Cronulla appoint John Morris as interim head coach

Cronulla have appointed John Morris as interim head coach with immediate effect, with Jim Dymock to remain as assistant coach. 

Shane Flanagan has not yet responded to the NRL’s breach notice against him, but the Sharks have decided to put Morris in the head coaching role, with the new season just around the corner.

Flanagan has until the end of January to show cause why he shouldn’t be de-registered for having contact with the club regarding the recruitment of players while suspended in 2014.

Morris completed his masters of coaching in 2014, before becoming the elite development coach of the Sharks’ academy in 2015 and then taking over as the club’s Holden Cup coach the following year.

He guided Cronulla’s NYC team to the Minor Premiership in 2017 and was named NYC Coach of the Year.

Morris made 300 first-grade appearances as a player in the NRL, spending five seasons with the Sharks.

Cronulla’s chief executive Barry Russell commented: “The club is delighted to be able to give John the opportunity to step up into the interim head coach role and has full confidence in his ability to lead our football program into the 2019 season.”