NRL 2021: Cronulla Sharks coach John Morris breaks silence on future, Shane Flanagan rumours

With speculation Shane Flanagan is waiting to take over at Cronulla, John Morris opens up about what he needs to do to survive.

Shane Flanagan is ready pounce on any vacant coaching jobs despite his ban ending in 2022. Picture: AAP/Dan Himbrechts

John Morris has broken his silence on his fight to save his job at Cronulla, vowing his own contract situation won’t become a distraction for a team that he believes can make NRL finals in 2021.

But with many of his senior stars also facing uncertain futures — including Shaun Johnson, Matt Moylan, Josh Dugan and Aaron Woods, who are among 15 Sharks players off contract — the NRL’s most under pressure coach heading into the new season declared: “I don’t want to put myself before the team. I don’t want it to be about me and my contract.

“The moment I make it about me and start focusing on how I am going to get this extension is the moment that I will start to lose focus on the job and preparing the team to be at their best.

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Sharks coach John Morris has broken his silence on his coaching future. Picture: Getty Images.

“I have got a number of key players who are off contract themselves and they have obviously got that to worry about.

“I have kind of approached this year as, ‘you know what boys, there is a number of us off contract, me included. The best thing we can do is all just try and rip in as hard as we can and be the best prepared we can so we get off to a good start’.

“And the only way to do that is to have a really tough, hard pre-season and we have.

“We have taken that first step.

“I just feel that the more I can keep focus on the performance of the team and me doing my best for the boys is going to hopefully address the other areas.”

Yet what can’t be ignored is one of the game’s hottest rumours linking Shane Flanagan as the man waiting in the wings to take over if the Sharks get off to a bad start.

The talk is Flanagan could be in charge inside the opening two months if things don’t go right for Morris.

Flanagan himself even opened up on the issue on Thursday, making no secret of his desire to return to the NRL as a head coach.

Flanagan was mindful of the pressure this speculation was putting on Morris but conceded on SEN Radio: “I want to coach in the NRL but there are no jobs available. If a coaching role opens up, I’ll take it 100 per cent.”

Morris and several big name players are off-contract and may be playing for their futures at the club. Photographer: Adam Yip.

While refusing to buy into the Flanagan speculation, Morris was clearly not backing away from the challenge.

Most would agree Morris has done a really good job given what he has had to content with since taking over at the Sharks.

He’s worked with three separate chief executives and two general managers of football, lost some key senior players because of salary cap restrictions, and dealt with a stack of injuries and the loss of young gun Bronson Xerri to a drug suspension.

Yet Morris has still managed to debut 11 players along the way while taking the Sharks to back-to-back finals series.

This is despite also wearing a $350,000-a-season salary cap penalty the past two years for issues that did not occur under his watch.

Now he goes into this year without his injured star playmaker Johnson who is expected to miss at least the first seven rounds.

Could former Sharks coach Shane Flanagan be back at the club in 2021? Picture: Getty Images.

Morris’ management sought an extension late last year for a contract extension but so far that has not been forthcoming, although it was never officially knocked back.

Not that the 300-game NRL veteran isn’t used to fighting for his survival: “It is hard because you want to have that security, but I kind of spent a fair bit of my career doing one year deals towards the back-end.

“It is not as if I haven’t been in this situation before where you need to fight for something.

“And I am trying to do my best every single day.

“I know I am a better coach than I was last year, than I was before. And if I can keep on that path I will back myself to get what I am after.

“I don’t want to play this out in the media. I just want to focus on preparing this team.”

PRESSURE ON MORRIS AS FORMER SHARKS COACH CIRCLES

Shane Flanagan could be back coaching in the NRL as soon as a job becomes available with the former Cronulla coach strongly linked to take over from John Morris if the Sharks get off to a bad start in season 2021.

Flanagan has attempted to distance himself from the speculation that has engulfed club land in recent days.

However, there is no doubt he is being pushed to take over if Morris loses his job.

Shane Flanagan is ready pounce on any vacant coaching jobs despite his ban ending in 2022. Picture: AAP/Dan Himbrechts

And in a further twist, Flanagan has also been linked to playing a support role in advising Cameron McInnes in his decision to quit St George Illawarra to join the Sharks next season, something he has denied.

Privately, Flanagan does not want to be positioning himself to get another coach sacked but it’s no secret he harbours a desire to get back in the game as a head coach.

While he was allowed back in an assistant role at St George Illawarra last season, the NRL has previously ruled that he could not accept a head coaching position until November.

However, it is understood he has been in constant discussion with the governing body to make certain if a job comes up that he has done everything to make sure the NRL rules favourably.

Morris will go into the season as the coach under the greatest pressure after the Sharks last year knocked back his attempts to secure a contract extension beyond the final year of his current deal, which expires at the end of 2021.

The other difficulty that is raising concern within Cronulla relates to signing players when no one knows who is going to be coaching next season. It’s a huge issue for a team struggling to stay in contention with the premiership frontrunners and some big roster decisions looming in the coming months.

Sharks coach John Morris is under pressure heading into the 2021 season. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty

The Sharks have 15 players off contract at the end of this season, including Josh Dugan, Shaun Johnson, Matt Moylan, Aaron Woods and Bronson Xerri (who is currently serving a provisional drugs suspension).

Flanagan was deregistered in December 2018 after an investigation into Cronulla’s salary cap irregularities uncovered evidence he had communicated with the Sharks while serving a prior ban, stemming from the peptide scandal.

Flanagan was also recently linked to Brad Arthur’s job at Parramatta, but the Eels have ruled out a play for the 2016 premiership-winning coach.

Another job likely to come up would be Craig Bellamy’s at Melbourne, given the champion coach has previously indicated he does not want a full-time role beyond this season.

Former Panthers assistant Cameron Ciraldo is also circling John Morris. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty

Panthers assistant Cameron Ciraldo, a former Shark, has also been linked to the Sharks’ top job, and has strong support in the Shire.

McInnes’ move to Cronulla is interesting given the Flanagan link and the fact the Sharks will most likely play him at lock.

Flanagan was a massive fan of McInnes during his time at the Dragons and the two built a strong bond, with Flanagan likening his grit and guts to Sharks great Paul Gallen.

It would be a huge decision if the NRL allow him back early given former CEO Todd Greenberg’s insistence that he would not be allowed back until the 2022 season.

But this does now is place enormous pressure on Morris who will now go into the season fighting to save his job.

Flanagan did not want to comment when contacted.