Rebecca Wilson: New Cronulla Sharks boss has his head stuck in the sand The Sharks say a big new sponsor for the club shows they're moving on from the controversy of the ASADA investigation. THE Cronulla Sharks new chairman, Damian Keogh, had a huge chance to wipe the slate clean at the deeply troubled club when he stepped into the top job several weeks ago. But there has been no clear public statement like that from AFL side Essendon from the club. Keogh has spent his time in the chair trying to reinstate club officials who were allegedly part of the events of the 2011 season that are now part of the ASADA investigation. I believe Keogh, like many followers of either Essendon or Cronulla, are in denial. He has seen the ASADA investigation stall and appears to hope that it will soon go away. But the new powers handed to ASADA by the Federal Government last week will mean the drug agency has unprecedented access to information, records and statements that they will use as evidence in their probe. The whole club need to face the fact that Cronulla's very survival is on the line here, otherwise ASADA and the NRL will have more ammunition for their investigation. ASADA has moved slowly but deliberately towards an outcome at Essendon which is now just weeks away. I have no doubt that at least a handful of players and officials will be handed violations, and that some may lose their livelihoods. This is not the figment of my imagination. It is real very, very real and it's coming to Cronulla within weeks. Channel Nine's Tim Gilbert appeared on Wide World of Sports last Sunday and proclaimed the drugs investigation was 'boring'. Gilbert claimed there had been no positive tests so there would be no doping violations. He might have made himself aware of the Lance Armstrong case before he said that. After all, Armstrong never returned a positive test. Meet the Press, Ep14, Seg 5 The story was a storm in a teacup, he said, the government had gone off 'half cocked' and let's all forget about it. He also said that Jobe Watson should hold on to his Brownlow because he had done nothing wrong. But, this opinion doesn't take into account Watson's admission on national television that he had been injected with a prohibited substance and WADA's strict view on them. Sadly, Gilbert's views are reflected throughout the wider football community which remains steadfast in its support of the footballers involved. Yesterday's stunning poll results reveal, however, a stunning 12 per cent of all sports fans believe the Cronulla sharks are dishonest. Away from the Sharks Shire heartland, genuine Australian sports fans understand the implications of what went down in Cronulla in 2011. This result in itself should be enough for Keogh to abandon any idea of band-aid solutions. I think reinstatement of four club officials who inadvertently admitted in the Kavanagh report there was a doping issue at the club will only add to the club's already diminishing reputation. Footy clubs are not run on charity. Sponsors are the key to any club's survival and they have deserted the Sharks in their droves. They will not be attracted back with glad-handing those who were sacked over the issue. In recent days, I understand Keogh and several board members have had a close look at Essendon and the way it handled the investigations. They are shocked by advice from various legal sources that players will have the right to sue the club for a breach of duty of care if violations are issued. The penny may have dropped that if you are a board member, you have certain rules of governance that mean you are culpable if things go pear shaped. It is all very well to pat sacked staff on the back and hand them back their jobs. It is entirely another to be held personally responsible for an alleged systemic doping program that spanned at least 11 weeks in 2011. Club insiders have told me this week that they are deeply concerned the new board has no grasp on the issues at hand. Legal advice handed to Keogh that he should reinstate the sacked staff was questioned by those who believe ASADA will simply produce the statements sacked club officials have already made to Trish Kavanagh. Essendon has said this week that they will continue to pay any player or official who is found guilty of a doping violation even while they are under suspension. Cronulla have no big cash pot on which to draw if the same happens there. The club 'will be on its knees' according to a club insider who believes that even the legal fees will see the club being forced to shut its doors. It appears Damian Keogh has a Grade A governance issue. Because ASADA curtailed the player interviews six weeks ago, it seems a false sense of security has set in at the Sharks. Lance Armstrong was banned for life without uttering a single word to the United States Anti-Drug Administration. This is not going away and no amount of shoring up local support within the Cronulla shire will deny the fact that the club has some serious questions to answer. Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank in Sydney. Last time I checked, sports scientist Stephen Dank was not an employee with any footy club. So it was with some curiosity I saw a story quoting him this week saying Jobe Watson should keep his Brownlow medal. Can someone explain how Dank is in a position to comment on Watson or any other player, given he holds no position of authority at any football club? Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has had the look of a drought stricken farmer since he took on the job several years ago. His tenure has been fraught to say the least. Deans has faced a litany of disciplinary problems off the field, poorly executed rugby, shocking selection mistakes and the code's slide to near oblivion. Tonight at ANZ stadium he may get a chance to smile when the Wallabies look for an historic win against the British Lions. This series has re-ignited rugby in Australia. If the boys in gold run the ball with abandon, as they have threatened to do for two Tests now, the code has a chance of redemption among fans who have deserted it for greener footy fields. There is no doubt Deans loves the sport. He showed a glimmer of emotion about it this week because he probably knows his number may be up after this series. If they can win well, in a manner befitting the Wallabies jersey, Deans could be the farmer who finally sees the rain. Congratulations to the NSW government for enlisting Kate Page to the SCG trust. Page's appointment is an inspired one, given her experience in big business and her obvious passion for sport. The newly formed NRL commission should have broken the rules to keep Page but opted to reject her because she had already sat on the NRL board. The trust has four new appointees but none will offer as much as the amazing Katie Page.