Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 

Club information
Full name	Cronulla Sutherland District Rugby League Football Club Ltd
Nickname(s)	Sharks, Sharkies
Website	sharks.com.au
Colours	Sky blue      White      Black
Founded	1963 as Cronulla-Caringbah 1967 in New South Wales Rugby League
Current details
Ground(s)	Endeavour Field (17,000)
Coach	Craig Fitzgibbon
Captain	Cameron McInnes
Competition	National Rugby League
2024 season	4th
Uniforms
Home colours Away colours
Records
Premierships	1 (2016)
Runners-up	3 (1973, 1978, 1997SL)
Minor premiership	2 (1988, 1999)
Wooden spoons	3 (1967, 1969, 2014)
Most capped	348 - Paul Gallen
Highest points scorer	1,255 - Steve Rogers

The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are a professional rugby league team from Cronulla, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. They play in the National Rugby League (NRL), which is Australia's top rugby league competition. The Sharks joined the league in January 1967. They have played in every season since then. The Sharks have reached the Grand Final four times. They won their first championship in 2016, beating the Melbourne Storm at Stadium Australia.

History of the Sharks

In 1967, the New South Wales Rugby Football League (NSWRFL) added two new teams: Cronulla-Sutherland and Penrith. These were the first new teams in 20 years.

The Cronulla team started playing in 1967. They wore a sky blue jersey with a white V. Their first home ground was Sutherland Oval. Monty Porter was their first captain and Ken Kearney was the coach. The Sharks won their very first game against Eastern Suburbs. However, they only won two more games that year and finished last.

In mid-1968, the club moved to Endeavour Field in Woolooware. This made them the only club in Sydney to own their own stadium. Their first game there was a 10–7 win against Parramatta.

Chart of yearly table positions for Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in First Grade Rugby League

The 1970s: Early Grand Finals

Cronulla played in their first Grand Final in 1973. They lost 10–7 to Manly-Warringah. They met Manly again in the 1978 Grand Final. The game ended in an 11-all draw. A replay was played, but the Sharks lost 16–0. They had many injured players and some were suspended for the replay.

The 1980s: Financial Challenges and Success

In 1983, Cronulla faced big money problems. The NSWRL helped them with a loan. Other clubs like Newtown were not as lucky and had to leave the competition. Cronulla also reached the final of the mid-week KB Cup but lost to Manly.

In 1985, famous coach Jack Gibson joined the club. He left the team in good shape in 1987. In 1988, Cronulla won the minor premiership. This means they finished first in the regular season. Gavin Miller was named the best player of the year. However, injuries stopped them from winning the Grand Final. In 1989, Cronulla made the finals again. Gavin Miller won the best player award for a second time.

The 1990s: Super League and New Heights

Cronulla had more financial troubles in 1990. But when rugby league legend Arthur Beetson became coach in 1992, things improved on the field. He helped develop many young players. In 1993, the club had to go into receivership due to financial issues.

John Lang took over as coach in 1994. This started a great time for the club. Their junior teams won championships. From 1994 to 2001, Cronulla made the semi-finals almost every year. The club became very popular and attracted large crowds. This helped their money situation.

In 1995, Cronulla joined the new Super League competition. This league started in 1997 after many legal battles. Cronulla reached the Super League Grand Final but lost to Brisbane 26–8. This was the first Grand Final played outside Sydney. The club then rejoined the reunited National Rugby League in 1998.

The 1999 season was one of Cronulla's best. They won the minor premiership again. They beat the Brisbane Broncos easily. But they lost to their rivals, the St George Illawarra Dragons, in the Grand Final qualifier. After this season, a planned merger with South Sydney was stopped by fans. Cronulla stayed in the league. For a few years, the club was just called the "Sharks".

The 2000s: Ups and Downs

In 2001, Cronulla lost another Grand Final qualifier to Newcastle. Preston Campbell was named the best player of the year, which was a surprise.

In 2002, Chris Anderson became coach. The Sharks reached the Grand Final qualifier again but lost to New Zealand. The next two years were difficult. There were many changes to players and coaches. The club finished 11th in 2003. They also had a record 74–4 loss to Parramatta.

Stuart Raper became coach in 2004. He helped improve team spirit. However, the team's winning record got worse.

On January 3, 2006, Steve Rogers, a club legend and CEO, passed away. In April 2006, the coroner said his death was accidental.

In 2006, the government gave $9.6 million to upgrade Toyota Park, the Sharks' home ground. The team had a bad end to the 2006 season. They lost their last 10 games in a row. Stuart Raper was then replaced by Ricky Stuart as coach for 2007.

Sharkies Leagues Club

In 2007, Cronulla broke their losing streak in the first game. They finished 11th, losing many close games.

The 2008 season was strong for Cronulla. They finished third on the ladder. They had a great defense but struggled to score points. They beat Manly and Melbourne early in the season. After beating Canberra in the finals, they lost to Melbourne in the Preliminary Final.

Cronulla attack Manly in August 2009

In 2009, Cronulla faced serious money problems. They owned their stadium but had cash flow issues. The club thought about moving some home games to the Central Coast and Adelaide. The NRL did not approve this. The CEO, Tony Zappia, left the club.

Businessman Damian Irvine and a new board took over the club in May 2009. The team had a tough season, losing many games. They avoided the wooden spoon (last place) in the final round.

The 2010s: Challenges and a Historic Premiership

In 2010, the team's performance was still poor. Coach Ricky Stuart resigned in July. His assistant, Shane Flanagan, took over.

