Can Sharks take flight without Bird?

AAP | 29/08/08 | 0

Just minutes after watching his side turn in their best display of an impressive 2008 NRL season last Friday night, Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart sat alongside skipper Paul Gallen and Greg Bird and talked about the positive feeling within the Sharks camp.

"Our goal was to move into the last two games with a performance that was improving moving into a bigger and more important part of the season," Stuart said after his side shut out the Sydney Roosters 20-0 to secure a top four finish.

"We're not going backwards with our preparation now. We're going into a schedule next week with a footy team that's on the improve."

What a difference a week can make.

Stuart hasn't quite had to start afresh following the alleged glassing incident that has ended Bird's season and left him in danger of ending up in jail.

But he has had to bring together a group of players still reeling from the events of the past week.

Whether they are still going forward as they prepare for the finals is another matter.

Stuart sat down with the players as soon as news of Bird's arrest became public, and the club closed ranks ahead of tomorrow night's clash with Wests Tigers, which all of a sudden has taken on much bigger proportions for the Sharks.

Bigger not because of the fact they remain in the hunt for a top two finish and even the minor premiership, but bigger because all eyes will be on the men in sky blue to see if they have been able to put the off-field distractions behind them.

While even Stuart admitted the skill Bird brought to the table would be missed, the Sharks have had some practice in playing without the Test No.6, who missed a month of football recently with a knee injury.

The return of fullback Brett Kearney from a hip injury gives them another option in attack and should help ease the pressure on the two Bretts in the halves - Kimmorley and Seymour.

There is also the confidence that last week's win over the Roosters would have given the camp, particularly after a disappointing loss to the Warriors the week before.

"I think we needed last week more than the Roosters and we played like it," prop Adam Peek said.

"We haven't been playing the full 80 minutes and last week I think we finally played for the full 80."

Another factor working in the Sharks favour is the fact they meet the Tigers at a pretty good time, with the joint venture club all but out of finals reckoning and star hooker Robbie Farah sidelined with an ankle injury.

He will join backrower Todd Payten (suspended), centre Dean Collis (knee), prop Keith Galloway (foot) and possibly skipper Brett Hodgson (leg) in watching from the Leichhardt Oval stands.

A decision on Hodgson's availability will be made just before kick-off.

But a tumultuous week off the field and nine-game losing streak against the Tigers means the chances of the Sharks going easy aren't high.

"We haven't beaten the Tigers since about 2003 so there's no way we'll be underestimating them," Peek said.

"(Tigers coach) Tim Sheens is a smart man and whoever he ends up putting in there will do a job."

We haven't been playing the full 80 minutes and last week I think we finally played for the full 80... Adam Peek