John Morris’s message to players after taking over at Sharks

John Morris doesn’t know how long he’ll be head coach of Cronulla but, for the good of the NRL club, the interim mentor knows he has to act as if it’ll be for the season. Appointed earlier this month as the interim boss after the provisional deregistration of Shane Flanagan, Morris is between the proverbial rock and a hard place. The outcome of Flanagan’s ban for fraternising with the Sharks during his 2014 suspension over the peptides scandal won’t be known
for at least several weeks. Responses from both Flanagan and the Sharks are due by January 31, and it’s understood the club will at least challenge the severity of the $800,000 fine handed to them. What direction the Sharks go after Flanagan’s response is unknown, but no coaching decision will be made until the case is finalised. All the while, the Sharks’ opening-round game against Newcastle is just two months away.

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.

Could the sanctions cripple the Sharks?

Cronulla have been struggling financially of late and posted a $3 million loss from last season, despite a $13 million grant from the NRL.It meant the club recently laid off 10 staff members in what Russell described at the time as a “business restructure”.The club also has no major sponsor for 2019 and now must factor in a $800,000 fine and possible further salary cap breach sanctions. “They’ve got an opportunity to respond (to the sanctions), so it’s a preliminary view,” Greenberg said.“They’re obviously going to give us some mitigating
circumstances, but I can’t look at it from the prism of their financial situation, I can only look at it through the prism of the Integrity investigation.“ ... They’re due to send us some information about the solvency of the club and their financial and cash flow.“From what’s presented in front of me, I’m confident they’ll have the right steps in place for next year.”The Sharks also addressed their financial concerns on Wednesday.“In relation to the fine imposed and the club financial situation, significant progress has been made over recent weeks, shoring up our financial security, with the Sharks confident that they will navigate the current challenges,” the club said.