New Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon is excited by his star recruits but revealed he’s been “pleasantly surprised” by what he’s seeing from the club’s existing players.
Meanwhile, Kodi Nikorima has been a handy utility for the Warriors over the last couple of seasons, but he has his eye on one particular role this year.
And the Bulldogs have added a club legend to their coaching staff.
All the hype has been around the Sharks’ star recruits for 2022, but new coach Craig Fitzgibbon has put the spotlight on the existing players, admitting he’s been “pleasantly surprised” by them during pre-season.
The Sharks’ recruitment drive has arguably been the most impressive in the competition, adding the likes of former Storm captain Dale Finucane, breakout star of 2021 Nicho Hynes and ex-Dragons captain Cameron McInnes to their roster.
Fitzgibbon also revealed there was an exciting combination forming on the left edge.
“Connor (Tracey) and Ronaldo Mulitalo are starting to get a little bit of combination work out there interchanging between centre and wing,” he said.
“Connor’s just one of those players that he just needs to be on the field... he’ll be out there somewhere that’s for sure.”
Fitzgibbon wasn’t willing to pinpoint what will be a pass mark for this year, but he hopes to get his side playing with a good balance of “gritty” defence and “free-spirited” attack. He also won’t mind looking a little like the 2016 side that won the club’s maiden premiership.
“I’d be proud of the club if we could resemble anything like that team that won in 2016,” he said.
“I think most coaches would love to be renowned for that grittiness and that competitiveness and I think we do have some attacking flair there as well.
“On one hand you want to be gritty and really hard to break down and on the other hand you want to be free-spirited, throw the ball around and play some exciting footy so we’re trying to get that balance right.
“If we can end up resembling anything like that (2016) team that’d put us in the ballpark (for a premiership) anyway.”
The club announced on Monday that Mason has accepted an offer to become the club’s pathways transition coach after he was spotted overseeing training in November.
Mason will work closely with players of all ages within the Bulldogs’ pathways program as part of his new role.
The 41-year-old played 148 games for the Bulldogs over eight years. He was a member of the 2004 premiership-winning team and won the Clive Churchill Medal.
Mason will “look to help shape and develop Pathways players in regard to the skills and attitude required to become an NRL player,” according to a club statement.
He will work closely with head coach Trent Barrett and general manager of pathways and junior league Barry Ward — also a former Bulldogs forward.
Kodi Nikorima wants to cement a spot in the halves this year, admitting he doesn’t enjoy being used in multiple positions.
Nikorima spent majority of last year in the halves but was used as a bench utility for four of the final rounds and as 18th man for another.
With Shaun Johnson set to take up one spot in the halves, Nikorima has his eye on the other — but will jump into whatever position coach Nathan Brown needs him to play.
“I always start pre-season wanting to be in the halves but I’ll put the team first and play wherever needed,” he said.
“I don’t like bouncing around from spot to spot but I’ve become accustomed to it.
“I want to win games and having Shaun back will help us do that. All the good clubs have competition for spots and you can’t come in thinking you have a position cemented.”
Nikorima will compete with Chanel Harris-Tavita and new recruit Ash Taylor for the other spot.
Johnson has returned to the Warriors after a three-year stint with the Sharks and Nikorima believes the star playmaker has rejoined the club with a new strength.
