'A legend of the game': Sharks wary of interim Warriors boss Stacey Jones

Warriors fans hoping for a sudden upturn in form following Nathan Brown’s exit earlier this week could be disappointed when they face Cronulla on Sunday evening.

Stacey Jones has been placed in temporary charge of the Warriors, who have won just once in their last eight, but history shows the change of coach doesn’t always yield results.

In the last decade, only four out of 18 interim coaches have been able to secure a win the week after stepping into the void.

Aotearoa Rugby Pod | Episode 17

Aotearoa Rugby Pod | Episode 17

Not all caretaker coaches hold the gravitas of Jones, however, and Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said his side was prepared for a bounce-back under their fill-in coach.

“Stacey’s a legend of the game and an ornament to rugby league in New Zealand,” Fitzgibbon said.

“When he took the position, he talked about bringing the steel back in, the effort and the heart.

“We’re under no illusions as to the response that can happen under a new coach.

“We need to respond to our last performance. We’ve trained well and we’re ready to go.”

Cronulla have won nine of their last 11 games against the Warriors and will be buoyed by the return of Jesse Ramien from suspension and Nicho Hynes from the NSW Blues camp.

Hynes didn’t get on the field in the State of Origin series opener on Wednesday but has been integral to how the Sharks play, contributing a club-high nine try assists since signing from the Melbourne Storm.

The Sharks playmaker will want to respond after Cronulla’s last outing – a 36-16 loss to the Sydney Roosters – and with the Blues side in a state of flux he could force his way into Brad Fittler’s starting side.

“There’s no injury risk and he (Hynes) trained well, he is such an important part to our team,” Fitzgibbon said. “We probably needed a freshen-up after the way we played.

“Our last performance, we were off the pace in the first half and you’d like to go into a bye round with a win under your belt.

“It’s important to take stock of where you’re at and you need to work on and improve.”