Timeline: Shane Flanagan's coaching career
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Two years after he handed the Sharks their first premiership, Shane Flanagan's NRL coaching career may be over.
Flanagan, who was appointed head coach of the Sharks in 2010, was found to have breached his suspension agreement in 2014 after engaging with the club on the recruitment and retention of players.
The 2016 premiership-winning coach has until the end of January appeal the NRL's decision.
Here's a breakdown of the biggest events in Flanagan's coaching history.
- 2006: Shane Flanagan appointed assistant coach of the Cronulla Sharks under Stuart Raper.
- 2007: Flanagan moves to the Sydney Roosters to be assistant coach to Ricky Stuart.
- 2008: Flanagan shadows Craig Bellamy as assistant coach of the New South Wales team.
- 2010: Appointed Cronulla Sharks head coach after Ricky Stuart resigned with six weeks remaining in the season.
- 2011: Sharks finish 13th on the ladder with seven wins.
NRL comes down hard on Flanagan
- 2012: Sharks finish seventh with 12 wins.
- 2013: Cronulla investigated by Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and the World Anit-Doping Agency (WADA) over the legality of its supplement program throughout the 2011 season. Sharks finish sixth with 13 wins.
- 2013: On the December 17 the NRL announces Flanagan is suspended for the 2014 season following the year-long investigation of the Sharks' supplement saga.
- 2014: Flanagan banned from the NRL – Peter Sharp steps in as interim coach. Sharp resigns mid-season and is replaced by James Shepherd. Cronulla finish last with just five wins.
- 2015: Flanagan returns as coach, leading the Sharks to a top-four spot. A 39-0 loss to the North Queensland Cowboys shatters any hopes of making them making the grand final.
- 2016: Flanagan coaches the Sharks to their first premiership with a 14-12 grand final victory over the Melbourne Storm at ANZ Stadium.
- 2017: Shane Flanagan leads the club to the finals but they are eliminated in week one at the hands of the Cowboys.
- 2018: Flanagan takes Cronulla to a top-four finish but are knocked out by the Melbourne Storm in the third week of the finals, 22-6.
- December 19, 2018: Shane Flanagan is de-registered by NRL following investigations into his 2014 conducted while serving a one-year suspension.
