Gould backs coach’s fury as ‘bad’ Sharks draw explained
Phil Gould believes Cronulla’s upcoming draw is “a bad thing” after Craig Fitzgibbon was pictured furious during the side’s 32-16 win over the Rabbitohs.
Heading into finals, the Sharks will play the Dragons, Raiders, Titans, Eels and Storm with all five of those teams sitting in the bottom half of the ladder.
Craig Fitzgibbon punches the window during the Sharks’ win. Nine
In the past four years the Sharks have made finals but haven’t reached the big dance, and it appears this year is their time to go at least one step further before several players leave the club.
Gould said the reaction from Fitzgibbon on the weekend mirrored his own.
“I didn’t think they were anywhere near flat out, I thought they were only doing as much as they needed to do,” he said on Nine’s 100% Footy.
“When you look at their draw they don’t get to play a lot of the top teams going into finals, I think that’s a bad thing, I don’t like that.
“I like when you’re playing against good sides running into September. He’s got to keep them at a standard they probably don’t think they need to play at to win those games. You could see that’s why he was annoyed.”
The challenge for Cronulla will come down to the issues that have plagued them the past four years against the big sides.
The Warriors, Roosters and Panthers are all ahead of them on the ladder currently, and the knock on Cronulla has been an inability to beat teams above them come finals.
“They need to be vigilant. I still think there’s a gap between them and the other three,” Gould said.
Cameron Smith said he’s yet to see any proof of change but admired Fitzgibbon’s reaction.
“That’s a sign they’re chasing their best football, and you can’t overlook small issues in your side just because you’re winning,” he said.
Sharks legend Paul Gallen admitted he had concerns heading into the season but for different reasons.
Jesse Ramien after scoring a try for the Sharks. Getty Images
The club will lose Mawene Hiroti, Sione Katoa, Jesse Ramien, Siosifa Talakai, Cameron McInnes and Chris Vea’ila after the majority of those players formed the nucleus of a finals team over the past four years.
The talk around their futures led to worry on Gallen’s part.
“I was concerned this year with how it was going to go with the fact the roster was going to be totally changed next year,” he said.
“This will be the last year this team will be together. They’ve been together for three or four seasons now and earlier in the year there were a few people carrying on about their future and what they were going to do.
“That’s all quietened down at the moment, blokes are making decisions on their future in the background and the club’s moving forward on that. But this group of players will not be together again, and they’ve had a great history together the past few years.”
The Sharks next face the Dragons on Sunday.
