The Cronulla Sharks have the playing stock to be a threat for an NRL title - but need to find themselves a sporting psychologist to convince them they have what it takes in big games.When the Sharks lost a virtually unlosable game to the Roosters last weekend, it was their sixth straight finals defeat - a wretched run that stretches back to 2018.The Sharks had a decimated Roosters team at their mercy when James Tedesco was sin-binned in the second half, but lacked the self belief to get the job done.The Roosters somehow clawed their way back to score a one-point win - and yet another season ended in disappointment for the Sharks faithful.Beating big teams was a problem all season for the Sharks - they only managed three victories over top eight teams in the 27 rounds.A team with so much talent and tryscoring ability should do better - thus the need for someone to get into their heads.The Sharks' pack is up there with most of the best in the NRL, they boast the reigning Dally M winner in Nicho Hynes and have two of the best finishers in the game in wingers Sione Katoa and Ronaldo Mulitalo, who bagged 34 tries between them this season.Hynes perhaps wasn't quite as dynamic as in his Dally M winning season but still managed 30 try assists and 40 linebreak assists - impressive by any playmaker's standards.Fullback William Kennedy also had a fine year with 14 tries and just as many try assists, but in the Sharks' defence his injury late in the year did hurt them.Overall there was a sameness to the Sharks - they had few injuries and fielded almost the same team every week - even when a shake-up looked necessary after losses.The club could use some new blood but in a worrying sign, has yet to sign an established player for 2024.
No comments:
Post a Comment