Sharks’ eyes on title
Penrhyn want more than top-four finish
REACHING the FNQ Rugby top four last year was akin to playing in a grand final for Penrhyn Sharks, but the side are hungrier than ever to lift the trophy.
The Sharks’ finals appearance last year was mired in controversy due to a public spat involving rival club Southside Crusaders’ loss of points for an unregistered player.
While the incident hap- pened earlier in the season, the points issue meant Crusaders missed out on a place in the top four by just one point.
Regardless of the off-field circumstances surrounding the end of the season, it did not take away the fact Penrhyn made their slice of club history.
After two years in reserve grade, the Sharks stepped up to the top grade and made the finals.
The overwhelming pride Penrhyn felt at the end of last season has transformed into a hunger for success, according to coach Kani Simiona, for a club which will expand to field teams in both A and reserve grades this year.
“For us to get to the top four was a big thing,” Simiona said.
“It makes us even more hungry, for sure. The boys have that hunger, and now with reserve grade behind us we want to go further.”
The Sharks have not organised any trial games, and will instead use this weekend’s Hambledon Hotel Rugby 10s at Edmonton’s Petersen Park and the Lightning 15s later this month to get valuable minutes into the players.
Penrhyn have lost a number of players but Simiona is confident the side will compete.
From what Simiona has seen on the training park, the Sharks should be ready to add some bite to the competition, and possibly challenge threetime premiers Barron Trinity Bulls for supremacy.
“The boys have trained really well,” he said.
“We didn’t get any trials but we’ll use the 10s this weekend to blow out the cobwebs and get a look at them.”