Cronulla Sharks hunt next coach as Shane Flanagan quits

Cronulla face a hasty process to settle on a new coach before the NRL season, with interim John Morris no certainty to take over following Shane Flanagan's resignation on Monday. A month after being provisionally deregistered by the NRL for continued contact with the club during his 2014 ban, Flanagan conceded his nine-year reign was over. Five weeks before the Sharks' first trial match and seven weeks out from the season start, Flanagan said he was standing down in the club's best interests but still intends to respond to the NRL's show-cause notice before the January 31 deadline. Morris declared last week he wanted the job long-term if Flanagan didn't return, but the club said on Monday it would make an announcement on the role "in coming weeks". They should have no shortage of potential candidates to guide a seasoned squad capable of challenging for the title following last year's preliminary-finals exit. Despite his controversial stint at Manly, Trent Barrett would likely be among the favourites if Cronulla look outside, but Morris is well liked and was chosen ahead of fellow assistant Jim Dymock as interim earlier this month. Anthony Griffin is also available after being sacked by Penrith last year, while Adam O'Brien at the Sydney Roosters and Jason Demetriou at Souths are considered the next assistants in line for a head coaching role. Flanagan admitted his second heavy sanction from the NRL had been hard to deal with.

Brad Arthur to be first coach sacked after Shane Flanagan

There’s no doubt the Parramatta coach is a brilliant man-manager.Throughout all the troubles the Eels have had during his five-year tenure, he’s somehow held on to the support of his players.But, of course, in the cut-throat world of first-grade coaching results are the bottom-line.And aside from his side’s exciting run to the semi-finals in
2017, he has failed to guide the Blue and Golds to September footy.A salary cap scandal robbed him of the opportunity in 2016, but last year’s wooden spoon, in which they picked up just six wins has him squarely on the chopping block.Arthur needs his men to get off to a flyer, and it doesn’t look as though they have the cattle — having lost two of their out-and-out stars in Corey Norman and Jarryd Hayne.

Retired Sharks star Luke Lewis thinks the Shane Flanagan saga won't tarnish the coach's premiership win

Retired Cronulla star Luke Lewis says Shane Flanagan's deregistration won't tarnish his drought-breaking 2016 NRL premiership.Lewis has been on holiday and removed from all the drama surrounding his old club, which has seen Flanagan banned from coaching the Sharks indefinitely after salary-cap investigations uncovered he'd been in constant contact with the club during his suspension in 2014. Flanagan was meant to stay at arms distance that season as he served a one-year ban due to the peptide saga.But when Sharks chief executive Barry Russell self reported for potential salary cap breaches, it inadvertently led to the NRL uncovering more than 50 emails between Flanagan

and the club during his ban.Lewis has been enjoying the first few months since retiring at the end of the 2018 season and was on holiday with his family when he spoke to The Canberra Times about his book Cool Hand Luke Lewis The Autobiography.It meant he didn't know the ins and outs of the Flanagan saga, but didn't think it would take the shine off Cronulla's historic first premiership.Flanagan has until the end of January to respond after being deregistered indefinitely."I don't think so ... I don't think it's going to tarnish the 2016 grand final or anything like that," Lewis said.In his book, Lewis likens current Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart to Penrith supremo Gus Gould.Stuart coached Lewis and NSW for the 2011-12 State of Origin series, with Lewis crediting Stuart as in infleunce on his career.A career that spanned 324 NRL games, 17 Origins and 16 Tests for Australia."He got me into Origin again ... he's just one of those blokes you like to surround yourself with," Lewis said.

Confused: Shane Flanagan is said to be unclear over the ruling behind his deregistration from the NRL

Deeply concerned Cronulla chief executive Barry Russell has pledged to support Shane Flanagan as the shattered mentor weighs up whether to fight for his NRL coaching career.Flanagan has until January 31 to appeal a notice of intention to deregister him from the game after being accused of communicating with the club while banned in 2014."This is an extremely traumatic thing to happen to a person," Russell said when asked about Flanagan's welfare."He is a person. He's got so much passion for this game and club, for his wife, for his children, and we need to rally around him as much as we can and support him."The development comes months after the NRL integrity unit began investigations into
the club following Russell's decision to self-report salary cap irregularities stemming from three years ago.But Russell insists he has no regrets for self-declaring potential cap breaches before he took the helm in February this year, which has now inadvertently resulted in Flanagan's apparent dismissal.Sharks officials co-operated with NRL investigators by handing over computer servers, but Russell didn't realise the examination would dig prior to the 2015 season."I had to self-report. If you haven't got your integrity, you haven't got anything. And I would do the same thing again," Russell said."If you've done the wrong thing, you have to suffer the consequences. No one is bigger than the game and no one is bigger than the club."Flanagan is known to be confused about the guidelines of his 2014 suspension.

