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The ET Stand - a Cronulla Sharks Fans Podcast

Ideas to fix the Sharks + Boldo's Player Tiers

Season 2025, Ep. 62
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🎧 Audio Summary – The ET Stand Podcast: “How Do You Fix the Sharks?”

In this jam-packed 90-minute episode of The ET Stand, the panel grapples with the Cronulla Sharks' current plight following their fourth loss in five games — this time a 30–6 defeat to the Storm in Melbourne. Host Boldo is joined by Chris Kelly, Franco, Matty Williams, and special guest commentary from the fans as they ask the big question: Do the Sharks need fixing — and if so, how?


🔧 Fixing the Sharks Debate

  • Franco, watching on delay and free from emotion, thinks the performance was better than fans and media suggest — especially defensively until the last 15 minutes.
  • The panel unpacks key effort errors: a poor challenge, a disastrous tap-on, and more misreads.
  • Chris argues the team lacks physical intimidation and urgency.
  • Kelly makes a passionate case for holding the course: “We’re battered, flat, and fatigued, but it’s not broken. This bye is coming at the perfect time.”
  • Matty and Boldo raise concerns over systemic prep issues, fitness, and player management. Boldo provides a detailed list of six “actual fixes” including smarter challenge use, better injury return decisions, and simplifying the bench rotation strategy.


📊 Boldo’s Melbourne-Themed Player Tiers

Boldo rolls out his signature segment with a tourism spin:

  • Players compared to Melbourne icons like Docklands (Nicho & Nikora – expensive but underwhelming), St Kilda Beach (Atkinson – doesn’t deliver what it promises), and Luna Park (Ronaldo – flashy and solo).
  • Blayke Brailey earns top billing, while injured Kade Dykes is likened to Qantas – sorely missed but still flying high in fans’ minds.
  • Reactions range from Matty calling it Boldo’s “most accurate tiering yet” to Franco gently critiquing player placement for theme consistency over form.

đź’¬ Fan Fixes & Comment Chaos

  • Listeners submit their solutions: Talakai to lock, Ronaldo to centre, four-forward bench, Stone Street call-ups, and more.
  • Debate erupts over Will Kennedy’s future, Trindall’s inconsistency, and whether Jesse Ramien and Oregon Kaufusi should be flicked.
  • Assistant coaching changes are floated, with Nathan Brown and Mick Potter getting support.
  • Paul in the comments triggers a podcast first — getting booted for defending Jack Williams as an Origin pick. “We’re not copping that!” shouts Boldo.

🎞 History Corner

Matty takes us back to past seasons where Sharks fell off a cliff post-finals — especially 2003, 2009, and the strange 2019 transition.


🎭 Around the League & NRLW Preview

  • Chris runs through Origin III team news, Vanessa Foliaki’s retirement, and the start of the NRLW season.
  • The Sharks NRLW team kicks off Thursday night with 13 returning grand final players.
  • Big praise for coach Tony Herman and excitement about the season ahead.


đź”— Join the discussion in our Discord: https://discord.gg/nXEC9QNfmK

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