The Sharks will have a great season off the back of NRL rule changes

MATTHEW JOHNS SCOUTING REPORT: The interchange reduction and shot clock to speed up the game will bring more fatigue into the contest and therefore benefit Cronulla.

I THINK the Sharks are going to have a great season. The interchange reduction and shot clock to speed up the game will bring more fatigue into the contest and therefore benefit Cronulla.

They have plenty of youth and energy in the team combined with a pack which has plenty of 80-minute men.

I love the halves combination of James Maloney and Chad Townsend. Maloney brings big-game experience and a certain arrogance that winning teams need. He will be a terrific leader and give the Sharks quality direction.

Andrew Fifita will aim to recapture lost forms.

I was also really impressed with Townsend’s last couple of years at the Warriors, when he was one of their most reliable performers. Townsend has a good running game and at the Warriors, while Shaun Johnson ripped and tore in attack, Chad seemed to be the dependable shot caller. Playing alongside Maloney will free Townsend of having to concern himself with pushing the team around the park and putting the spit and polish on the end of sets of six. That’s Maloney’s forte.

I’m keen to see how Joseph Paulo performs. He’s a good signing, a skilled player who never reached near his potential at Parramatta. He could easily turn into the value buy of the year.

There are a number of things which are crucial for Cronulla. Firstly, Andrew Fifita needs to refocus after squandering last year.

Ben Barba needs to find some sort of consistency or, more to the point, consistency of confidence. Wade Graham needs to stay healthy. He’s a gem of a player and they need to solve the Jack Bird and Valentine Holmes puzzle.

Word is, Bird will start the year at fullback and I understand that Holmes has his nose out of joint because he believed he was being groomed for the spot.

These two young stars and their ability to perform will be the difference between the Sharks missing the eight and finishing in the top four.

I’d play Bird in the centres and give him some minutes in the back row when the opposition’s big men start to tire through the middle. Holmes at fullback would be my preference.

James Maloney will bring something extra to the Sharks in 2016.

BEST 13

1 Jack Bird 2 Sosaia Feki 3 Gerard Beale 4 Ricky Leutele 5 Valentine Holmes 6 Chad Townsend 7 James Maloney 8 Andrew Fifita 9 Michael Ennis 10 Matt Prior 11 Luke Lewis 12 Wade Graham 13 Paul Gallen. Interchange: 14 Ben Barba 15 Sam Tagataese 16 Chris Heighington 17 Jesse Sene-Lefao.

INS

James Maloney (Sydney Roosters), Chad Townsend (New Zealand Warriors), Jesse Sene-Lefao (Manly Sea Eagles), Jordan Drew (Brisbane Broncos), Josh Cleeland (Ipswich Jets), Joseph Paulo (Parramatta Eels), Matt McIlwrick (Sydney Roosters), Kurt Capewell (Ipswich Jets)

OUTS

Michael Gordon (Parramatta Eels), Blake Ayshford (New Zealand Warriors), Josh Addo-Carr (Wests Tigers), Jeff Robson (New Zealand Warriors), Kyle Stanley (retirement), Curtis Scott (Melbourne Storm), Anthony Tupou (Wakefield), Tinirau Arona (Wakefield), Nathan Gardner (Wentworthville Magpies), Saulala Houma (not re-signed), Pat Politoni (not re-signed)

DRAW

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