Newly-retired skipper Paul Gallen has urged Cronulla to reclaim the trademark toughness and grit which helped the club win its first NRL title.

Gallen and his Sharks ended a patchy season in disappointing fashion when ambushed by injury-hit Manly 28-16 in their elimination final at Lottoland.

The 38-year-old admitted the team had slipped in some elements he and former enforcer Greg Bird helped instil in the early to mid-2000s that made the Sharks formidable.

“The Sharks way was on the back of me and Greg Bird a long time ago, that stuck as part of our DNA for a long time,” Gallen said.

“I feel like my last 12 months, I probably haven’t been where I’ve been in years gone by, not only in the game but in training as well.

“Maybe as a whole, we let that slip a little bit.

“I spoke about that to the boys: ‘You gotta get that back’.”

Coincidentally, Bird, 34, has also hung up his boots after spending the past three years in the Super League, and he could be part of NRL grand final day celebrations.

“(Bird) has had a tremendous career as well and he started that toughness and grittiness at this club as well,” Gallen said.

“He does deserve some credit for it. He helped me start that and every player that came in has continued it on.”

Having made his debut in 2001, Gallen was part of a number of rebuilds in the Shire before eventually leading the club to its maiden premiership in 2016.

However he conceded they had not kicked on to become regular premiership contenders like the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne as he had hoped.

“We took our opportunity in 2016 and I thought the last couple of years we could’ve done it again as well but our consistency let us down,” Gallen said.

“Going forward, it’ll be interesting to see what happens – if this playing group sticks strong together, trains hard and works hard, and remain consistent.

“I hope they do.”

The former Kangaroos and NSW State of Origin star also threw his support behind rookie head coach John Morris as the man to lead the Sharks into a new era.

Morris was rushed into the role earlier this year following the suspension of former coach Shane Flanagan by the NRL.

“I think he’s done well, Bomber. I really do,” Gallen said.

“The way he come in wasn’t ideal obviously. That was a tough time for the club, especially for some of us senior players who have had a lot to do with Flanno.

“But I felt Bomber done a really good job this year. He’s got a lot of years of coaching in front of him and I think he did really well.”