2016 NRL preview series: Cronulla Sharks

The Cronulla Sharks were among the big overachievers in 2015.

2015 in review: Charge to the finals
After a terrible start to the season, losing their first four games, the Sharks rallied to win 14 of 20 games, including one period of eight from nine.

They finished just outside the top four, going from wooden spoon to the finals in a single year, and easily accounted for the fading Rabbitohs in Week 1 of the finals, before being utterly wiped out in Townsville in Week 2.

Overall though it was a wonderful comeback season for the club, who spent much of 2014 mired in the peptides saga.

FULL 2016 NRL PREVIEW SERIES

Offseason story: Re-signing Jack Bird
While Wade Graham and Michael Ennis were arguably more important for the Sharks in 2015, no player typified the Sharks’ resurrection more than Jack Bird.

Having joined Cronulla from the rival Dragons at the end of 2014, Bird was initially overlooked by coach Shane Flanagan before making his debut against the Titans in Round 4.

Bird took just 38 minutes to demonstrate his vast potential, and was drafted into the starting line up at five-eighth for the remainder of the season. After he thrived in that role, re-signing him to an extended deal became priority number one for the Sharks, as a number of other clubs expressed interest, with reports of large-money offers.

While the club was probably keen to sign Bird to a multi-year deal, in the end he added a further season to his contract to take him through to the end of 2017, providing the club with stability for at least two seasons.

Roster management
2016 gains: James Maloney, Matt McIlwrick, Joseph Paulo, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Chad Townsend

2016 losses: Tinirau Arona, Blake Ayshford, Michael Gordon, Jeff Robson, Kyle Stanley, Anthony Tupou

After struggling through 2015 with only Jeff Robson as a recognised half, the club now has two very good halves on the books, with Chad Townsed and James Maloney joining the team.

Maloney was quietly integral to the Roosters’ minor premiership threepeat, finishing in the top three for try assists the last two seasons, and providing elite goal kicking. His signing is a real coup.

Beyond those two, the club strengthened their already excellent forward pack with the addition of Jesse Sene-Lefao. Utility depth was also improved, signing Matt McIlwrick and Joseph Paulo, both of whom are able to play multiple positions, though neither projects as a regular part of the match-day 17 initially.

The better news is that the signings came without losing any key players, barring Michael Gordon. But even the loss of Gordon will be well accounted for, with either Bird or Valentine Holmes likely to take over his role at fullback (more on that later). The same could be said of Robson who had a solid, largely error-free, but also never exciting, 2015. His loss will be well covered by Townsend and Maloney.

Some may argue that Anthony Tupou and Tiniaru Arona are also losses, but neither was a key contributor in 2015, and their departures will only free up minutes for superior players.

Likely lineup
1. Jack Bird
2. Valentine Holmes
3. Gerard Beale
4. Ricky Leutele
5. Sosaia Feki
6. James Maloney
7. Chad Townsend
8. Sam Tagataese
9. Michael Ennis
10. Andrew Fifita
11. Luke Lewis
12. Wade Graham
13. Paul Gallen

14. Chris Heighington
15. Jesse Sene-Lefao
16. Ben Barba
17. Jayson Bukuya.

On paper the Sharks have one of the strongest teams in the competition.

The forward pack features abundant size, skill and athleticism, and when Paul Gallen is available and playing 80 minutes as a virtual front rower, it allows the team to use their impact players more judiciously.

The only question mark in the forwards is just how much depth the team has, particularly in the front row. It is all well and good to rely on Gallen to cover for slightly undersize bench props like Matt Prior, Chris Heighington and Jesse Sene-Lefao, but the skipper has played in less than 60 per cent of the team’s games over the last four seasons (though 2015 was one of his better years, with 18 appearances). When Gallen is unavailable, the team may be a touch undersize, though Heighington in particular has shown plenty of tenacity to play in the middle.

The backline is perhaps not as heralded as the forward pack, however they are all effective players and Holmes in particular has all the ability to be a future representative player (just not this year, after his Emerging Origin Camp indiscretion).

The big question though is how to accommodate the two new halves, Townsend and Maloney, along with the find of 2015. Bird, who was billed as a centre or backrower in the lower grades, played very well as a makeshift half last season, however every indication so far is that Bird will instead be shifted to fullback, at least initially.

This situation is worth monitoring closely as it has the potential to make or break Cronulla’s season. Bird is capable of playing fullback, and may even develop into a very good one. He is a good ball-runner, making seven metres a carry in 2015 and breaking over three tackles a game. However his bustling running style is more reminiscent of his edge backrow teammates Graham and Luke Lewis than the free-flowing style we see from typical fullbacks.

The better move might be to shift Holmes to fullback, a position he seems tailor made for. However, Flanagan may just ensure he gets all of his best 17 players into the game-day squad, and worry about the optimum lineup second.

There is also the question of which side of the field Townsend and Maloney will occupy. Both players operated on the left edge for their respective clubs in 2015, so who will get the nod on that side to begin the season? Both are capable of operating on their non-preferred side, but at the NRL level you want every player in the best position to succeed.

With Graham already operating on the left edge as an ancillary playmaker, there is a case for playing Townsend on that edge, as he is the weaker player in terms of pure playmaking.

Player to watch: Michael Ennis
Ennis, along with Graham, was the Sharks best player in 2015. Ennis recorded 16 try assists, 12 line break assists, put in 126 kicks in general play – far and away the most by a hooker in all three categories. In many ways he played the role of a traditional half, he just did it from dummyhalf.

Compare those numbers to 2014, during which he had seven try assists, five line break assists and kicked the ball just 57 times. Of course in 2014 he was at the Bulldogs, who had the Origin-winning halves pairing of Trent Hodkinson and Josh Reynolds, whereas at the Sharks he was teamed with journeyman Robson and make-shift half Bird.

Now however, the Sharks have their own Origin representative half in Maloney, who was one of the best four or five halves in 2015, along with Townsend, who was impressive at the Warriors. So to what extent does Ennis cede the playmaking role he took on in 2015?

Ennis is a team-orientated player, who will put the needs of the team first. However after a year in which he was effective as a creator, he may struggle to get the balance right as to when to call his own number and when to give it to the new 6 and 7.

Predicted finish: Make the eight
Much like yesterday’s team, the Bulldogs, there are few reasons on paper at least not to pencil this team into the top four.

With the Bulldogs, the main question was one of identity: how does the team want to play and how will the halves play with Trent Hodkinson gone. For the Sharks, the question will be about execution, as the team incorporates an all-new halves pairing, and depth, as the team is thin beyond the top 17.

It’s sensible to lock them into the eight, but to note that they certainly have the potential to be a top-four side.