John Morris Has Been Appointed Coach Of The Cronulla Sharks

The Sharks didn’t have to look far to find their replacement for Shane Flanagan.

The Daily Telegraph revealed on Thursday afternoon that the 38-year-old will be announced as the club’s full-time mentor as soon as the final details of his new contract are sorted out.

It marks a rapid rise for the 300-gamer and ex-Sharks utility after serving a four-year apprenticeship in the club’s lower grades.

Morris took over the role in an interim capacity in December after Flanagan was deregistered by the NRL for flouting a 2014 ban for his part in the club’s peptides scandal.

It marks a rapid rise for the 300-gamer and ex-Sharks utility after serving a four-year apprenticeship in the club’s lower grades.

Morris took over the role in an interim capacity in December after Flanagan was deregistered by the NRL for flouting a 2014 ban for his part in the club’s peptides scandal.

Cronulla co-captain Paul Gallen was full of praise for Morris in a recent interview.

“I’ve got to give ‘Bomber’ [Morris] a lot of credit so far, he’s been really, really good,” Gallen told Triple M‘s The Rush Hour with MG.

“He hasn’t missed a beat at training. The attitude of the players has been really good and the attitude of Johnny Morris has been great.

“He’s very organised, very diligent in his work, and things have been really good.”

The NRL have refused to comment about any possible sanctions given Flanagan is entitled to a right of response and any submission will be taken into account when determining a punishment.

Under one option open to NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg, Flanagan could be banned for a set period of time.

Or he could banish Flanagan indefinitely, in which case the premiership-winning coach would have to apply to the NRL should he wish to re-enter the game down the track.

It is expected any determination will take several weeks to be handed down.

Flanagan was banned and the Sharks fined $800,000 after it was found that he contravened his 12-month ban by communicating via email with club officials.