Shane Flanagan's coaching career

Shane Flanagan's coaching career

2006: Shane Flanagan appointed assistant coach of the Cronulla Sharks under Stuart Raper.

2007: Flanagan moves to the Sydney Roosters to be assistant coach to Ricky Stuart.

2008: Flanagan shadows Craig Bellamy as assistant coach of the New South Wales team.

2010: Appointed Cronulla Sharks head coach after Ricky Stuart resigned with six weeks remaining in the season.

2011: Sharks finish 13th on the ladder with seven wins.

2012: Sharks finish seventh with 12 wins.

2013: Cronulla investigated by Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and the World Anit-Doping Agency (WADA) over the legality of its supplement program throughout the 2011 season. Sharks finish sixth with 13 wins.

2013: On the December 17 the NRL announces Flanagan is suspended for the 2014 season following the year-long investigation of the Sharks' supplement saga.

2014: Flanagan banned from the NRL – Peter Sharp steps in as interim coach. Sharp resigns mid-season and is replaced by James Shepherd. Cronulla finish last with just five wins.

2015: Flanagan returns as coach, leading the Sharks to a top-four spot. A 39-0 loss to the North Queensland Cowboys shatters any hopes of making them making the grand final.

2016: Flanagan coaches the Sharks to their first premiership with a 14-12 grand final victory over the Melbourne Storm at ANZ Stadium.

2017: Shane Flanagan leads the club to the finals but they are eliminated in week one at the hands of the Cowboys.

2018: Flanagan takes Cronulla to a top-four finish but are knocked out by the Melbourne Storm in the third week of the finals, 22-6.

December 19, 2018: Shane Flanagan is de-registered by NRL following investigations into his 2014 conducted while serving a one-year suspension.

Staggering extent of Shane Flanagan's deception revealed

Todd Greenberg has labelled Shane Flanagan ‘disrespectful’ after revealing the full extent of his attempts to defy his 2014 suspension. The Cronulla coach has been sensationally de-registered by the NRL for breaking strict rules by communicating with the club while suspended. The Sharks have also been fined $800,000 – half of which was suspended at the time over their supplements saga.

Towards the end of his suspension in September, Flanagan sent another email to the NRL unequivocally stating he had no involvement in retention during his ban. Asked to describe Flanagan’s behaviour during his suspension period, NRL chief executive Greenberg replied: “Disrespectful. “Fundamental to the rules of the game and the integrity of the game that we work in is people being honest and truthful “It cuts to the very core of the fabric of what the game’s rules stand for and we can’t sit around and watch that happen under the way the rules are governed.”

Shane Flanagan set to be banned from NRL

Under-fire Sharks coach Shane Flanagan will face the full force of the ARLC tomorrow and will reportedly cop an indefinite ban from the NRL over his latest controversy.The premiership-winning coach made headlines this month after allegations of him communicating with club officials during his 2014 ban, which had expressly forbidden contact with Sharks staff, surfaced.“According to sources, the NRL believes it had no choice but to indefinitely deregister Flanagan, rather than just impose another 12-month ban, because he blatantly ignored the previous suspension,” the Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday night.An NRL investigation reportedly revealed Flanagan “regularly ignored the strict terms of the 12-month ban imposed on him over Cronulla’s peptide scandal in 2011”.It
is understood Flanagan will be slapped with a breach notice, pulling him forward to convince the commission why he shouldn’t be rubbed out of the game indefinitely. “The Commission, together with the NRL, reiterated that the game will continue to take a strong stance to combat violence against women,” the statement read.“The Commission agreed as a priority, to ensure that appropriate action is being taken across the game to deal with recent instances of violence against women.”The ARLC board also ticked off on a number of rule changes to be introduced in time for next season, includingreducing the shot clock on scrums and drop-outs. Parameters are also likely to be set around sin-bin and send-off use.“These are important announcements that ensure our game develops and improves,” ARLC chairman Peter Beattie said.

Shane Flanagan under NRL investigation as Sharks cop another blow

Cronulla are standing by Shane Flanagan, insisting he will be their 2019 coach amid a new controversy at the embattled NRL club. Flanagan faces another ban after it emerged the NRL integrity unit has uncovered evidence he communicated with the club during his 12-month suspension in 2014. Flanagan is under investigation after emails accessed as part of the NRL’s ongoing salary cap probe into the Sharks raised suspicions.

Cronulla CEO Barry Russell expected the investigation into their coach to be finalised by Christmas after revealing the issue emerged weeks ago. He was adamant Flanagan would be holding the reins in 2019. “Shane Flanagan is our coach, contracted in 2019 and has done a wonderful job,” Russell said. “I’ve met with the players and staff today and have sent the same message – it’s important we stay focused on and off the field.