NRL 2021: Sharks interim coach Josh Hannay still backing Cronulla for finals footy

Fourteen years after being dumped to park football by Ricky Stuart, ‘nightwatchman’ Josh Hannay is back with the Sharks and determined to make a big impression.

Sharks coach John Morris will be replaced by Craig Fitzgibbon next season. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“Go the Gorillas.”

Josh Hannay still sticks his hand up and waves every time.

“I get recognised more around Cronulla for playing with the Gymea Gorillas (local club side) - as opposed to what I did for the Sharks,” Hannay laughed.

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Josh Hannay will takeover from John Morris as Sharks’ caretaker coach for the rest of 2021.

On Tuesday night, Hannay thrust his hand in the air again.

And given what lies ahead, the ghosts of Gymea after 14 years, may be about to be finally erased.

Following a phone call of full-support from captain Wade Graham, Hannay went to work on Wednesday with a bold plan to drive Cronulla into the finals - an achievement that would finally elevate his status far beyond bottle top trivia question an into Sharks folklore.

In a testament to his positive attitude, quality character and belief within himself as a promising coach, the 41-year-old didn‘t hesitate when asked to take over for the remainder of the season and step-up from his assistant role to the Sharks NRL post, following the sudden exit of John Morris.

Ironically, it is Hannay’s second consecutive season as a caretaker coach, having held the wheel of the Cowboys for the final 10 games of 2020 when Paul Green was sacked.

“I refer to myself as the NRL version of a cricket nightwatchman,” Hannay said.

“I come in late in the day’s play to hold the fort until the good batsman comes in.

For the second season in a row, Josh Hannay will assume a caretaker role.

“But seriously, I understand the challenge and look forward to that challenge.”

Despite the bookies writing the Sharks season off as a result of Morris’ immediate departure, Hannay was firm in his stance that, for several reasons, Cronulla were strong enough to avoid a season of write-off.

“It’s not a season that will be lost, there’s too much within this group for the season to be lost,’’ Hannay said ahead of a road-trip to Newcastle on Friday night.

“I think there is so much promise here.

“I’ve seen the work they’ve (players) put in and I see everyday the culture that exists here.

“We have strong leaders in our team and to me, I don’t get a sense or any fear at all, that they are a group that will break.

“They’re a resilient bunch and if anything this could have the potential to galvanise them even further.”

The Sharks are looking to move on quickly from John Morris’ departure.

Hannay said that he would continue to implement many of Morris’ matchwinning coaching patterns, but insisted it was important he added his own stamp on the Sharks, while declaring his desire to snap the club’s year-long run of outs against top-eight sides.

The former Maroons State of Origin assistant also added that he held a firm desire to be part of incoming coach Craig Fitzgibbon’s staff in 2022.

“I have my own way of doing things, but I feel this group isn’t one where I need to turn everything upside down,’’ Hannay said.

“It’s my challenge and everyone’s challenge to get over that little hump of knocking off some of those top sides.

“There’s no doubt when you step into a head coaching position, there’s a greater spotlight on you as a coach.

“I know the incoming coach will have his thoughts on staff, but I do want to remain a part of this club.

“I love the culture here and I see good things ahead.”

A former Sharks player himself, Hannay was famously dropped to play for Gymea Gorillas.

It says a lot about Hannay’s character that he wanted to return to the Sharks at all.

In 2007 after representing Queensland in State of Origin, he was famously dropped to park football to play for the Gorillas by former Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart.

The old boys at Gymea still recall Hannay’s positive attitude as he played alongside plumbers and brickies.

“It’s all water under the bridge,’’ Hannay said.

“In this game you can’t afford to close doors and burn bridges because it has a funny way of coming back to bite you.

“One of my first games as interim coach (for the Cowboys), I coached against the Raiders and Ricky (Stuart) sent me a text to wish me all the best and if I needed any help or advice, that I don’t hesitate to get in touch.

“It showed the type of man he is.”

Hannay, with a forthright “you bet I will” response to guiding the Sharks for the next 20-rounds, has already shown the NRL what type of man he is, too.

KENT: THE MIXED MESSAGES THAT COST MORRIS HIS JOB

Before even breakfast was finished on Tuesday a text message went to several league writers asking them to check out rumours that Craig Fitzgibbon “or his agent” contacted the Sharks and “withdrawn his interest due to the negative and complete lack of professionalism shown by those running the Sharks verses [sic] what he is use [sic] to at the Roosters”.

