The first time I met Aiden Tolman, his genuine nature and obvious integrity were easy to spot. Unlike many athletes who adopt something of an aloof persona when in the company of us common folk, Tolman looked me straight in the eye, shook my hand and asked questions, and we had what I would refer to as a comfortable conversation.
As I walked away ten minutes later, I remember thinking that he was potentially the most softly spoken, gentle and mild-mannered rugby league player to whom I had ever spoken. It is no wonder the Sharks snapped him up for a handful of seasons that will cap off what has been a long and superb NRL career.
Though a few eyebrows may have been raised when he left the Bulldogs at the end of the 2020 season, with some wondering just how much football was left in his legs, there is little of that sentiment remaining as the front-rower powers past 300 games.
Cronulla knew exactly what they were doing in bringing such a mature and experienced campaigner to the club.
Tolman’s signing has paid dividends already, yet it was not the only prudent move undertaken down at Shark Park over the last 24 months. New coach Craig Fitzgibbon arrived with glowing praise from all who had worked with him at the Roosters and has subsequently made a stunning start to his NRL coaching career.
Players talk openly about wanting to play under the 44-year-old, with former Rooster Matt Ikuvalu open in admitting that the coach was a key factor in his move to the Shire. Joining Ikuvalu at Cronulla after what was more a shrewd recruitment drive rather than anything resembling a spending spree were Melbourne duo Nicho Hynes and Dale Finucane.
Initial impressions suggest that Hynes may well be Tolman-like in his maturity, poise and perspective on the game as well as his role in it, and Finucane has long been considered one of the most mature and best on-field leaders in the NRL.
In short, the Sharks have brought in some quality humans who conveniently also know how to produce consistently good on-field performances.
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Five games into the season, the Sharks are yet to play some of the predicted NRL big guns yet have tasted defeat just once, against the Raiders, and been clinical in their wins over the Eels, Dragons, Knights and Tigers.
Fitzgibbon has coached well, even when banished from the box, and the control of Hynes has helped Matt Moylan and married impressively with the discipline and diligence added by Tolman and Finucane in the forwards.
Off the back of what looks like one of the most organised teams in the NRL, burgeoning players have now begun to show their potential, with Siosifa Talakai and Braden Hamlin-Uele the most obvious of those.
Talakai has been unstoppable at times in 2022 and Hamlin-Uele is simply a born-again player under Fitzgibbon. Will Kennedy and Sione Katoa could potentially be classed in the same bracket and alongside Talakai at just 24 years young and will be integral parts of the Sharks squad for some time to come.
At the moment everything appears rosy in southern Sydney, yet the question of just how real and sustainable the early season form of the Sharks is should be asked.
Perhaps the short-term road ahead will tell us all we need to know, with the Storm and Sea Eagles to be faced over the next fortnight. Two humbling losses would see something of a recalibration of thinking by pundits and fans who by then may seem to have perhaps over-estimated the value of the early performances.
Yet another two displays similar to what we have witnessed already, win or lose, may well prove to the entire NRL world that the Sharks are indeed the real deal in 2022.
I believe what Fitzgibbon has built in such a short period of time is concrete, with a simple disciplined defence restricting points and a balance in the attacking unit that appears to be allowing each member of it to excel. Like all the dominant teams we have seen in recent times, there is simplicity and efficiency about them, and currently there are no weaknesses evident that are likely to result in any dramatic loss of form.
Only time will tell, yet the acquisition of proven leadership, some quality people and new coaching ideas appear to have been a masterstroke in the Shire. While it may not all collate into a premiership this season, I wouldn’t mind investing in some medium-term success for the Cronulla Sharks.
EastOfDivide
Guest
Lots of supporters of different clubs. Have these dreams of the players that come to their club, coming to sign on for lesser money than they may be able to get elsewhere. Unfortunately, it’s all just smoke & mirrors . As you can bet that any high profile player 95% there for the money. As , the contract may say $750,000 a season for example . However, you can bet that the real payment is actually at least 20% more . Once you factor in the independent club sponsors money etc. The more money & backers the club has . The more high profile players will sign on. With some clubs, the salary cap just stretches on forever. It’s a miracle!
Al
Guest
4th or maybe even 5th choice winger, so not much to worry about there!
