The Sharks are set to be more explosive than ever in 2026 after welcoming champion sprinter Matt Shirvington as a speed coach.
The Olympian, who hosts Sunrise on the Seven Network, has experience in the rugby league world after filling similar roles with the Dragons and Bulldogs.
Shirvington's work focuses on three elements: acceleration, agility and top speed.
"The guys are moving really well – they're super fast from a standing start right through to top speed. They're looking really good," Shirvington said.
"And their agility – arguably the best team I've seen in the way that they move around the field. They're very impressive at the moment."
Among the fastest athletes in Australian history, Shirvington famously ran a 100m time of 10.03 seconds at the 1998 Commonwealth Games as a teenager.
The sporting icon began his stint at Cronulla towards the start of the pre-season. Having worked with Sharks strength and conditioning coach Tony Grimaldi at Canterbury, as well as assistant coach Steve Price and others at St George Illawarra, Shirvington came to the club with long-standing connections.
"I had a really good chat with Fitz (head coach Craig Fitzgibbon) as soon as I arrived here and he said, 'These boys are fantastic. Great group, the culture is really good' – and I saw it on day one," the TV presenter explained.
"All the boys came up, shook my hand, said g'day, were genuinely interested in how I was going, what I was doing and the contribution that I was going to be able to make to this program. They've been really responsive to that.
"Some of them have even called me personally to get a few tips and ideas and to even go beyond the sessions that we're doing here."
While lavishing praise on the squad as a whole, Shirvington listed a handful of players who have caught his eye with sheer pace.
"Some of the young boys are really impressive," he said.
"They come through with a lot of enthusiasm and willingness to impress as well. Mickey Gabrael is one of the young boys coming through and he's just super fast on his feet. It's nice to be working with some of those guys.
"And then some of the older boys move well on the field too. Will Kennedy when he's up and running, Sam Stonestreet as well, he's got a beautiful stride once he gets going. And the funny thing with some of the bigger boys, too, is they don't think they're fast, but the power that they can produce off the ground once they're up and moving... the momentum they create is just mind blowing."
With speed and agility becoming ever more potent since the NRL's introduction of the six-again rule in 2020, incremental gains will bear key results for the Sharks.
"It's a fast game, isn't it?" Shirvington said.
"The modern game of rugby league is super fast.
"Their turnaround speed, their defensive line speed... Once they find some space as well, the ability just to use that space and to leave everyone behind."
Shirvington's schedule is jam-packed, rising before dawn every morning to fulfil his Sunrise commitments, but the former athlete is relishing his role at Cronulla.
"I love doing this. This is a great passion of mine," he said.
"I literally leave the show and I come straight down here to the Shire. It's a change for me to get out of the routine that I've got on TV.
"I love what I do, but it's nice to get out here. This group is so switched on. They keep asking me questions about how they can get better and I love to see that.
"The enthusiasm of the team and the culture of this team is just outstanding."
