Peter Sharp to coach Cronulla for now as club board vows to fight sanctions

Peter Sharp will be Cronulla’s coach at least until officials have some finality around Shane Flanagan’s future after a landmark board meeting on Thursday night, which also saw the club reiterate its desire to defend all charges.

The Sharks board met for the first time since NRL chief executive Dave Smith handed the club a $1 million fine and suspended coach Shane Flanagan for a year for code of conduct breaches.

Uncertain times: Cronulla's Daniel Holdsworth, Wade Graham and Todd Carney leave training at Remondis Stadium on Tuesday.Credit: Anthony Johnson

The board vowed to support Flanagan, who along with the club will have until January 15 to respond to the breach notice. In the interim, Sharp will be coach, handing him a clear advantage to guide the Sharks if Flanagan’s ban is upheld, over the other candidate, Brett Kimmorley.

‘‘The board of the Cronulla Sharks will take a measured and considered response to the breach notice issued to it during the week,’’ a club statement said following the long board meeting at Sharkies Leagues Club. ‘‘The board will seek legal advice to confirm our position in defending all charges.

‘‘The board wishes to reassure our members, sponsors and fans that we intend to support Shane Flanagan, who we believe is an integral part of our club. In the interim, Peter Sharp will coach the team with the support of James Shepherd and our premiership-winning NSW Cup coach Tony Herman.’’

That will at least give the Sharks time to take a breath following the events of this week. But as they ponder their more immediate concerns, the club is also bracing for a longer-term battle with a host of players off-contract at the end of next season. The board met knowing many of their decisions would flow into 2015 and beyond.

Front of mind will be the fact that more than a dozen players, including Andrew Fifita, Wade Graham, Isaac De Gois and Sosaia Feki, are off contract at the end of next year. The uncertainty over Cronulla’s future could tempt some to look elsewhere, although Sharks boss Steve Noyce was hopeful the players would not be swayed by recent events.

‘‘We haven’t talked about it at this stage,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think it matters what organisation you work at, if people genuinely want to stay in your organisation and be part of something, you’ll keep them ... Everyone’s well aware of some of the challenges we might have, but they also see an exciting future. They are a tight group. A vast number of them live in the Shire. That builds and breeds its own culture. There’s a couple of good young kids coming through. That’s exciting as well.’’