Danno
Roar Rookie
Don’t matter what team you barracked for you always had love for the game , and Kurt and Dane Sorenson in that jersey you describe , loved the way they played , I’m probably showing my age , good days
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
Good advice mate. When I get a second I'll give it some thought. Nice chatting with you but work beckons. Take care. Hope it's a Bunnies/Sharks GF with us winning but in a great game. Cheers.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
It was the Sharks shade of the sky blue from those 70’s jerseys that I found mesmerising. They were also my school colours (sky blue and white). . Normally I would say try to keep your profile name if possible but when the Sharks play the Dolphins you might cause a few Windows blue screen of death fatal errors for a few people.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
Gonna have to give it serious thought. There is something for me about the black, white and blue. As soon as I see the jersey it lights something in me - I can feel it. Same with you and the Bunnies I am sure - great colours too.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
"I am thinking of changing my screen name due to the confusion" How about Redcliffe Shark? Leaving the Bunnies out of it the Sharks jersey from the 70's was always my favorite.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
I am Cronulla through and through. My second team was the Bears. Murphy's Law at work with that choice. I was a Redcliffe fan (still am) and started following them at the same time as the Sharks. Back then the Brisbane comp flourished and Brisbane kids usually followed a Brisbane side and a Sydney side. Not a big fan of Bennett, mainly from his time at the Broncos - he seemed to believe that everything should go Brisbane's way, too much arrogance for my liking. But - since the demise of the Bears I have not had a second side so the Dolphins it is - I think. Will have to see how I feel when I watch them run out next year. I am thinking of changing my screen name due to the confusion that will undoubtedly ensue. Good luck to your Bunnies.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
So what happens next year? Do you evolve from a Shark to a Dolphin? Or do you have two horses in the same race? I have a soft spot for the Redcliffe Dolphins. I went to their games and followed them in the QLD Cup during Souths NRL exile when I lived in Redcliffe from Jan. 1999 - Jan. 2003. I'll be happy to see them win as long as they aren't playing the Bunnies.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
Oh dear. You poor fella.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I can fault the Sharks winger though. He was put in the clear from some fantastic lead-up work which had the Storm defenders wondering what day it was but instead of drawing the defender and passing to Ramien for a likely try, he took the ''Brendon Elliot option'' of taking the tackle. I'd like to hear his explanation. Brendon Elliot laughed it off and this bloke will be in park football as well if he keeps it up.
Dumbo
Roar Rookie
If you look at the Sharks roster for 2021 you would see that the seven top paid players were: . Josh Dougan $850K . Andrew Fifita $850K . Wade Graham $750K . Matt Moylan $750K . Sean Johnson $750K . Aaron Woods $700K . Chad Townsend $500K? . That is about $5.2 million out of a $9.6 million cap. None of those players delivered value in line with the money they were paid. Andrew Fifita played only 97 minutes all season, (due to injury, I believe). Wade Graham was out for a half the season with concussion. The other five just didn’t play well. Now look at 2022. Of the seven, only Fifita, Graham and Moyland (now on just $350K) are left. It is the freeing up of so much salary cap that has enabled Cronulla to keep its good kids and to pay for Finukane, Hynes, McInnes and Ikuvalu. 2023 will see another big saving when Fifita and Graham will no longer be on the books for $1.6 million. That saving should enable the Sharks to keep some/most/all of their talent who are coming off contract at the end of 2022 (Hamlin-Uele, Hiroti, Hunt, Nicora, Pele, Tolman and Williams) . So, the Sharks will not have bedded down enough in 2022 to be a GF contender, but in 2023 they could be good enough for another 2016.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
You do realise the person you are criticising is a fellow Sharks fan? I didn't realise Sharks eat their own.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
I am a Cronulla fan. I joined with this screen name long before the Dolphins were admitted to the comp. "Film" isn't video. Each club has video teams that cut up bites of vision for coaching individual players and the spine etc. Opposition coaches have the "film" already.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
No. souvalis is old school, like me. Even the NRL refer to a video referee or video replay. Dinosaurs still walk the earth RedcliffeFan and you have the granddaddy of all of them coaching the Redcliffe Dolphins next year. By far your best signing to date. I wish the Dolphins well in finishing off their recruitment drive for 2023 before all the available talent dries up. Rabbitohs players not included.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
Only in the mind of the commenter who writes of “film”.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
I guess the digital era skipped the Shire.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Is Aiden Tolman still playing? I thought he had gone to English Super League by now. Aiden Tolman's use-by date has past it's use-by date.
Nick
Roar Guru
You just need to turn up to beat Dragons. They really don't count. The Sharks' ball handling would have been poorer against a team that can, I don't know...tackle.
RedcliffeFan
Roar Rookie
The way they beat the Dragons was what was so impressive for me - a small cyclone. I cannot remember see a team throw the ball around so effectively in such terrible conditions. Four tries to two again the Eels too.