Shellharbour Sharks looking for combination consistency in 2023 Group 7 campaign

The team started the season strong with some quality wins that saw them near the top of the ladder for the first several weeks, but a mixture of injuries and inconsistency unfortunately saw the team flame out by the end, failing to qualify for finals.

They finished the regular season in sixth place with a record of five wins, two draws and 10 losses.

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Head coach Abed Atallah said the team is coming season 2023 excited and refreshed, ready to write a new chapter in the club's long history.

"Last season was poor at the end of the day," Atallah said.

"We are a club that sets high standards and finals are the expectation so looking at it from that side we didn't achieve what we set out to do."

Atallah cited "combinations" as the biggest catalyst for the team's inconsistency in 2022, with the plethora of new faces week in and week out making it hard for the team to build chemistry.

"It seemed like we had a few new faces every week in grade which made it harder to develop combinations," he said.

The team saw a total of 42 players take to the field for first grade last season.

The positive that came from this was being able to see a variety of the young talent that has been brewing in the Sharks' junior system.

"A lot of the younger kids had an opportunity to step up and play first grade which can only benefit them heading into this season," Atallah said.

There were several Sharks who stood out last season but none so more than second rower James Ralphs and now retired captain Matty Carroll.

Ralphs truly broke out as a star last season for the Sharks with Atallah saying he can't wait to see him take "a further leap forward" this season.

One of the biggest highlights of the Group 7 season overall was seeing Carroll hit the 2000 point mark - a feat that prior had never been accomplished.

The well-respected halfback has now hung up the boots but his voice around the club is sure to still be heard by the players next season.

The question remains now though, who will take on that leadership role for next season?

The Sharks have managed to retain the majority of the group from last year while also bringing back several former players.

Defence was the biggest issue the side wanted to address in the offseason, with Atallah noting the side wasn't as strong in that department has they had been in previous seasons.

"At the end of the day defence is what is going to help you win those close matches," he said.

He further noted the strong play of the middle last season as a main point they wanted to continue to reinforce.

"Middle of the field is where we had the least injury concerns," he said.

"Throughout the year they kept us in games that we probably could have found ourselves out of really quickly."

For Atallah the Sharks mean a lot, it's another family for the local coach, and one he hopes to make proud from the sidelines next season.

"The club has been a home away from home for me since I moved down this way," he said.

"We have a great working committee here who put long hours in to get the club to where it is."

"The players continue to be great, wanting to learn and grow, and some of the younger players in our squad are very talented, if we can help them reach their potential then we have done our job."

The 2023 Group 7 season kicks off on Saturday March 22.