Round 1 2013: SHARKS vs TITANS

[DIEHARD]

Sharks fans are legendary for their siege mentality. They have a strong supporters group and had a huge boost to membership pre-season.

Lots of Sharks supporters are in a very bad place, this game is something they can hold on to.

[DavidBouveng]

That's awesome Diehard - exactly the message I was trying to convey!!

On the other hand, I don't know where people are getting the idea that this will be a lob sided match. If that's the case - go down your local TAB and back both teams 13+. I doubt very much wether you will collect on either ticket.

Believe me, Sharks fans and players are ANGRY. That won't necessarily translate into a win but they will be dishing it up both on the park and in the stands. A quick memo to the away fans who might be attending - keep any jokes about drug cheats to yourselves if you want to get out of there alive!!

Sharks fans are legendary for their siege mentality. They have a strong supporters group and had a huge boost to membership pre-season.

Lots of Sharks supporters are in a very bad place, this game is something they can hold on to.

I'm watching Argo while I read both of ur posts lol.

Tehran stadium, and the angry mob are not happy that Shah Flano has been stood down and are not to be trifled with.

If any away fans get cornered , diehard , karnage and myself can go down and pose as a film crew trying doing a doco on the sharks drama and get them out.

[Titanic]

More like the Three Stooges

[mup23]

WOW, pretty damning coming from their chairman. Doesn't sound good at all
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...from=public_js


Cronulla Sharks chairman Damian Irvine claims players were injected with horse drugs
Phil Rothfield
The Sunday Telegraph
March 10, 2013 12:00AM


THE Cronulla Sharks rugby league club sacked four coaching staff members and suspended their coach Shane Flanagan because they did not reveal allegations some players were injected with drugs used on horses.

The club's chairman Damian Irvine alleged his football club staff had not notified the board about the allegations of drug use which date back to 2011.

One of the drugs is believed to be TV-500, a substance used on horses to increase muscle growth, strength and endurance.

The stunning claims were made as the club prepared to open the season tonight against the Gold Coast Titans.

Irvine broke his silence on the scandal that has rocked the club and the NRL. He spoke exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph Sports Editor-at-Large Phil Rothfield.

PHIL Rothfield: Damian, this is your fault. I've told you for years you need a CEO. You should stand down.

Irvine: Mate, when paid staff fail to report ... injecting players with equine substances, I can't help (Editor's note: the staff have denied any knowledge of this). Players deserve professional support, not people who risk their careers.

Equine substances. What evidence do you have of that?

They were well aware of it. It happened over a few weeks.


What was the substance?

I don't know, it was labelled that. I'd have to check my notes.

I'm told there was a bottle of tablets with a sticker that said: "Not for human use."

There's a massive failing in the system if those boys had something else in bottles.

When a doctor threatens to resign when a practice is going on, it's a pretty major thing.

For the board not to be told about it, that's why we are where we are today.

But Shane Flanagan and David Givney parted company with Stephen Dank.

Blokes on hundreds of thousands per year in privileged positions of working for an NRL club should know better.

I can't believe you left the country with this happening.

I have to make a living somehow.

These guys you've sacked or stood down have pulled together a roster capable of winning a premiership and you've just kicked them out.

You're saying this happened because we were under-resourced and didn't have a CEO. Melbourne Storm were the best resourced club in the game and look what happened there with the salary cap.

If people choose to make poor decisions, regardless of the structure, they have to pay the consequences.

Particularly those in highly paid management jobs.

We're not talking about $90,000-a-year employees.

It's devastating for a lot of people but the pain now will help the club in the future.

Sometimes you make hard decisions.

People have to be accountable. We've made a courageous decision.

We could have waited and said, let's see what happens. They're all good people but they've made errors.

Why the doctor, Dave Givney? He threatened to resign.

He's got a duty of care over the players.

He was the one who raised concerns and got rid of the sports scientist.

He did.

We're talking about the Kangaroos and State of Origin doctor.

That doesn't mean that when someone makes the wrong decision, that they can't be accountable.


Where's your evidence?

I can't breach a legal document and evidence in an investigation.

The briefing we got, including all the evidence from the players, that has gone through numerous legal people, we all agreed we had no choice.

The full story will come out and we can judge it all on that.

Players' health and safety has to come first.

[Steve]

Sharks fans are legendary for their siege mentality. They have a strong supporters group and had a huge boost to membership pre-season.

Lots of Sharks supporters are in a very bad place, this game is something they can hold on to.

That's it. A team that's been in the comp since '67 and has never won a premiership doesn't have many bandwagoners. They''ll stick with the club to the end of the earth, and fight all the way.

The fans will be baying for blood, and the players will be happy to deliver. It won't be a pretty match, but I suspect it will be brutal.

[DavidBouveng]

Awesome article report from Roy masters in the smh.

I'm in bed and too lazy to link it, but its by far the best account of everything so far.

[Smakked]

This will be a good game, our forwards will get a real test today, we will need a strong defensive line. Cant wait

[GOLDHAMMER]

Considering what has transpired recently,the teams response to what happens in todays game will be an indicator of how much the squad has grown.Having a core group of SOO players should help calm the nerves of facing a hostile crowd,the players need to hang in and stay calm,and take the chances that come,and once they have a lead dont let the sharks back into the game.

I really think todays game will shape our year.

[Mr Stupid]

Gallen says they'll be playing for the five sacked staff. Why play hard for the very people who may have stuffed up your playing career with their mismanagement. Loyalty only stretches so far. Smash em Titans!!!!

[Julius Sezer]

Excited for this game. Have to be sharp in every aspect of our game. Time to put the Sharks back into the sea.

[gothabull]

I've waited all year for this game it's set to be pretty spectacular i reckon it will be the game of the round we are up against it and it will be full grunt everyone at my work thinks sharks got this but not me we can do it come on titans!

[karnage]

I'm watching Argo while I read both of ur posts lol.

Tehran stadium, and the angry mob are not happy that Shah Flano has been stood down and are not to be trifled with.

If any away fans get cornered , diehard , karnage and myself can go down and pose as a film crew trying doing a doco on the sharks drama and get them out.

Hilarious!!

There was only one thing I could think of watching that movie and that was Homer with his Ayatollah Arsahola T-Shirt.
'But Marg, it works for all the Ayatollah's!!'

Genius...

[Hail Sezer]

NYC team is locked at 6 all

[Hail Sezer]

NYC Sharks lead 12-6 after 28 minutes

[Hail Sezer]

Jamal Fogarty takes an intercept and runs 80m but is dragged down on his way to the try line.