Cronulla Sharks supporters have been sent into a frenzy after the NRL club unveiled a surprising new addition to their coaching staff. The Sharks revealed that Sunrise television host and former world-class sprinter Matt Shirvington has taken on a role as the team's sprint coach for the 2026 season.
Social Media Announcement Sparks Excitement
On Thursday, the Sharks official social media channels shared photographs and video footage of the much-loved broadcaster, known affectionately as Shirvo, working with players on the training field. The club posted the caption: "Big welcome to our new speed coach for 2026."
The announcement generated an immediate and overwhelmingly positive reaction from the Sharks faithful across digital platforms. One excited fan commented on Instagram: "Whoa this was unexpected!" Another supporter declared: "What a great addition!" while a third simply blasted: "How good!!"
Shirvington's Olympic Pedigree and New Role
Shirvington brings serious athletic credentials to the role, having represented Australia as a sprinter at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. He competed in both the 100 metres and 200 metres events at the highest level of international athletics.
In a video released by the Cronulla club, the 47-year-old expressed his genuine enthusiasm for the new position. "I love doing this, you know, it's for me," Shirvington said. "This is a great passion of mine. And to leave the studio, I literally leave the show, and I come straight down here to the Shire, and it's nice."
He described the coaching opportunity as a welcome change from his television routine. "It's a change for me to kind of get out of the routine that I've got on TV. I love what I do, but it's nice to get out here. And I mean, it's raining today, but it could be anything from 35C to rain, and it's nice to get outdoors."
How the Coaching Role Came About
The connection was facilitated by former Bulldogs forward Tony Grimaldi, who now works in a football department role at Cronulla. Shirvington explained that he had previously worked with Grimaldi during his time at the Bulldogs.
"I'd actually worked with Tony at the Doggies in the past, and just a couple of months back, he said, 'Hey, would you like to come down and do some speed with the Sharkies?' And I thought, 'yeah, love to'," the new sprint coach revealed.
Focus on Acceleration, Agility and Top Speed
Shirvington outlined that his coaching focus with the NRL squad centres on three key areas: acceleration, agility, and developing maximum top speed. He has already been impressed by the physical capabilities of the Cronulla playing group.
"The guys are moving really well. They're super fast, and their agility is arguably the best team I've seen, and the way that they move around the field. They're very impressive at the moment," he observed.
Praising the Sharks Culture and Player Attitude
The television personality had extensive discussions with head coach Craig Fitzgibbon upon joining the club. "I had a really good chat with Fitz as soon as I arrived here. And he said, 'these boys are fantastic. Great group. The culture is really good.'"
Shirvington said this positive culture was immediately evident. "And I saw it on day one, all the boys came up, shook my hand, said, G'day, were genuinely interested in how I was going and what I was doing and the contribution that I was going to be able to make to this program."
He noted the players have been highly responsive to his coaching. "And they've been really responsive to that. Even some of them called me personally to get a few tips and ideas and to even go beyond the sessions that we're doing here."
"This group is so switched on. They keep asking me questions about how I can get better, and I love to see that. It's the enthusiasm of the team, and the culture of this team is just outstanding," Shirvington concluded, clearly impressed by his new professional environment.
