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At least, right now they do. <\/p>\n
That could be about to change, with veteran rugby league reporter Dean Ritchie declaring the Sharks are \u201cin the best position they have ever been\u201d since their title-winning 2016 campaign to lift the Provan-Summons Trophy.<\/p>\n
It comes after the Sharks put the cleaners through the Sea Eagles<\/a> on Sunday to solidify their spot inside the top four and make it eight wins from their last nine games.<\/p>\n Halfback Nicho Hynes had what Ritchie called \u201cthe best game\u201d of his career against Manly, running for 136 metres and setting up three tries in the win while five-eighth Brayton Trindall was also heavily involved. <\/p>\n The pair looked to have found the right balance playing behind a forward pack that is punching above its weight, led by Addin Fonua-Blake while the Sharks have consistently had one of the more dynamic backlines in the competition.<\/p>\n It prompted one journalist to ask Craig Fitzigbbon on Sunday afternoon if the Sharks were finally on the verge of taking the next step after several years of falling short.<\/p>\n It is a question the Sharks coach took issue with, although even he seemed to concede that until his playing group lifts in the finals even they can\u2019t take all the outside talk seriously \u2014 even if it is now overwhelmingly positive.<\/p>\n Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n ‘Doueihi won’t be there next year!’ | 02:18<\/p>\n \u201cTo be honest, I think it\u2019s your impression of us,\u201d Fitzgibbon said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been consistently up there for four years straight, just without any \u2018they\u2019re a threat mentality\u2019. We\u2019re in the same position we\u2019ve been the last four years. Nothing\u2019s changed. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re actually doing the same thing. I don\u2019t know why the perception has changed that we\u2019re believable now. It hasn\u2019t because we haven\u2019t done anything. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the catch for us… we just don\u2019t believe if anyone believes in us anyway. We haven\u2019t had it for four years, we\u2019re not gonna start doing it now. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re just gonna believe in each other and make sure that we value the things that we value and get after it, but there\u2019s still a long way to go. There\u2019s a lot of footy between now and semis.\u201d<\/p>\n Fitz proud of ‘confident’ Sharks win | 11:03<\/p>\n Fitzgibbon is right and with one of the softest schedules in the NRL, the Sharks have a golden chance to not only lock up a top-four spot but even challenge for a home final in week one.<\/p>\n With the way Hynes in particular is playing, it has even the Sharks\u2019 biggest critics believing they could make some noise in the finals.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen he\u2019s playing like he is and they\u2019re playing like they have been last month, I actually think they could win the comp,\u201d Brent Read said on NRL 360.<\/p>\n \u201cThe bar now is top four. Anything below that is an unacceptable season for them, but the key for them is Trindall and Hynes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re a bit scary at the moment,\u201d added Ritchie. <\/p>\n \u201cThat the his best game I think I\u2019ve ever seen Nicho play. He\u2019s in better form than when he won the Dally M medal. It was phenomenal. <\/p>\n \u201cThey are in the best position they have ever been since 2016. I\u2019ve been one of their harshest critics because I\u2019m not going to say the choke word, but I just did… every year they seem to go out under dubious circumstances when the heat is on but this team looks different. <\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve got a harder edge to them.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n TALKING POINTS: Forgotten part of Tigers mess; Wayne\u2019s looming contract call<\/a><\/p>\n