In 2016 the Sharks won the premiership against the Melbourne Storm and four years later let’s see how they’re going.
Paul Gallen has retired, Shaun Johnson came to the Sharks in 2019 in hopes of winning a premiership (which is very unlikely to happen), Kyle Flanagan, who looked very good in 2019, has left the club to play for the reigning premiers, Josh Morris wants out of the club to also play for the Roosters alongside his brother Brett, Bronson Xerri declined a five-year deal worth 500k a season to stay at the Sharks, they lost Jayden Brailey to the Knights and lost recruit Cameron King to an ACL injury earlier this year.
When the Sharks signed Johnson from the Warriors in 2019, Sharks fans were really happy with this signing but Johnson was injured for six games and his points at the end of the season were his lowest (102) since he started playing in 2011 (24 points).
Shaun Johnson scored three tries, 15 forced dropouts and 16 try assists in 2019 which wasn’t too bad for the number of games he played. He looked good in some parts but was very inconsistent.
The Sharks bowed out of the 2019 finals series in Week 1 after their loss to the Sea Eagles 28-16, which also ended Gallen’s 19-year career.
The Sharks look very good so far in 2020 with them winning their trial match against Manly 28-16, with new recruit Connor Tracey scoring in the 17th minute and Josh Morris, who wants out of the Sharks, may have scored his last try for them in the 40th minute.
On the field, they look very good but off the field, they have a lot of distractions especially around Morris who wants to play with his brother Brett at the Roosters after they lost Latrell Mitchell (Souths) and young prospect Billy Smith to an ACL injury.
Jack Williams looked very good with ten runs for 130 metres, one tackle break, one line-break, 24 tackles and one try assist in the trial game. Royce Hunt, who previously played one game for Canberra, looked very good with 14 runs for 168 metres, four tackle-breaks and 28 tackles.
Matt Moylan will miss the first month of the season with injury and along with that the Sharks first five games of the season will be played against South Sydney, Storm, Knights, Bulldogs and the Roosters. Those first five games will really show where the Sharks are at in 2020.
(Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
The Sharks are hoping to find some consistency under second-year coach John Morris.
Josh Morris has been predicted to line-up as fullback for the Sharks until the return of Matt Moylan, but until then Andrew Fifita and Aaron Woods will need to create a platform for players like Shaun Johnson, Chad Townsend and Blayke Brailey, which will enable them to give a good ball to Briton Nikora, Wade Graham, Xerri and new signing Jesse Ramien.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Actually don't forget 96. I prefer to look at it as we were good enough to make it. As for 2010 we can only play what's in front of us. Storm were cheats and didn't deserve to be on a level playing field. Sharks were over the cap in the years leading up to 2016 and we're conveniently salary cap compliant that year. Look in your own backyard. Enjoy playing at Kogarah it will be good for you to see your team play at a decent ground for once
Bonza
Roar Rookie
A better man might resist saying the Dragons haven't won a real comp since 1979 as 2010 was done without the Storm competing. Nasty! A better man might bring up the mighty Dragons losing 4 consecutive GFs in 85,92-93, 99. A better man might point out the lowly Sharks have made the finals 6 of the past 7 years.... Unfortunately I'm not that man
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
How exactly are they not able to get organised as a club Adam?? The upgrades to our existing area meant it was unfeasible to play at Shark Park. There were a number of options considered, and input requested from members as to what should be done for the next few seasons. The unanimous vote was to play at Kogarah as it was close enough to the Shire for fans to easily get to the ground. It was well acknowledged this would be a disruptive few seasons, but the trade off would be worth it.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Last year means nothing. Everyone knows it's Dragons territory. Must be embarrassing for the Sharks to play home games in enemy territory because they can't get organised as a club. Not saying Dragons backline is great either
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Dragons only played 5 games there last year, lost 3 of them , 2 were absolute whippings. Thankfully the ground will get the restored respect it deserves in victory from the 11 games it’s new occupants will play there next year. This season R14 and R24 Sharks v Dragons at Kogarah . Let’s see how that Dragon all star back line goes defending their ‘belongings’ against the Cronulla ‘rubbish’..
