OPINION: THE SHARK REALITY

Six years have passed since the Albany Sharks Football Club entered the Great Southern Football League’s top tier and their long-term viability remains robustly debated.

The GSFL had hoped league-quality players would uproot and leave their existing clubs for something new.

This was never going to happen in the competitive Albany football community, where clubs cling and scrap for the currency driving football — the players.

The fact is, after one win from 78 games, players are not attracted to join the Sharks.

The GSFL has offered various concessions in an effort to get the wheel turning.

The coup of recruiting current coaches Scott Sedgwick and Kim Mayfield was vital.

The consistent statement from the GSFL is the Sharks are valued for the long-term sustainability of the competition. A new multimillion-dollar stadium has so far hidden the ongoing player issue that will remain if bold decisions are not made.

The GSFL seems out of ideas or unwilling to move boldly in fear of upsetting the apple cart.

Sharks president Geoff Oldfield has thrown down the challenge to players starved of league opportunity or players wanting a new challenge to join them. They can only do so much. He previously mooted that all new players coming into the league should be forced to play for them.

This was shot down in flames.

Fortunately for the Sharks, their club is filled with strong belief and members who carry loyalty, resolve and commitment.

These are qualities which define a good culture but how long before those qualities begins to wane?

Unfortunately winning is too often solely perceived as good culture and you know what they say about perception; it is reality.