NRL: Ricky a Shark

[DeeGan]

From www.thedailytelegraph.com.au

Ricky a Shark
By Dean Ritchie
September 26, 2006

AUSTRALIAN and premiership-winning coach Ricky Stuart will today be named Cronulla coach for the next two seasons.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that a Cronulla board meeting last night confirmed Stuart as the man the Sharks believe can lead them to a maiden premiership.

Stuart has beaten a field that included Brian Noble, David Waite, Graham Lowe and Adrian Lam for the Sharks job.

Cronulla have scheduled a press conference for this afternoon to announce Stuart as Stuart Raper's successor.

Stuart declined to comment on his appointment last night. His manager John Fordham sent a detailed proposal to the Sharks board.

Before last night's meeting, Fordham said: "I sent a detailed proposal to the club. This comes after we have had three days of earnest discussions with the Sharks.

"We met them face-to-face on Saturday.

"There have also been numerous calls between myself and (Cronulla president) Barry Pierce over the last three days. I have been in regular consultation with Ricky, too."

Raper's sacking and Stuart's signing will cost the Sharks more than $1 million.

Stuart wants key members of his Roosters coaching staff to be signed by Cronulla, including his highly-regarded assistant Shane Flanagan.

The Stuart camp also wanted to ensure Cronulla would be prepared to outlay some big money in coming years to attract marquee players.

Adrian Lam, Raper's assistant, is now expected to be paid out.

Stuart's appointment will be a concern for Cronulla and former NSW and Test halfback Brett Kimmorley.

The pair fell out in 2004 when Stuart dumped Kimmorley from the NSW State of Origin squad.

Kimmorley said publicly this week he was not sure whether he was still wanted at the club. Cronulla entered the NSWRL competition in 1967 but have failed to win a premiership ? presenting Stuart with his greatest coaching challenge.

Stuart was sacked by the Sydney Roosters last month in controversial circumstances.

Yesterday afternoon, before the Sharks board meeting, The Daily Telegraph asked club chief executive Greg Pierce would Stuart be named coach. "I can't predict what's going to happen at a board meeting," Pierce said.

To use a cliche', "the worst kept secret in rugby league" will become official today at a Sharks media conference. A step in the right direction for the club for mine.

[Grimmace]

Surely that review would have said some other stuff other than replace Stuart Raper.Ive got some ideas of my own perhaps start recruiting players a bit better than what they have, get rid of some of the board memebers that are passed their used by date, find kimmorley another club (doubtful that any club will pay him $425,000 for him to come to their club) but it is a good step in the right direction congratulations to them hopefully there will be more 'steps in the right direction from the sharks'

[Titanium_BD1103]

Agreed, a step in the right direction...

Stuart, Lam and Flannagan who Stuart is insiting he wants at Cronulla, will ensure the club gets a winning culture going and hopefully will be given the free will of the board to get the job done, as if they are, I can only see positives for the Sharks.

The Sharks need winning people with fresh ideas, these 3 come from the Roosters in a period when they were quite successful, not to mention Ricky also came from a very successful Canberra era too... and has some of the Bulldogs culture in him as well. The Sharks will get a lot of great ideas from these 3 and here's hoping if the board allows them to coach they way they want to coach, that Cronulla can finally do something and give their fans something to cheer about for a full season....

Great news, worst kept secret but still good news for the Sharks.

[Capital_Shark]

I think Stuart is what the Sharks need, a bloke who won't tip-toe around the so called marquee players or old fart administration. Ricky Stuart, love him or hate him, is a very driven and dedicated bloke with a massive ego to boot. He doesn't do anything half assed and without passion. He will instill a winning culture at the club, mainly by not accepting mediocrity. As we've seen over his years at the Roosters he can also attract some quality players which is always a good thing, especially since Cronulla looked like it would soon have to be paying overs to players like Souths. Not good when the club is already paying over $1 Million to ex-staff for next year.

Hopefully Cronulla are better at footy next year than keeping secrets though.

I'll be interested to see if Ricky is wearing his tie from Dally M night once its announced!

[Enzo]

Surpise surprise.

It will be interesting to see how he goes there. He is used to buying his way to a premiership and the Sharks arn't known as a rich club.

He will have to devolp players and bring the best out of them, rather than buying well known players (and then for some reason bringing them down eg. Anasta).

Good luck to him, I think he will need it.

[Grimmace]

Surpise surprise.

It will be interesting to see how he goes there. He is used to buying his way to a premiership and the Sharks arn't known as a rich club.

He will have to devolp players and bring the best out of them, rather than buying well known players (and then for some reason bringing them down eg. Anasta).

Good luck to him, I think he will need it.

Thats one of the things he didnt do at the roosters was develop they younger players so itll be interesting to see how this relation ship works out

[Boofhead]

I don't understand what the Sharks are doing... They are taking 1 step forward and 2 steppes back in everything they do, they will probably struggle again next season.

[PROMETHEUS]

Next years sharks vs roosters game should have a bit of spice... :naughty:

[DIEHARD]

Brilliant rugby league coach and a brilliant signing fo the Sharks. They may have some teeth now.

I hate and love Stuart in equal portions, hate his personality etc but love his passion.

Cronulla will be a force in the coming years.

[Dummy Half]

Funny that the Sharks sacked their coach for another one who
Placed worst than the Sharks on the ladder for the past 2 years

They picked up a coach who was sacked from the club in 2nd last place!

On paper it's seems ridiculous
-

[Grimmace]

Stuart confirmed as Sharks coach
Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 2:12 PM

Cronulla has confirmed Ricky Stuart's appointment as its head coach for the next two NRL seasons.

Axed by the Sydney Roosters, Test coach Stuart takes over from sacked Cronulla Sharks coach Stuart Raper.

Stuart will take his Roosters assistants Shane Flanagan and Jim Dymock with him to the Sharks.

Source: AAP

[Titanium_BD1103]

Funny that the Sharks sacked their coach for another one who
Placed worst than the Sharks on the ladder for the past 2 years

They picked up a coach who was sacked from the club in 2nd last place!

On paper it's seems ridiculous
-

Actually no it ain't.... they did pick a coach that's club finished 2nd last but he had a side this year whose key players didn't perform and were basically a bunch of juniors, along with the major loss of Mini which killed them.... even though I was smiling all the way to the bank....

Raper on the other hand had the cattle, a great side at his disposal and for the last half of the season the side looked flat, it was not only playing poor, but the attitude was aweful, if you watched the first half of the match against Canberra you saw that, they just were trying and they had lost confidence in the coach.

Sadly Raper had to go, he is a scapegoat in some sense, as more should have gone, not just him, but Stuart will definitely ensure he has the side raring to go for 2007, and Dymock and Flanngan are no slouches either... so I see this as only a positive.

As for those questioning Ricky's ability to develop players, yes I do agree, it will be interesting to see how he goes developing players, however he did an alright job of it at the Bulldogs in that Jersey Flegg side that included some true stars... however in saying that, that side was always going to be a bunch of stars not matter who looked after them... so yes it will be interesting to see how he goes.

[Dakink]

Gotta agree with Diehard here,

Stuart is exactly what the Sharkies need. A coach that wont accept second rate performances and is a known competitor.

Will be interesting to see how he deals with Dykes and Kimmorley (depending on where he is)

[Dummy Half]

No doubt it's the right move Bulldog_Titan311,

just on paper its seems strange, to the untrained eye. - my eye of course, is fully trained
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