Cronulla and Shane Flanagan have released a joint statement on Monday morning, in which Flanagan resigned from his position as head coach.

Flanagan joined Cronulla in 2007 as an assistant coach, and took over in the head coaching role at the back end of the 2010 season.

He guided the Sharks to their first premiership in 2016.

"Shane was our first premiership winning coach, he is the Coach of our Team of the Half Century and he has given exceptional service and dedication to our Club. He worked tirelessly to build our team and our Club into a competitive force and he will forever hold a special place in the Club's history," Cronulla chairman Dino Mezzatesta told sharks.com.au.

"While disappointed his tenure at the Sharks will come to an end, Shane can look back with pride on some outstanding achievements during his time at the helm."

Flanagan released the following statement on the club's website.

"This was obviously one of the toughest decisions of my 36-year rugby league career to resign from the head coaching role at Cronulla.

"The last month has taken an enormous mental and emotional toll on my family and myself.

"I intend on responding to the notice issued by the NRL, however I have made this decision in the best interests of the entire club and the players to allow the best possible preparation for the 2019 season without constant speculation and uncertainty as to who their Head Coach will be.

"I want to thank the Cronulla Board and management, both past and present, as well as my dedicated coaching staff, all of whom I have worked closely with over seven seasons.

"I especially want to extend my gratitude to the many players who I have been fortunate to coach at Cronulla. Without doubt, I will hold the entire 2016 playing squad, staff, supporters and unforgettable achievement to deliver the club it's first premiership, forever in my heart.

"I want to single out and thank the incredibly loyal Sharks supporters for their on-going support and last but certainly not least, I want to thank rugby league fans in general for their overwhelming support and messages over the years and more so over the past month."

25 COMMENTS

  1. pfft. He’ll be back when Melbourne or Brisbane decide they need a new coach, pull a few strings and tda! he’s a coach again.

  2. No one cares about drugnulla or fifita or gal or flannagan next year perth then a couple years later then south africa then gone

  3. Unfortunately for the Sharkies, their recent success will always be somewhat tainted, rightly or wrongly. From what I hear, players are attracted there because of the ‘loose standards around discipline and behaviour.’ (allegedly)!

  4. I say strip them of there only premiership, Melbourne got stripped just because of the salary cap. Sharks not only cheated the salary cap they also got done for performance enhancing drugs, they got off with no punishment

  5. Well you tell me sharkytowin scandal after scandal for years and bad ones and your proud of it what about the two biggest dim witts of all time fifita and galen shoot their mouths off cut loose repeated time after time and havent missed one game and you reckon we are haters

  6. WOW.
    “Melbourne got stripped just because of the salary cap.” From memory they were running 2 sets of books, hence deliberately cheating the cap, had been doing so for several years, and were about $1mil over in 2009, which equated to around 25% over the then $4mil cap. Yeah, “just because of the salary cap”. I’m not going to throw stones at the Sharks, given we (Parra) did the same thing as th Storm, in that we deliberately cheated too, and I’d add, at this stage at least, it would appear that the Shark’s breaches were relatively minor, not deliberate, and not related to 2016. That said, I’m the first to admit that it seems unlikely that breaches happened in the years just prior to their premiership, but not in that particular year, but if that proves to be the case, thy should keep their title.
    “They got off with no punishment”. Well, except a $1mil fine, and some suspended officials.

  7. But on the flip side, they (the Sharks) went 50 years without a premiership and remained in the comp because their fans kept supporting them, and kept/keep supporting the club through their (many) dark days. As an Eels supporter I can relate, and respect them (their supporters) for that, but clearly they’ve had more than their share of poor managers over the years.
    Obviously you support the perfect club, the 1 that has never done anything wrong, never had players do anything etc, and yet I’m no closer to knowing who that club is.

  8. I never said the storm didn’t deserve everything they got you stupid bottom feeder supporter, I meant sharks cheated 2 ways

    So I’m not even going to read the rest of your pointless dribble, you eels fans get a bit jumpy around this time a year, it’s the only time your stain isn’t in the bottom 4

  9. Thank you for your constructive critisism of my post, but perhaps if you had of read a little more you would have also noted that I don’t think the Sharks deliberately cheated the salary cap, hence the difference between the Storm, and yes, the Eels.
    As for your comments re Parra supporters more broadly, yes, our club underperforms, but it has something yours doesn’t, numbers. Its called loyalty.

  10. If Shane ends up as an assistant at Melbourne or Brisbane, will his son end up playing at the same club?
    Just thinking the Warriors , Roosters may want Shane as an assistant, if it means Kyle may go to their clubs also.

  11. “I don’t think the Sharks deliberately cheated the salary cap”

    They knew exactly what they were doing, the losers couldent win so they tried every way possible to cheat.

    Enjoy the bottom 4 again,

  12. When your stain is known for salary cap cheating and peptides, of course your stain of a team is going to get some hate, hopefully this is the year your stain is sent packing.

  13. Look at this eels loser, knows his team is that much of a dump/embarrassment he tries sticking up for another team.

  14. Parramatta and Drugnulla i dont even have to say anything both win at all costs attitudes both cheaters ha my work is already done

  15. Kyle Flanagan must not be a very good player prospect if Cronulla keep buying players to cover his position in the NRL. with recent signings of Moylan as 5/8 who will now be shifted to fullback with the arrival of Johnson who can cover both Flanagan’s positions of half and 5/8 and with Townsend already established as their premiership winning half then Flanagan’s chances of playing NRL are just about at Zero level. Being third choice half and 4th choice 5/8 as Townsend can cover 5/8 with ease also if they decide they would like Johnston as halfback.🎱🎱🎱🎱

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