It’s been an interesting journey watching the young Sharks continue to develop their rugby skills. Ryan is no exception. Coming from the banner rookie year that brought us Steve ‘The Velvet Fog’ Tormey, Timmy ‘T-Mac’ McCall and Matt ‘Where Did He Go’ Pullen; Ryan has emerged as a perennial crowd favorite with his “Mighty...
Read more →It’s hard to believe that Timmy has been playing for 6 years; the time really does fly when you are having fun. His on and off the field contributions have helped the Sharks and Hibernians remain competitive throughout the years. His recent campaign to rally the troops to work out through the ‘Shark Fit’...
Read more →Johnny is a perennial crowd favorite with his explosive runs, deceptive quickness, and dedication to the team. Coming up through our feeder Union high school program and playing straight through college he has positioned himself as an experienced leader. He has been appointed Captain of the Hibernians and has led them through some good times and bad. Our version of the ‘pocket rocket’ continues to deliver on the field, and has even stepped out of his league with a smoking hot girlfriend off the field. Here’s to our token ‘get out of jail free’ card.
Name: John Vella
Height: 7’2″ *
Weight: 255 lbs (solid muscle)**
Age: 21 (and sexy) ***
Position: Anywhere ****
Rugby Experience (in years): 10
What was your greatest experience during the 2011 season?
Playing
What is the greatest strength you brought to The Sharks this year?
Experience
Most Challenging aspect of playing rugby league in the AMNRL and for the Sharks:
Fitness
Goals for the 2012 season:
Win the league
What does playing for The Sharks mean to you?
Playing the most fun game with my friends
What is your rugby league career goal?
Be a better player
What is most important to The Sharks Success Moving forward?
Numbers at training and games
Name one team in the AMNRL that you want to beat more than any other:
The Bulls
Who is your greatest influence in Rugby league?
Steve Tormey
What message would you like to send to the fans and competitors of The Bucks County Sharks?
Buy our merchandise
* He would be lucky to break 5 foot
** Surprisingly accurate. If you do the math it makes him about as tall as he is wide
*** Notice the receding hairline
**** He really does play anywhere providing the unique opportunity to drop balls and miss tackles from a host of positions
Dan’s speed and awareness on the field is very impressive for someone so new to the game. It became obvious early on in the season that we needed to get the ball out wide so he could use his speed in open space. I had a funny moment as I was cheering him on from the sidelines last Summer. His family was looking at me like I was a lunatic and their expression said it all: “what did Dan get himself into?” I navigated them through some of the finer points of the game and while I don’t think I convinced them that it is a perfectly safe way to spend an afternoon, they did see the huge smile on his face when he scored a try. Dan simultaneously increases our speed and street cred; we look forward to his continued development and expect big things from him this Summer.
Name: Dan Johnson
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 180
Age: 23
Position: winger
What was your greatest experience during the 2011 season?
Scoring for the first time in my career. I’ve talked to guys that had to wait a couple seasons for that to happen, and getting mine in the first game was amazing.
What is the greatest strength you brought to The Sharks this year?
I think my combination of speed and strength is something that helps me with the position that I play.
What do you plan to bring to team in your sophomore season?
A better overall knowledge of the game. I think that by understanding the game better I’ll be able to put my team in better positions to win games.
What do you find most challenging aspect of playing rugby league in the AMNRL and for the Sharks?
The most challenging aspect for me was learning the game on the fly. As long as our team can consistently get the same people out to games and practices we will be fine.
Goals for the 2012 season:
Get more involved in the offensive part of the game.
What does playing for The Sharks mean to you?
It’s good competition, a great way to stay in shape, and another way to hang out with friends.
What is your rugby league career goal?
To hopefully win a championship and make the national team.
What is most important to The Sharks Success Moving forward?
Steady turnouts in practice and at games.
Name one team in the AMNRL that you want to beat more than any other:
New York Knights
Who is your greatest influence in Rugby league?
Steve Tormey, he’s the one that got me into this.
What message would you like to send to the fans and competitors of The Bucks County Sharks?
Come out and watch us, this is going to be an exciting year for us and we’re only getting better.
