Vale – John Dunphy
The Sharks offer their condolences to the family and friends of long-time club supporter and benefactor John Dunphy who passed away after an 18-month battle with cancer.
The Founder, CEO and major shareholder of the Shimano Fishing company, Mr Dunphy had an association with the Sharks dating back to the early 1980’s where he sat on many advisory boards including the Ways and Means committee as he helped steer the club in a positive direction during its formative years.
Mr Dunphy also had strong personal ties with club legend Andrew Ettingshausen as a close friend and business mentor, while current Sharks head coach Shane Flanagan remembered a man committed to the Cronulla club.
“For as long as I can remember John has been a loyal supporter of the Sharks and of rugby league in general,” Flanagan said. “He always offered great personal support to me as well during my time at the club and he will be sadly missed.”
Mr Dunphy passed away while in Japan undergoing cancer treatment. He was 72.
Flanagan on breakfast radio
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan was on the radio this morning when he spoke with hosts Jimmy Smith and Stuart Clarke on the summer edition of Sky Radio’s The Big Sports Breakfast.
Flanagan talked Nines and the squad he is likely to take to Auckland, while also covering off on pre-season training and the year ahead.
Listen to his BSB Interview, now available by following the link below to Sharks Radio.
CLICK HERE to listen.
New training venue a winner
The Sharks ventured down to the newly laid fields at Cronulla High School for their NRL training session this morning.
Due to the Woolooware Bay residential construction beginning on the back fields at Remondis Stadium the Cronulla High fields will now be utilised on a more regular basis by the NRL, NYC and junior rep squads.
The surface was in outstanding condition for today’s training session, with the Sharks taking advantage of the two full-size fields in operation.
The adjacent clubhouse, which will be home to Cronulla Caringbah while also serving as a gymnasium for the junior rep Sharks, is also close to completion and is set to be an outstanding facility servicing the Sharks, the junior league and the local community.
We look forward to seeing some junior league, and possibly a junior rep trial game, on the Cronulla High fields in the near future.
Morris in new role
He may have hung up the boots however 300-NRl game player John Morris will continue to have an impact at the Sharks after been appointed Elite Development Coach.
Looking after the young up and coming players at the club, Morris will look to impart his immense knowledge of the game on the Sharks of the future.
Sharks TV has put together a video package detailing Morris’s new position at the club, with the video now playing. CLICK HERE to view.
59 days and counting
The start is the 2015 NRL season is getting ever closer, with just 59 days remaining until Sunday, March 8 when the Sharks take on the Raiders at Remondis in round one.
It is going to be a big year for the Sharks, make sure you are a part of it.
Name Your Nines Team
Coach Shane Flanagan today named Luke Lewis as the Sharks Captain for the upcoming Auckland Nines Tournament.
Lewis’s appointment was a reward for his outstanding efforts throughout the pre-season. To read more on Lewis being named Nines skipper, CLICK HERE.
Taking into consideration the Sharks won’t send Gallen, in all likelihood Michael Ennis, Ben Barba who will be a part of the Indigenous All Stars the following week, and Andrew Fifita as he continues his recovery from off-season surgery, who is in YOUR best Sharks Nines team.
Sharks.com.au has come up with the following squad, naming five backs and four forwards in the starting side and 16 players in all. Who makes YOUR Sharks team for the Auckland Nines.
Sharks.com potential Nines squad
1. Valentine Holmes – outstanding speed, was a revelation last year
2. Jacob Gagan – big, strong and fast will be suited by the wide open spaces
3. Jack Bird – bit of a smokey, but the 9’s suits the youngsters and he’s a good one
4. Sosaia Feki – perhaps the Sharks biggest improver in 2014. Can’t keep him out of our 9
5. Todd Murphy – newcomer with good skill who can be the general to steer the team around
6. Fa’amanu Brown – versatile and excelled last year as hooker/utility
7. Luke Lewis – big, mobile, fast, the skipper will have an impact in the Nines
8. Sam Tagataese – surprised many with his speed, scored a couple of long range tries last time around
9. Matt Prior – someone has to make all the tackles, plus has the mobility to get around the field in attack and defence
Bench
10. Nathan Gardner –Leftfield but in Barba’s absence why not as a playmaker. Get him as much ball as possible
11. Ricky Leutele – we need talented backs and he’s one of those
12. Mitch Brown – Has played fullback, wing, centre and with only 9 on the field you need to be able to do a bit of everything
13. Blake Ayshford – had an excellent 9’s last year, primarily a centre but big enough to play in the forwards
14. Pat Politoni – Primarily a hooker, can also cover the halves
15. Wade Graham – can easily slot in and take over where Lewis and Prior left off
16. Tinirau Arona – team needs another big mobile guy to sub off Sam. T is the man for the job.
And that’s with respect to the likes of Gerard Beale, Jeff Robson, Anthony Tupou, Chris Heighington, and Michael Gordon, players who ordinarily make the Nines team, along with others in our full time squad such as Junior Roqica, Sami Sauiluma Saul Houma – Sharks.com.au is resting you boys up for the season proper.
Fill out the form below and give us YOUR 9’s team.