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Their backline is rubbish. Moylan and Dugan are injury prone and Morris is reliable but not going to strike fear into any defence and he will likely be off to the Roosters. That leaves Xerri and Ramien. Yeah not much. Will be interesting to see how they play at Kogarah as it's not going to offer much home ground advantage everyone knows who belongs there.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Spot on Baz ! The Sharks still have a real quality squad on paper. There aren't many better packs around than the Sharks pack . And they have match winners scattered throughout their backline , if only they could keep them on the park for a season. But it seems that Moylan & Johnson ( and even Fifita & Graham) just have inherent dodgy hammies . It is hard to remain too confident of success when their recent past injury history is always lurking. But if health holds up like it did in 2016 when they were virtually injury free, they could win the thing again .
Conan of Cooma
Roar Rookie
I mean, it's the Sharks. Anything is possible. ANYTHING.
Sam
Guest
Wasn't referring to you mate, I know you're a Sharks man
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Never written the Sharks off and never said a bad word about either of those two in this life nor will I in the next..so don’t know where that ‘same people’ came from..
Sam
Guest
Funny how a lot of the same people who were writing the Sharks off last year due to an 'ageing pack' are now writing them off because their two oldest players moved on.......If Gallen and Prior stuck around they would again be saying they're too old, now they're gone they're saying they'll miss them, can't have it both ways
Peter Piper
Guest
When Paul Gallen retired, a little piece of me died inside. Premiership winning captain, State of Origin winning captain, World Cup winning vice captain, 300+ games.....not even 0.5% of players ever achieve that.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
Anton, Anton, Anton. Have you not heard the Sharks song. It's Up Up not Up and Down. This season is going to be a cracker, I've seen it in the tea leaves. Up Up
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
The Sharks spine is a worry I reckon. Johnson is a freak on his day but his day comes rarely. Moylan is injury prone and will be in and out and Chad is very servicable but no star. They do have the makings of a Top class pack though so the Sharks will be there-abouts.
matth
Roar Guru
You are churning out so many articles at the moment you’re bound to miss something. :happy:
David Holden
Roar Guru
5 finals series in a row is pretty good and I think the Sharks will be thereabouts again. Much depends on Johnson’s fitness but they have a talented group of young players coming through. The future is actually bright at the Sharks
The Barry
Roar Guru
You gave a spoiler in your second sentence ! The Sharks pack still looks pretty good. Fifita, Uele, Woods and Williams is a strong middle third and with a combo of Graham, Nikora, Xerri, Ramien, Morris they have very good attacking edges The spine and keeping players on the park will be the queries. Can they keep Moylan and Johnson on the park long enough to strike a combination I’d love to see Johnson get a couple of full seasons under his belt. One of the best players to watch in the game. 16 TAs in 18 games is a pretty good return considering he was in and out with injury all year and was supposedly struggling
Walter White
Guest
Gallop would have stripped it in a heartbeat! The phraseology might not be perfect but the sharks do seem to be returning to their more traditional area of the table. Every year they are talked up pre-season but seem to suffer a lot of injuries, not quite performances or what ever to not quite deliver and to slide back to that mid table position. Last year they had a 50% win rate and I don't think they will make that number this year. If this continues for the next 50 yrs then their 1 and only premiership will be very much a flash in the pan.
Superspud
Roar Rookie
A bit harsh to say 2016 was a flash in the pan. They have been competitive for a fair while now and a fixture in finals footy. I do think though that had this not been the Sharks only premiership after half a century the NRL would've stripped it. Probably should've stripped it anyway.
Walter White
Guest
2016 was clearly a flash in the pan (or a wrong decimal point in the salary cap ?) and doesn't look like being repeated any time soon. I cannot see them making the eight though bottom 4 seems a bit harsh.