Yeah next week is an away game as far as I'm concerned. Another great test for us on what will be a big stage.
I guess semi-relevant to still mention it’s ‘instead’ of a home game but yeah 100% practically speaking it’s an away.
Dean Ritchie, 4 min read, May 1, 2024
He is 100% right to say all the above and we are 110% right to shut him up and make him look stupid by winning.2 Weeks Ago
Cronulla risk establishing themselves as the NRL’s newest May premiers, with a massive five-week period against competition heavyweights to define their season. DEAN RITCHIE reveals why.
They may lead the NRL competition with six wins from seven games but Cronulla still have a soft underbelly.
We’ve travelled this path before with Cronulla – rock stars during the season, a support act in the finals; contenders between March and August, pretenders in September.
I may not be welcome at PointsBet Stadium after those comments but I cannot elevate the Sharks into rugby league’s elite bracket, despite their early season success.
There has been a fragility about Cronulla over the past five years, so I ask … has anything changed in 2024?
Opposition clubs know that Cronulla don’t have the power game or combativeness to overcome big teams in big finals.
Cronulla were even labelled ‘flat track bullies’ and ‘pretenders’ last year. Unfair?
I wonder whether rival clubs respect the Sharks as genuine NRL heavyweights. I have my doubts.
The retirement last week of hardened Dale Finucane – a three-time premiership winner – will only weaken Cronulla’s physical and mental muscle.
Perhaps the next five weeks may alter that mindset.
After Sunday’s local derby against St George Illawarra, Cronulla play Melbourne (a), the Sydney Roosters (h), Penrith (h), Parramatta (a) and Brisbane (a).
This will be the five weeks from hell.
It’s only then we will know whether Cronulla have the grunt and mettle to challenge for this year’s title.
Cronulla are a bloody good football team, no doubt. Well balanced with a first-class playmaker in Nicho Hynes.
But winning a grand final isn’t always about skill and application.
It’s about having the mongrel to roll around in the gutter when things become heated in big games.
It’s about getting dirty in September. You can’t buy self-confidence or belligerence. You either have it, or you don’t.
Cronulla have faded badly in finals during recent seasons.
Since 2016, they have won one of nine finals games and lost their last six in succession.
They went out in week one last year, week two in 2022 (straight sets), week one in 2020 and week one in 2019. Cronulla didn’t qualify for the 2021 finals.
The Sharks’ last finals win came way back in 2018.
“The only thing we can do, they can say all they want, we can tune in or tune out, but that conversation is always going to be there,” forward Toby Rudolf told Fox Sports pre-season.
Overall this season, Cronulla has a soft draw. They only play one of the current top eight – Canterbury – twice this season. The Sharks confront the other seven teams only once.
Will that lead us yet again into false hope around Cronulla?
Cronulla will start favourites against St George Illawarra this Sunday at PointsBet Stadium but the gruelling test comes over the following weeks.
We will finally learn whether this Sharks side is like those of the recent past – or whether they have the bottle to take on rugby league’s big guns.
Gee that's a melon. If that's heads I'll take tails.2 Weeks Ago
Cronulla risk establishing themselves as the NRL’s newest May premiers, with a massive five-week period against competition heavyweights to define their season. DEAN RITCHIE reveals why.
They may lead the NRL competition with six wins from seven games but Cronulla still have a soft underbelly.
We’ve travelled this path before with Cronulla – rock stars during the season, a support act in the finals; contenders between March and August, pretenders in September.
I may not be welcome at PointsBet Stadium after those comments but I cannot elevate the Sharks into rugby league’s elite bracket, despite their early season success.
There has been a fragility about Cronulla over the past five years, so I ask … has anything changed in 2024?
Opposition clubs know that Cronulla don’t have the power game or combativeness to overcome big teams in big finals.
Cronulla were even labelled ‘flat track bullies’ and ‘pretenders’ last year. Unfair?
I wonder whether rival clubs respect the Sharks as genuine NRL heavyweights. I have my doubts.
The retirement last week of hardened Dale Finucane – a three-time premiership winner – will only weaken Cronulla’s physical and mental muscle.
Perhaps the next five weeks may alter that mindset.
After Sunday’s local derby against St George Illawarra, Cronulla play Melbourne (a), the Sydney Roosters (h), Penrith (h), Parramatta (a) and Brisbane (a).
This will be the five weeks from hell.
It’s only then we will know whether Cronulla have the grunt and mettle to challenge for this year’s title.
Cronulla are a bloody good football team, no doubt. Well balanced with a first-class playmaker in Nicho Hynes.
But winning a grand final isn’t always about skill and application.
It’s about having the mongrel to roll around in the gutter when things become heated in big games.
It’s about getting dirty in September. You can’t buy self-confidence or belligerence. You either have it, or you don’t.
Cronulla have faded badly in finals during recent seasons.
Since 2016, they have won one of nine finals games and lost their last six in succession.
They went out in week one last year, week two in 2022 (straight sets), week one in 2020 and week one in 2019. Cronulla didn’t qualify for the 2021 finals.
The Sharks’ last finals win came way back in 2018.
“The only thing we can do, they can say all they want, we can tune in or tune out, but that conversation is always going to be there,” forward Toby Rudolf told Fox Sports pre-season.
Overall this season, Cronulla has a soft draw. They only play one of the current top eight – Canterbury – twice this season. The Sharks confront the other seven teams only once.
Will that lead us yet again into false hope around Cronulla?
Cronulla will start favourites against St George Illawarra this Sunday at PointsBet Stadium but the gruelling test comes over the following weeks.
We will finally learn whether this Sharks side is like those of the recent past – or whether they have the bottle to take on rugby league’s big guns.
