Sharks downplay NRL winning streak

Streak, what streak? Cronulla star Andrew Fifita isn’t sure the Sharks are even on one.

Cronulla push for a club record 12th successive NRL win against Parramatta this weekend but it seems the NSW forward hasn’t been keeping count.

“Is it a record, is it?” he asked reporters at Sharks training on Tuesday.

“To be honest it doesn’t feel like we have won 11 in a row. I’m not talking about it, the boys are not talking about it. I don’t even remember winning 11 games in a row.

“It just feels like the start of the season and we have had a win and had a loss.

“We are just focusing on this game and this game only.

The Sharks host Parramatta on Sunday at Shark Park where they have an 8-0 record this year, as they attempt to better the club record set by the 2002 and 1977-78 sides, neither of whom, of course, went on to win the premiership.

Only 12.5 per cent of teams that have achieved such a winning streak have gone on to enjoy premiership success, according to Fox Sports Stats.

The Sharks have accounted for Melbourne, Wests Tigers, Gold Coast, Canberra, Penrith, Brisbane, Newcastle, Manly, Canterbury, North Queensland and the Warriors in a winning run that extends back to a round three defeat to the Sea Eagles in mid-march.

Fullback Ben Barba said records aren’t the Sharks’ key focus.

“That record, it is the last thing on our mind. We just want to keep playing good football and if the wins keep coming that is part of it,” Barba said.

“For a team on top of the ladder it is about turning up each week. We are now the hunted rather than the hunter.”

“The challenge for us is to stay on the direction we are on.”

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