Cronulla Sharks bleeding blood for next season
December 5th 2008 07:23
Still undecided - Cronulla's problems continue
One is fighting to stay in the Shire while the other is desperate to retain his position as Kangaroos coach. But overall, this has been a very difficult off season for those plying their trade at the Cronulla Sharks.
Greg Bird is on the cusp of ending his rugby league career at the hands of a Sharks board that really wants nothing to do with him after his off field misdemeanours.
Although their two hour meeting last night failed to put an end to the remaining four years of Bird's contract, it is more likely than not the star lock will depart Australian shores for a career in the English Super League.
But that is not the only thing biting the Sharks hard near the end of 2008.
Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart still has his future as Australian test coach up in the air, after being fined $50,000 dollars for abusing English referee Gavin Klein in the final of the 2008 rugby league world cup against the Kiwis.
Indeed the ARL are yet to come up with a decision regarding Stuart's future as head coach of the Kangaroos, despite strong support from Australian fans suggesting he be fired.
After a good centenary year which saw the Sharks finish one game short of a Grand Final, Cronulla CEO Tony Zappa would have been vying for a peaceful end to season 2008.
However, he, and those involved with the Sharks, find themselves in the middle of a media frenzy that is casting the wrong light on their club.
Their head coach is now considered to be a 'sook' while one of their star players is subject to violence against his girlfriend.
All this negative attention certainly does not bond well for the start of next season if your a Cronulla supporter.
You only have to look at what happened to the Parramatta Eels this year to know the type of damage that off field controversies do to a club's form prior to the start of a season.
Eels winger Jarryd Hayne was involved in a nightclub shooting before the start of season 2008 which nearly cost him his life.
Although he narrowly cheated death, Hayne and the Eels never recovered from their troubles outside of the field, which showed in their 2008 performance where they missed the finals when many predicted they were premiership material.
Indeed the same problems experienced by the Eels in their pre season last year has now made its way to the shire, indulging itself in the troubles of Ricky Stuart and Greg Bird.
If the Sharks do not find a quick solution to their off field woes before the end of 2008, their current problems will most likely destroy any maiden premiership aspirations for season 2009.
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