The text was from John Morris’s manager, Chris Orr.

How anybody could believe the text would survive even the slightest cross-examination is something only Orr could answer, but it reveals the desperate politics to try keeping Morris employed at Cronulla.

It was the sympathy card, that Morris deserved more respect, has almost been played out.

The tactics have backfired and certainly did nothing to help the chances of Morris, who is a good man, having a future at Cronulla. The relationship is now broken.

John Morris will be replaced by Craig Fitzgibbon at Cronulla next season. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

What effect it has on Cronulla for the rest of this season remains to be seen.

Far from withdrawing his interest, Fitzgibbon signed the deal on Tuesday, less than eight hours after the mischievous text messages.

The end for Morris began with the club’s continued frustration at his procrastinations along with an inability to carry the same message from the front office all the way through to the playing group.

Morris’s two greatest supporters in the playing group are halves Shaun Johnson and Chad Townsend.

Johnson is an example of Cronulla’s great frustration with their coach.

Some time back Johnson’s management presented a two-year, $1.6 million deal to Cronulla. They seemed very hopeful at achieving this.

Morris spoke to Johnson and supported the extension. He wanted him at the club. Johnson was pleased.

Privately, though, the Sharks consulted with Morris as part of their retention talks and, in a different meeting, it was agreed that Johnson be offered a one-year deal for about $400,000.

The Sharks have other examples of Morris seemingly incapable of having the tough conversation with his players, telling them one thing while the club another.

Shaun Johnson is a big supporter of former Sharks coach John Morris. Picture: Richard Dobson

For some time now, by way of another example, the Sharks have been in quiet negotiations to bring Will Chambers to Cronulla.

Chambers left the NRL in 2019 for Japanese rugby but the world’s COVID crisis sabotaged that and now Chambers is back in Australia hoping to secure an NRL contract.

The news broke three days ago that Cronulla was interested and Chambers has been calling Morris for the past three days, wanting to know what is happening.

Yet for reasons that have frustrated the Sharks, Morris has failed to call him back.

When asked, Morris had several concerns.

He asked club officials if Chambers was willing to play for the Sharks’ feeder club, Newtown. Of course Chambers knew there was a protocol to coming back.

More, though, the club saw this as a coach stalling, not prepared to make a decision.

He was also concerned with what he would say to the current centres once they became aware of their interest in Chambers.

Former Storm star Will Chambers has flagged his interest in a return to the NRL with Cronulla. Picture: AAP Image/Michael Dodge

For most head coaches they are bread and butter decisions yet Morris seemed unwilling to make the call. Meanwhile, as Morris procrastinates, Chambers waits.

Morris’s procrastinations form some of the concerns Cronulla officials have that Morris is still developing into a head coach but is not completely there yet.

They are not one-off incidents.

For a club trying to get back heading towards the top of the NRL, the coach’s hesitations are frustrating.

They certainly know he has all the technical nous to be a good coach.

For some years now the Sharks have been weighed down by salary cap penalties, their cap reduced by $350,000 last season and the season before. At various times highly-paid players Josh Dugan, Matt Moylan, Andrew Fifita and Johnson have been missing for extended periods.

Yet still the Sharks have remained competitive.

Morris has steered the Sharks to the finals in each of the past two seasons.

John Morris took the Sharks to the finals the past two seasons. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

This, despite Cronulla owning the unusual record of not beating a top-eight team last season.

Far from upset with Morris’s shortcomings, the Sharks see it as an indication that Morris is still developing as a head coach.

That is why they began exploring the market, not ruling Morris out as the head coach for next season but not prepared to extend him with a new contract.

But the changing narratives have constantly frustrated the club and confirmed the belief he is still developing into a head coach.

Against that, Fitzgibbon interviewed as a coach with firm beliefs.

Soon after Fitzgibbon signed his deal on Tuesday, Sharks boss Dino Mezzatesta called in Morris to tell him.

He was gone before dinner, assistant Josh Hannay taking over immediately.

—Paul Kent

Originally published as NRL 2021: Sharks interim coach Josh Hannay still backing Cronulla for finals footy