FATHER'S Day at Remondis Stadium was a special day in the shire, with a huge crowd and a top four position on the line.
All was in place for a memorable day but unfortunately, as hard as the boys tried, the further it seemed to get away from them the longer the match went on.
At times a team can try too hard, which was the case on Sunday as we went away from many things that have worked for us before.
Three or four times we were over the line and couldn't close the deal and claim that win which would have seen us climb into the top four. But now that the dust has settled on that game we need to realise we are in the final series, with eight other teams envious of the opportunity we now have.
We have quickly moved on from the disappointment of the Manly game, with the squad gathering at North Cronulla Surf Club late Monday morning to plan our week leading into the elimination final against South Sydney on Sunday.
When Souths travelled to North Queensland they gave a gritty and determined performance to revive their season with an impressive win, and showing why they won the NRL title in 2014.
We realise Souths will be hard opponents and won't give up their NRL crown easily.
I do believe, however, we have been waiting for this game to arrive since our position in top eight was secured a month ago.
As hard as staff and senior players try to keep everyone focused on the remaining games, you do look ahead and prepare yourself for the big matches we are about to play.
This is where my senior playing group will stand tall this week and make sure that our preparation is perfect.
They will also show leadership and pass on whatever knowledge they can to the younger players in the lead up to an NRL semi-final, which is a game that goes to another level compared to the regular club rounds.
I won't forget the 2013 final series and sensational support we had at both the Manly and Cowboys games.
We hope to see similar Sharks numbers at Allianz Stadium to combat Souths on Sunday.
Thank you Sharks fans. On Sunday we will make all of you proud.
Shane Flanagan and the Leader support Sydney Children's Hospital Foundation.
■ Donations: schf.org.au
