Cronulla Sharks get serious for NRL title defence, starting with World Club Challenge

THE pre-season is over, the Auckland Nines festivities are out of the way, coach Shane Flanagan says the Sharks’ fair dinkum title defence starts now.

Coach Shane Flanagan during training at the Cronulla Sharks first full squad training session after their premiership win at Cronulla, Sydney. Picture: Brett Costello

THE pre-season is over, the Auckland Nines festivities are out of the way, coach Shane Flanagan says the Sharks’ fair dinkum title defence starts now.

Cronulla will fly out for London on Saturday night as they officially begin their pursuit of rugby league’s Mission Impossible.

The premiers will play in their first World Club Challenge against Wigan next Sunday, then return to Australia with the daunting job of trying to become the first team in more than 20 years to win back-to-back rugby league titles.

Not since Brisbane triumphed in 1992 and 1993 has a team clinched successive premierships in a unified competition.

And when coach Shane Flanagan and the rest of the Sharks board the pointy end of flight EY455 just before 10pm, they will only be dreaming about the one thing.

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Apart from minor injuries to Valentine Holmes (hamstring), Sosaia Feki (knee) and Tony Williams (hamstring), Flanagan said the majority of the Cronulla squad had spent the summer setting new personal bests.

“To a man our players can’t wait to get over to England, and in terms of preparation I couldn’t ask any more,’’ Flanagan told The Saturday Telegraph.

“Some of the stuff they’re doing in the gym, breaking records, breaking records out on the field, we’re ready to go.

“There’s more muscle mass, less fat, they’re lifting more than they have in previous years. With our conditioning tests and 1.2km, our speed testing, everyone has improved in some areas.

“What we did last year, or where we were last year, that won’t guarantee you success this year, so we needed to make sure we made those marginal gains somewhere.

“Gal (Paul Gallen) has had his best pre-season in three or four years, Luke Lewis has been unbelievable, he’s had no injury concerns, Andrew (Fifita) has trained well, Wade Graham, Matty Prior is in the same boat as Luke and looks a picture, Jayson Bukuya is as strong as he’s ever been. They’re all good signs.

Gallen is preparing for his final season in the NRL.

“We’ve always had the World Club Challenge in the back of our minds. It starts now. We’ll concentrate on playing well over there, it’s a trial but not a trial because there is a lot more at stake.

“We’ll then get back on that plane and get read for round one.

“Everyone’s goal is to play in the grand final, and that’s our goal again. We need to make sure we play well for 26 rounds, and if we do that we’ll give ourselves a chance.’’

Flying business class via Abu Dhabi, the Sharks players will check into the flashy Lensbury Hotel on the outskirts of London, with the training facilities the same ones used by the likes of the All Blacks and Springboks, ditching Sydney’s heatwave for near freezing temperatures.

The Sharks will be looking to add the World Cluv Challenge trophy to their cabinet.

There will be a scrimmage game against the London Broncos, a day trip to Paris on the fast train, and the chance to visit the training facilities of football giants Manchester City before Sunday’s clash with the Super League champs.

Australian teams have won seven out of the last eight World Club Challenges, and Flanagan wants that trend to continue.

Lewis, who lost a World Club Challenge to Bradford when playing with Penrith in 2004, was desperate to add a victory to his already bulging CV.

“Everyone will ask us about going back to back, but for us we know we have the team to do it, we know we have the structures that work, but it’s about going out there and nailing our roles again,’’ Lewis said.

“It’s about getting back to what we do best, letting our main guys lead the team, and making sure we don’t have too many chiefs out there.’’

CRONULLA’S UK ITINERARY

SATURDAY: Fly to London via Abu Dhabi

SUNDAY: Arrive in London, check in to Lensbury Resort, near Twickenham

MONDAY: Adjust body clocks, day out in London

TUESDAY: Field session with English referees, weights in afternoon

WEDNESDAY: Fast train to Paris

THURSDAY: Scrimmage game against London Broncos, weights, then travel to Manchester

FRIDAY: Recovery in cryo-pools, tour of Manchester City facilities

SATURDAY: Captain’s run at AJ Bell Stadium in Salford, meet and greet with local and travelling fans

SUNDAY: World Club Challenge against Wigan