Shane Flanagan rubbishes Paul Green’s claims the Sharks are favourites for Cowboys clash

SHARKS coach Shane Flanagan has taken a swipe at Cowboys rival Paul Green in a fiery prelude to Saturday night’s sudden-death final in Townsville.

SHARKS coach Shane Flanagan has taken a swipe at Cowboys rival Paul Green in a fiery prelude to Saturday night’s sudden-death final in Townsville.

The Sharks touched down in enemy territory on Friday afternoon and Flanagan wasted no time fanning the competitive embers by hitting out at Cowboys counterpart Green.

Before Cronulla’s arrival, Green claimed the Sharks would start as favourites, an assessment based on Cronulla’s consecutive wins over North Queensland this season in rounds 16 and 22.

But a dismayed Flanagan rubbished Green’s critique, pointing to North Queensland’s top-four finish and their galaxy of rep stars headlined by Dally M Medal favourite Johnathan Thurston.

“Paul Green thinks we are favourites ... that is a ridiculous comment,” Flanagan fired.

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“Have a look at it (the betting markets), I think we are $3.10 to win.

“I don’t know what he is trying to get at there but they cruised into the top four, they have been there all year whilst we’ve had to fight really hard to get into the eight.

“They have the best player in the world (Thurston), they have two Origin and Test front-rowers (Matt Scott and James Tamou).

“My mum wouldn’t believe that.”

Told Green was basing his comments on the Sharks’ back-to-back defeats of the Cowboys this year, Flanagan replied: “That’s what he is banking on, but it’s a semi-final series now.

“Nothing that happened during the year counts tomorrow night. It’s do or die. The best team has to put their best performance on and get the points.”

Asked on Friday at Cowboys headquarters if Cronulla were favourites, Green said: “They’ve beaten us twice this year so I haven’t shied away from that.

Flanagan says the Sharks should be outsiders for their clash with North Queensland.

“They are a tough team, they have a tough forward pack, a great competitor at hooker (Michael Ennis), a halfback (Jeff Robson) that steers them around well and some exciting outside backs.

“We’ll have to be on our game to get the job done.”

Thurston had a shocker in the Cowboys’ 30-18 loss to the Sharks in round 22 at Remondis Stadium and Flanagan is wary of the champion halfback hitting back.

“I wish there was a key to stopping him,” he said.

“He is such a quality player, you defend one shape or one side of the field really well and he bobs up on the other side, that’s why he’s the best player in the world at the moment.

“There is no formula or key to defending Johnathan Thurston, we just need to be good right across the park for 80 minutes because at some stage he will play a part.”

In a boost for the Sharks, star winger Valentine Holmes (quadriceps) trained strongly in Sydney on Friday morning and has been passed fit to face the Cowboys.