In all more than 200 Sharks players, from the under-16 Matthews Cup team up to and including the NRL and Women’s Premiership squads, came together on Thursday night as a part of a full Club training session.
Instigated by head coach John Morris and organised with help from his coaching staff and high-performance team, the men and women, boys and girls, trained as one, running through skill drills and conditioning at the Sharks Academy Field at Cronulla High School.
Morris also ran a similar session with all players and teams representing the Sharks leading into the 2019 season.
It was an event also about recognising the Club’s rich history as much as it was focusing on the young players of the future, with Morris celebrating the past by naming the training groups after former club legends.
Split into squads according to positions rather than age, size or skill level, the players were in groups bearing the names of Gavin Miller, Greg Pierce, Cliff Watson, Steve Kneen, Luke Lewis and recently retired captain Paul Gallen, players who represented the Sharks with distinction and were known for their never-say-die, competitive attitude.
Lewis and Gallen joined in with the coaching staff in running the players through the various skill stations, with club greats Mitch Healey and Brett Kimmorley also involving themselves and imparting some of their vast footballing knowledge on the group.
"I specifically chose legends who left an imprint on the club. Guys who led the way for the Sharks and left a legacy for playing tough, competing hard and always turning up on every play," Morris said.
"That's what I want to try and teach all these young kids, that if you want to be a Shark, this has got to be your DNA."
Towards the end of the session all 200 joined in for a short, sharp, bout of conditioning, before selected NRL players spoke of the former players each group represented and presented awards to the best trainers.
Present on the day were players from the Sharks under-16 Matthews Cup, under-18 SG Ball, under-20 Jersey Flegg, girls from the under-18 Tarsha Gale and Women’s Premiership teams, along with the extended NRL squad.
See our video presentation of the full Club training session, now playing through Sharks Media channels .
