LAST Friday's events were the most dramatic since the Australian Crime Commission released its report into drugs in sport and organised crime, which was dubbed the darkest day in Australian sport.
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It was certainly the blackest day in the Sharks' history.
Coach Shane Flanagan and his support staff — football general manager Darren Mooney, club doctor Dave Givney, trainer Mark Noakes and physiotherapist Konrad Schultz — were called to a meeting at 3pm and told their fate. Flanagan would be stood down and the other staff sacked.
The players were then told in a meeting at the Rydges Hotel at Cronulla at 5pm.
"I still believe that the players have not done anything wrong," Flanagan said.
"I didn't oversee anything. My involvement . . . I've got no idea, bar being coach at the time. I just hope the players come out of this looked after. I know I've done nothing wrong. My reputation will be intact."
With the Sharks crisis deepening, the NRL was forced to intervene, installing former Brisbane Broncos boss Bruno Cullen as interim chief executive.
