Cronulla coach John Morris has warned his side they risk falling off the pace in the business end of the NRL season unless they can reverse their Jekyll and Hyde tendencies.
Heading into Sunday’s match-up with Canterbury at ANZ Stadium, Morris and his side have spent their preparation trying to address worrying slow starts.
According to Fox Sports Stats, the Sharks are one of the worst sides in the first 40 minutes – scoring the fourth-fewest points (7.2 per game) and conceding the third most (11.7).
But their numbers are almost reversed in the second half, sitting second for both points scored (13.7) and points let in (7.7).
Despite being talked up as a premiership smoky by Andrew Johns – especially with Wade Graham making an impressive injury return – Morris warned they were too inconsistent to be considered contenders.
“Our biggest issue at the moment is the way we’re starting games,” Morris said.
“To be 20-0 down after 20 minutes in Canberra – it’s the old saying: you can’t win a game in the opening 20 minutes but you can lose it.
“It was more core skills errors at the back of the field, dropping bombs and catches and whatnot, giving cheap penalties out of their end.
“We were good, our last win against Parramatta – we started really powerfully. That’s been an issue for us most of the year. We’ve won most of our games from being down at halftime but we know that as the year goes on, that’s not a quality you want to have in your team.”
During the week, halfback Shaun Johnson, who returned from a hamstring injury against Canberra before starring in New Zealand’s Test win over Tonga, said the Sharks felt like a representative side, such was their quality.
While their last-start loss to Canberra had left a lot to be desired, they have won four of their past six as they approach full fitness after being injury-plagued all year.
Prop Aaron Woods is a chance to return from a broken foot against the Bulldogs in another boost.
“The more experienced guys and the rep players feel that there’s a standard has been created by the young guys,” Morris said.
“The guys that are coming in (Bronson) Xerri and (Briton) Nikora, Blayke Brailey and Jack Williams, Braden Uele, they’ve held a really high standard in this middle part of the year.
“I agree with Shaun that there’s enough rep experience in this team, but that’s all just fluffy stuff.
“We’ve got to show it in our performance in the way we play every single week on every single play.”
STATS THAT MATTER:
* The Sharks have won their past five games against the Bulldogs, with all decided by 12 points or less
* The Bulldogs are out to break a four-game losing streak, with three of those decided by 22 points or more.
