Buzz Rothfield selects his greatest ever Cronulla Sharks team

BUZZ ROTHFIELD: Which current players have made my selection for Cronulla’s best ever team - and who didn’t make the cut from 50 years of talent?

YOU look at the incredible talent of Cronulla Sharks players over 50 years and start wondering why they’ve never won a premiership.

Especially when the inaugural Rothmans Medal winner, halfback Terry Hughes, can’t make the club’s greatest team ever we have named.

Or the likes of Kangaroo second-rower Steve Kneen, centre Mark ‘Sparkles’ McGaw, English five-eighth Roger Millward and halfback Brett Kimmorley, who miss out as well.

Five current players have made my greatest ever Sharks team.

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Michael Ennis gets the nod from Buzz. AAP Image/Craig Golding.

Michael Ennis ahead of club legend John McMartin, Cronulla’s 1978 grand final hooker. So why Ennis after just two seasons?

For starters he has been arguably the best recruit in the club’s history. No one has been more responsible for changing the team’s culture to winners. Using his inspiring competitive streak to turn renowned under-performers into grand finalists.

Others may ask how James Maloney makes the team with only 24 games. That’s an easy one. The Sharks would not be running onto ANZ Stadium on Sunday evening without him. He has had more influence on this grand final team than any other player.

The same can be said of Valentine Holmes. How does he make the team? Should we have moved Andrew Ettingshausen to the wing and named McGaw in the centres? Not in my opinion.

Peachey and ET had to be in there.

Holmes deserves to be there. His 19 tries this year equals the record set by fullback David Peachey back in 1999. Who’s to say he won’t break the record on Sunday night.

There have been others like Rick Bourke and even big Dean Carney. But none with Holmes’ explosive speed and his ability to find the try-line.

Paul Gallen is an obvious selection, but in the front-row. He has now played 279 games for the club. He is the heart and soul of the club. An absolute champion for the Sharks, Blues and Australia for more than a decade — and a one-club player.

If he can lead the Sharks to victory against the Storm he should be regarded as the club’s greatest player.

Valentine Holmes is something of a surprise includion. Photo: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images.

And finally Luke Lewis, who at 33 is still playing as well as any other backrower in the game. He edges out Steve Kneen, who the most feared players of his era, for a spot on the bench.

One of the first players chosen was Gavin Miller who won two Dally M awards and the 1989 Rothmans Medal. He has no problems with the selection of five current players.

“I’m not a selector and everyone’s got an opinion,” Miller said.

“You can’t understate the outstanding contributions of the five current players who you’ve chosen.

“They’ve got the club to the grand final and I think they can win it. Obviously some great players have missed out but that’s something we can debate all week.

“It’s always going to create some arguments.”

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Originally published as Buzz Rothfield selects his greatest ever Cronulla Sharks team