The road warriors: How the Sharks embraced travel challenge

Card games, coffee dates and an intense club-wide table tennis tournament have emerged as the keys to the Cronulla Sharks early-season success as they navigate a gruelling travel schedule.  

The Sharks are back on the road this weekend, travelling up to Gosford to take on the Roosters to continue a season that has seen them venture to Las Vegas, Townsville, Perth, Brisbane and beyond.

Last week’s victory over Melbourne at Sharks Stadium was their first game at the venue in six weeks.

Despite the tough stretch, Cronulla sit fifth on the ladder and won four from six during the road trip.

Hooker Blayke Brailey is confident the time away has brought the team closer together and can see the results play out on the field.

“It can derail some sides but we looked at it and saw it as an opportunity to get closer and it’s the closest we’ve ever been,” Brailey said. “The coaching staff and everyone in the organisation’s doing a good job at making those trips as comfortable as they can for us.

“I’ve been enjoying these away trips. It helps that you’re winning but to be able to spend time with 20 of your closest mates, it’s not a bad trip.”

The players have made the most of their time away, with the table tennis tournament generating plenty of attention amid a highly-competitive squad.

Nicho Hynes and Jesse Colquhoun progressed to this week's final, with Colquhoun taking home the trophy

with Will Kennedy knocked out in the semi-finals.

“We have ping-pong battles, players have cards, we have dress ups,” Brailey said. “We have all sorts of things to make the trip enjoyable.

“If you’re away, you might as well make it count because you’re away from your family and your partner and kids so you might as well take something from it. So we really lean into that and we’re really enjoying the away trips.”

Sharks skipper Cameron McInnes has been forced to spend much of the tournament watching from the sidelines, the lock unable to match it with some of his more experienced teammates.

While he’d like to receive more playing time, the veteran said Cronulla has learnt some lessons from some of their rival clubs.

“In any circumstances given in life you can look at it whichever way you want,” McInnes said. “Some people could look at it like ‘we haven't been at home we have to travel this that and whatever’. We’ve really embraced it and enjoyed it.

“We’ve spent a lot of time together, time that you don't spend when you're at home because you go to training and then we all have our lives going on so it’s a really unique opportunity as a Sydney-based club.

“Teams like Melbourne, you got your Brisbane teams, the Warriors, they're travelling every second week and no one talks about their travel so there's no reason to talk about ours. We've enjoyed it, we have another one this weekend. It's not too far, Gosford’s not that far so we’ll be right.”