‘Our friendship will last forever’: Trent Robinson and Craig Fitzgibbon press pause on their friendship ahead of finals showdown

They won three premierships together and have forged a friendship that “will last forever”, but rival coaches Trent Robinson and Craig Fitzgibbon have decided to press pause on their relationship this week as the Roosters and Sharks fight to keep their seasons alive.

Fitzgibbon played 10 seasons for the Roosters and was Robinson’s right-hand man in their three grand final wins in 2013, 2018 and 2019 where he established himself as one of the best defensive minds in the game.

It was only a matter of time until he was offered a head coaching role somewhere, with the former back-rower turning down a couple of jobs before he settled on the Sharks who have made the finals in his two years in charge.

Their bond is so tight that Robinson gave a glowing speech before Fitzgibbon was made a life member in 2021, with the four-time Jack Gibson Medal winner also inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame at a gala event earlier this year.

The friendship will last a lifetime, but the pleasantries have been put on hold with the Sharks to host the Roosters in Saturday’s elimination final.

“We’re great mates, and we don’t need to speak this week to be great mates,” Robinson said.

“That personal bit is on hold. We’ve got a job to do. The reason we’re standing here is because we work for our clubs, and that’s our job this week.

“Our friendship will last forever, but this week it’s business as usual when it comes to finals.”

Fitzgibbon has nothing but respect for his former mentor, but he won’t get sentimental ahead of their first finals meeting.

“Our relationship won’t be altered either way,” he said.

“We haven’t spoken this week.”

The pair have only met twice as opposing coaches, with the Roosters winning easily last year before the Sharks got their revenge back in round 7, which was Sam Walker’s last game before he was dropped.

Robinson has seen plenty of his former assistants get head coaching gigs, and he knew from the outset that his most trusted deputy was destined to do well in the NRL when he finally got his chance.

“He’s an honest man, he’s a hard man and he has a really high standard of himself which he imparts on his team,” the Roosters coach said.

“That’s what makes him a great man and a great coach.

“We talk a lot as mates about life, and we talk a lot about footy. That’s usually weekly but not this week.”

Five-eighth Luke Keary was part of the 2018 and 2019 sides that won premierships under Robinson and Fitzgibbon, and he’s proud of his former assistant coach, although he’ll be more than happy to end Cronulla’s season this weekend.

“It’s been good to watch him take his stuff that we got to see for a long time here,” the playmaker said.

“You can see that’s his team with the way that they play. They’re a hardworking team and he’s got them principally really controlled in defence and their attack is one of the best in the competition.

“It’s cool to see that Fitz has gone off and written his story, but hopefully we can close the story this year for the big fella.”