any of the pertinent issues and talked on a number of Sharks related topics, while at the same time promoting the Community Forums as an opportunity for members, fans and the general public to voice their opinions and to have their say in the future direction of the Sharks.
The Gorman interview is now available on Sharks Radio – located as a link on the ‘News’ tab on the Sharks website.
Listen to the Gorman interview on 2MMM, now playing on Sharks Radio. CLICK HERE
NRL Draw Imminent
If going by the fact that games for round one of the new season were leaked to the Sunday Telegraph is anything to go by, the NRL Draw for 2015 is imminent.
While as yet not formally confirmed it appears that the Sharks will be at Remondis Stadium in week one, hosting the Ricky Stuart-coached Canberra Raiders in a match set down for a 6.30pm kick off Sunday, March 8.
Other matches touted for the first round include Brisbane v Souths to open the season on Thursday, the Eels v Manly on Friday, three games on Saturday – Knights v Warriors, Cowboys v Roosters and Titans v Tigers – while sharing Sunday with the Sharks will be a match between the Panthers and Bulldogs.
Monday night football will feature a game at Kogarah matching the Dragons and Melbourne Storm.
So far the clubs haven’t been notified, either officially or otherwise, of who and when they will be playing however as soon we are informed, the 2015 NRL draw will be communicated via the Sharks.com.au website and through our social channels.
Club Session a success
A Club Training session, featuring players from the Under 16 Matthews Cup, the Under 18 SG Ball, Holden Cup Under 20’s and the Sharks NRL squad came together on Friday night in what was a successful exercise for all concerned.
Split into groups which included players from each of the four Sharks teams, the end result was NRL squad members participating in drills alongside 15 year-old Matthews Cup players, as well as members of the SG Ball and NCY squads.
In all, over 140 Sharks players took part in the session, with coach Shane Flanagan and his assistants Steve Price, James Shepherd and the recently retired John Morris, now a part of the clubs Elite Development coaching staff, along with SG Ball coach Dave Howlett, playing an active role on the night.
Performance Manager Andrew Gray also put the squad through some conditioning drills, providing an indication that the training exercise was about substance as much as it was a good will exercise, with all concerned gaining something from the session.
Sharks Patrol the Shire
The Sharks enjoyed an outstanding reaction from fans and members of the general public at two Shire #SharksPatrol conducted in Cronulla and Engadine on Saturday.
The majority of the NRL squad walked through Cronulla Mall and the shopping precinct at Engadine, signing autographs, posing for photos, handing out stickers and membership information while meeting the fans as they continue their efforts to interact with the local community.
The players were accompanied by Group CEO Lyall Gorman and head coach Shane Flanagan, with the pair attending and chatting with fans at both Cronulla and Engadine.
The Saturday prior the Sharks visited Gymea, Sutherland and Cronulla in similar Shire ‘patrols’.
Mermaids squad set for 2015
According to Sharks Mermaids coordinator Jacquie Doran they have a few “tricks up their sleeve” for 2015, with the squad finalised for next season after Mermaid auditions were conducted last week.
The 2015 Mermaids will feature 11 returning and 11 new members to the squad, with rehearsals and the hard work to begin in the New Year as they look to consolidate their rating as the premier cheer squad in all of the NRL.
Sharks TV cameras were on hand to capture some of the behind the scenes action at the auditions, with a video highlights package now playing.
CLICK HERE to check out some of the action from the Mermaid Auditions.
Camp kids shock Samoa
Despite giving up a considerable size and for some an age advantage, the group brought together for a Sharks Development Camp capped of their week with an impressive performance in a game against a Samoan under 19’s representative side.
With some players as young as 15, the Development Squad Sharks out-enthused their Samoan opponents, showing commitment and outstanding skills in a seven tries to nil victory.
Coached by John Morris in his new role as Sharks Elite Development Coaching Manager, a number of the camp kids caught the eye of Sharks coaching staff, with the potential being for the club to bring them back into the fold in coming years in their junior rep or under-20’s programs.
Check out the Sharks website in the coming days for more on the Development Camp including a video presentation and photo gallery.
Shot clock innovation for NRL 9’s
A Shot Clock will be introduced for conversions and drop-outs as part of a range of innovations for the 2015 Dick Smith NRL Auckland Nines.
To maximise playing time, scoring teams will have up to 25 seconds to complete a conversion after a try. If they fail to meet the time limit the conversion will be deemed unsuccessful.
Similarly, defending teams will have 20 seconds to complete a drop-out. If they take any longer they will be penalised.
The aim was to keep the Nines games flowing, with minimal delays to playing time.
“The Nines is already a fast, exciting game which is full of action,” the NRL’s Nathan McGuirk said. “We think the quick restarts will add even more excitement to this year’s tournament.”
Other changes to the Nines from what was in place for the inaugural tournament in 2014 includes: Clubs will be able to nominate an increased squad of 18 players and rotate them during qualifying matches; with each team to have five interchange players for each match instead of six.
The highly successful Bonus Zone will be retained for this year’s tournament, enabling clubs to earn five points for a try if the ball is grounded between the goal posts.
The NRL Nines will be played at Auckland’s Eden Park, on January 31 and February 1 next year.
Kids ‘Come and Try’ in 2015
Details for the 2015 Community Carnival afternoon component have been announced, with a one hour ‘Come and Try’ clinic scheduled for Monday, February 9.
For youngsters aged between 5 and 12, the ‘Come and Try’ clinic is aimed at introducing young boys and girls to the game of rugby league, with those who might already participate in the local junior league also encouraged to attend.
Sharks NRL players will be assisting NRL Development Officers with the fun footy drills and activities on the day, giving all in attendance an opportunity to meet their NRL heroes.
Representatives from Cronulla-Sutherland Junior League will be on hand to provide information on club registrations and to answer all local junior league competition enquiries.
The 2015 Community Carnival ‘Come and Try’ clinic is scheduled for Waratah Oval, Sutherland starting at 4.30pm on Monday, February 9.
