Stat To Fix: Sharks need to replace backline quartet

The biggest challenge for Cronulla leading into the 2019 Telstra Premiership season is unlikely to come down to a lone statistic, but rather how the club plans to replace departed stars Valentine Holmes, Jesse Ramien, Edrick Lee and Ricky Leutele in the backline.

Holmes, Lee and Ramien were the side's biggest attacking weapons in 2018, finishing as the top three try scorers at the club. They also made an impact in several key areas with the ball in hand.

Along with Leutele, the departing quartet accumulated 52% of Cronulla's 87 tries over the 25 rounds of the Telstra Premiership.

Holmes, arguably the biggest loss for the Sharks, made up a large portion of the club's overall success in attack, while also taking over the goal-kicking duties late in the season.

Replacing Homles shapes as the biggest task of all.

Interim coach John Morris is likely to give the role to Matt Moylan as the arrival of Shaun Johnson gives the Sharks another option in the halves.

Moylan, who has switched between fullback and five-eighth over the past two seasons, scored 26 tries and generated 62 try assists in 89 games at the Panthers.

The Sharks have recruited former international Josh Morris as Leutele's replacement, while the club will rely on the likes of Sosaia Feki, Josh Dugan, Aaron Gray and Sione Katoa to pick up much of the workload.

Another high percentage came in line breaks with 48% of the side's overall, while almost a third of the runs and tackle breaks came from the group.