Cronulla coach John Morris is hopeful Matt Moylan’s hamstring issues will pass in time for the fullback to finally be part of a full-strength side ahead of the NRL finals.
The Sharks haven’t been at full strength all season and look likely to remain that way despite Morris “crossing his fingers” Moylan will recover from his latest tweak in time to play the Warriors on Saturday.
Morris said the absences of him, Wade Graham and Shaun Johnson throughout the season had been a telling factor in their lack of consistency, yet to win three-straight all year.
But their 18-12 defeat of St George Illawarra on Sunday at least shot them back into the top eight – a position that looked unlikely after a five-game losing streak earlier in the season.
“Yeah that was hard to cop … at times I did go away from what I believed in and the pressure certainly does get turned up,” Morris said on Fox League’s NRL 360.
“We’ve an experienced playing group, they don’t panic and I knew we weren’t too far off.”
The Sharks host the Warriors this weekend and Morris hopes whatever momentum they gained from their late escape against the Dragons can be built on.
“We’ve taken a ot of belief from our losses and found a way to turn it around,” he said.
“We’ve been up and down … but the good news is we’re starting to get some footy into those guys (Graham, Johnson and Moylan) and hopefully we make a run and go in with a few wins.
“We haven’t been able to get our best 17 on the park once, but we’re getting close.”
He said Moylan would be “racing the clock” to play on Saturday but Morris was confident his ailment wouldn’t keep him off the park for more than a week.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Kurnell, I have to agree with you there, Fifita is walking wounded & Gal tries hard but lets be honest I am surprised he has made it this far into the season. Yes the defence has been very good and Gallen ex cells there for sure. The fact is that if the forwards are making ground then the backs can do their job, you are probably suffering the same problems that Souths are facing right now.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Noosa IMO the forwards rotation is at the heart of the Sharks problems in defence this year.Too many opposition packs are rolling through the middle,our ageing big men are not agile enough to defend with the authority we had in recent years. I’d be starting with Uele n Williams,and rotating Prior Faf Gal n Woods .On the plus side our Goalline defence has been 1st class. Fix this prob and we could go well in the finals(if we get there)
Soda
Roar Rookie
He will have to physically give Moylan a wedgie to get him performing
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Big Gordy should give it to Johnson and Moylan next.
Albo
Roar Rookie
The trouble for the Sharks is that all their key players are injury crocks ! You are never sure when the next hammy is going to go ! Fifita, Johnson, Moylan & Graham are the stars and all have dodgy legs !
Soda
Roar Rookie
That was a 50/50 call that went the sharks way, and just as well, keeps their season alive at least. Dugan is still quality IMO and they've found out he he plays well when motivated by spite. Big gordy needs to criticize him more often it seems. Seriously everyone is writing sharks off but I can't do it, if they make the 8, they are a team that I would not be up against. All they need is Fafita to lay the platform. When Fafita is on, the sharks are dangerous.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Funny how about 4 weeks ago all the " Sports Journalists" had Dugan all washed up. Though I thought he was playing wounded myself, however the last couple of games he has been their best by far. I thought Dugan , Graham & Xerry made the major contribution to that win at the weekend. Good on Xerry playing to the whistle as Graham never knocked on anyway
Soda
Roar Rookie
I think a saving grace is that Moylan looked to go off injured. Sharks look better without him. Dugan is a better option at fullback.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Horse, reckon they should have called it off at half time and taken a point off each team for pretending to play footy. On what I saw the Bulldogs would have beaten either team with ease and on the effort I saw either team would have struggled to beat the Titans. The only saving grace the Sharks have is Xerry, Wade Graham does make a difference but Gallen is playing busted and who knows what Johnson is going to deliver. Take the kicking duties away from Johnson and just let him concentrate on running the ball and they might make it but as for Grand Final aspirations, you can forget that.
Conan of Cooma
Roar Rookie
They sure as hell didn't deserve to win that game, but neither did the Dragons.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
I don't know about "looking good". They didn't look too flash against the dragons.