Fifita fires up as Cronulla conquer Cowboys

Morning JVGO, glad to see you’re still feeling personally victimised by your team winning last night, any word on when all that tinfoil’s coming for my cakes? Anyway, can’t stop to chat about your remarkable application of chaos theory or wonky use of the term Gerrymandered but nice try on both fronts. Just like to mention in passing that most of us Cowboys fans look forward to the Sharks games as tough thrillers against teams that regularly feature as the other’s bogey team or that maybe I have a pineapple on them for the comp but that would never fit your narrative of other people outside of the shire being able to respect them. That “us against them” view that so thoroughly insulates you from any sort of different view and always makes you defensive, even when oeople praise the Sharks. Tragic really

Are you suggesting the sport science people at the Sharks are working their magic better than other clubs? Poor old Val Holmes could make a Rep team in NQ. The Sharks program is outstanding when you look at how well players preform in blue, black and white.

Cowboys need to be carefull here -Paying ridicules money for one player leaves a lot less for others, who potentially might be in. the Val category, but have to be let go.. Just cast your mind back to 2017 the Broncos with Jack Bird who hasnt lived up to his potential. Just remember there is a lot of factors ,when a player goes gangbusters at one club.then doesnt live up the expectations at another.

From memory Ponga signed with the Knights almost immediately after they extended Coote’s contract. Morgan and JT 13 were signed before Thurston was signed for an extra year. Obviously the Knights made Ponga a very attractive offer but losing him was more about the 2015 boys club being resigned (Coote, Linnett, Winterstein) and not being given an opportunity. The structures and personal are very much structured around JT. His retirement will signal a significant overhaul and a refreshing change. Clifford and Morgan will not need the protection and faster outside backs will be brought through.

Probably a starting point for negotiation. His manager will probably throw up a figure of $1M and they'll meet in the middle for $900K.

They used most of JsT7 coin to resign Morgan, that has been the excuse for not signing Ponga, no money, remember the cows are not the roosters with a bottomless salary cap and a heap of brown paper bags. I do not know of any new signings by the cows and I am thinking we have not handled our cap so well.

Yeah, wasn't the last extension about $750k?

Wasn't he already near that figure from his contract extension last year? I'd be surprised if NQ weren't able to match that (at least) by 2020.

The game where Flanno had a list of 'wrongs' that were completely discredited immediately after the game by everyone, supported by, you know, video evidence? Yes, Todd should've taken his medicine that day. The same Flanno, would wins by a forward pass one week, the blows up deluxe when it happens to him the next. Very credible source you have there. What has Greenburg done that supported the Cowboys this year? His backdown has seemed to have benefited your boys though. 5 tries to 3? 2 of them came after the wrong send of call but did Green blame the ref? How would Flanno have reacted? Another list? You have no credibility to rag on JT. The guy won more premierships than your club and more personal Dally M Medals than your club has seen across 50 years. That one player with more achievements than over 50 years of your boys existence. Time to wake up Rippy.

Give me a break. What about Townsend's try - a 50/50 call you seem to be conveniently ignoring. Or how about Bird's try - blatantly incorrect penalty; instead of attacking the Sharks like they should've been, they have to defend a set they shouldn't have and concede a try they shouldn't have been in a position to. Wasn't the refs' fault Gallen and Fifita tried to pull off hero plays and failed rather than go for the field goal. Wasn't the refs' fault Lewis made a high tackle that lead to the Cowboys getting their penalty goal set. You had plenty of opportunities to win that game, and you choked. No-one to blame but yourselves. Besides; A) No-one is actually blaming the ref for last night, that's just your projection. B) Nat's a Broncs man, not even aiming at the right person ?

I retract my call of 6 months of inane 5 yr old barby doll whinging and state that that you are a hypocrite and you have never have stopped whinging and you will never stop wha wha wha Gee you're child

Dude, you guys are like RIp Van Winkle up in NQ, asleep most of the time. I guess you didn't notice the ill fated 'crackdown' that our boy Todd Greenburg instituted on the back of his empowering dressing down of Flanno after that particular semi. You want to call me delusional over one blatantly gerrimandered game when after last night in a game where your opposition scored five tries to three and had three more disallowed your whole fan base is blaming the ref for your loss. Seriously how has backing the Greenburg narrative turned out for this season for you and JT? I guess reality sucks huh.

Breaking news, The Sharks have tabled a deal worth $4M averaging out @ $800K per season? Sensational buying at that price.

"worst refereeing controversy in the history of the game" hahahahaha. Manly have more right to that comment than the Sharks last year. Which ref told Fifita to run sideways and drop the pill, 20 seconds to go, 40m out?

Aside from JT13, who is on the big $? Johnno leaves this year, maybe Scott with his consistent injuries. McLean is on good coin but not playmaker stuff. They have enough young talent not to warrant going after a marquee playmaker so there must be some wiggle room for a Holmes quality FB. That said, Cronulla seem to wearing a fair sombrero themselves these days.

I do not think Val will ever be at the cowboys due to salary cap, we have three big contract players and need a few quality backs and at least two big boppers as Scott and Bolton are both showing signs of there best being behind them, as for chasing Barber I hope the club does not go in that direction, surely there are some good young players out there who do not have his baggage .

Sharks were never going back to back last year. Melbourne were specials. The only two genuine consequences of that finals game last year were 6 months of the worst refereeing controversy in the history of the game instituted by that idiot Greenburg and backed by idiots like yourselves, and an abjectly humiliating season for one of the greats of the game who was conned into believing that he was playing for a contender when his club was actually just very lucky to even be in the finals last year. At least you are enjoying a good dose of reality right now. But don't worry it will do you plenty of good.

Anything you say JVGO is all ways clouded buy 6 months of crying and whinging like a spoilt 5 year old wanting a Barby doll here on the roar about last years final . really sorry stuff, hypocrisy will never win a argument.

Thought the Cowboys had a real go and were a little unlucky. If only GGM had of held that interception with less than 10min to go. I didn’t agree with the Asiata sin bin as it wasn’t deliberate and killed the contest which was a good hard and entertaining game until that decision. Mr Checchin has some habits I won’t miss (like helping the Sharks out in tight contest).Not sure we’ll see Holmes in Cowboys colours next year (still under contact) hopefully he will be there for the new stadium opener. Clifford has impressed with his 1 on 1defence being rock solid. He will be much bigger and stronger next year. Clifford, Morgan and Martin will be excellent to have as halve options going forward. Maybe Morgan might be the one to play fullback next year.

Word in the Shire is that Val's girlfriend loves living there, her business is going gangbusters and they will be staying long term. But dream on. I guess it's like when you get beaten five tries to three, the other team has three tries disallowed but the ref still somehow cost you the game...facts are simply of no concern. Cowboys should rather be targetting Benny Barba as should almost everyone else. JT should also watch his language when abusing the ref and everyone can hear it...oh but it's JT...of course he can do no wrong. Big game next week for JT though, the spoon is on the line. Go Parra.