The 2011 season started well with new players like Wade Graham and Jeremy Smith. They had some big wins but also a five-game losing streak. They finished the season strongly, winning against Canterbury-Bankstown and Canberra.

In 2012, the Sharks signed new players like Todd Carney and Andrew Fifita. They won six games in a row for the first time in over ten years. They made the finals but lost to Canberra. The club's finances improved with new sponsors.

In 2013, Chairman Damian Irvine stepped down. Coach Shane Flanagan was suspended for nine months by the NRL for issues related to player care in 2011. Peter Sharp became coach. He later resigned, and James Shepherd took over.

The 2014 season was very difficult. Many players were injured or suspended due to the 2011 supplements issue. Cronulla finished last, winning the wooden spoon.

In 2015, the club improved greatly. Shane Flanagan returned as coach. They finished 6th and made it to the second week of the finals. They lost to North Queensland.

The 2016 NRL season was amazing for the Sharks. After a few early losses, they won 15 games in a row. This was the longest winning streak in the club's history. They even had their biggest win ever, beating the Newcastle Knights 62–0. They finished 3rd in the regular season.

In the finals, they beat the Raiders and the Cowboys. This led them to the 2016 NRL Grand Final against the Melbourne Storm. Cronulla won a thrilling game 14–12. This was their first championship in 50 years! Luke Lewis was named the best player in the Grand Final. After the win, player Ben Barba left the club. Chairman Damian Keogh also resigned.

In 2017, Cronulla played in the World Club Challenge but lost to Wigan. They made the NRL finals but were knocked out by North Queensland.

In 2018, Cronulla finished 4th. They reached the preliminary final but lost to Melbourne. In late 2018, the club had more financial problems and let go of 10 staff members. Coach Shane Flanagan was suspended again by the NRL for not following rules from his 2014 suspension. The club was also fined $800,000.

In 2019, Cronulla finished 7th and made the finals. They lost to Manly in the elimination final. It was announced that the Sharks would play home games away from Shark Park for two seasons due to stadium redevelopment.

The 2020s: Recent Seasons

In the 2020 NRL season, Cronulla finished 8th and made the finals. They lost to Canberra in the first week.

The 2021 NRL season saw a change in coaches. John Morris was replaced by Josh Hannay. The team had a tough year and missed the finals, finishing 9th.

In the 2022 NRL season, Cronulla surprised many by finishing second. Halfback Nicho Hynes won the Dally M Medal as the league's best player. In the finals, they lost a close game to North Queensland in extra time. The next week, they lost to South Sydney, ending their season.

In 2023, Cronulla finished 6th. They lost to the Sydney Roosters in an elimination final.

In the 2024 NRL season, Cronulla finished 4th. They won their first finals game in six years against North Queensland. However, they lost to Penrith in the preliminary final, ending their season.

Team Identity

Logo

The club was not called the Sharks at first. In their first season, their logo showed Captain Cook's ship, the HM Bark Endeavour. The name "Sharks" was suggested by their first captain, Ken Kearney. From the late 1970s to the late 1990s, the Sharks used a black circle logo with a blue shark. After the Super League in 1997, it changed to a blue and white star shape. Between 1999 and 2002, they were just called the "Sharks". Since 2003, they are back to Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, and their current logo was introduced in 2004.

Colours

For their first season, Cronulla used a teal jersey with a white V. This was similar to the Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club. The team's main colours are black, white, and sky blue. Grey was added during the Super League era and for away jerseys.

Primary jerseys

• 

  1967

• 

  1968–1977

• 

  1978–1980, 1985–1994

• 

  1981–1982

• 

  1983–1984

• 

  1995–1996

• 

  1997–2000

Club Song

The Cronulla club song is called Up Up Cronulla. It uses the tune of the song "Beer Barrel Polka".

Stadium

Cheerleaders cheering on the crowd at Endeavour Field.

When the Sharks first joined the league in 1967, they played at Sutherland Oval. They only played there for two seasons. Their first win at the ground was on April 22, 1967. The biggest crowd at Sutherland Oval was 12,578 people in 1968.

In 1969, they moved to Endeavour Field, which has been their home ever since. This stadium has had many names, like Ronson Field, Shark Park, and Toyota Stadium. In 2013, it went back to its original name, Endeavour Field. In 2013, Remondis became the stadium's naming rights partner.

In 2016, a new deal was made with Southern Cross Group. The stadium is now called Southern Cross Group Stadium. It can hold 22,000 people. The record crowd was 22,302 for a game against the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2004.

Sharkies Leagues Club

Sharkies Leagues Club

The Cronulla Sutherland Leagues Club is known as Sharkies. It is located next to the team's home ground, Endeavour Field.

For many years, there were plans to develop the land around the Leagues Club and stadium. In August 2012, the club finally got approval for plans to build homes and a shopping center. This helped solve the club's long-standing financial issues. In 2016, Lyall Gorman became CEO, which was a great year for the Sharks both on and off the field.

Players and Awards

Sharks Immortals

The club has honored five special individuals as "Immortals":

• Tommy Bishop, player and coach (1969–74)
• Greg Pierce, player (1969–80) and coach (1981–82)
• Steve Rogers, player (1973–85) and CEO
• Gavin Miller, player (1980–92)
• Andrew Ettingshausen, player (1983–2000)

Club Captains

¹ – Unknown number of matches as captain between 1972 and 1976.

Dream Team

Announced 2006

Team of the Half Century

Announced 2017

Team of the Decade

Announced 2020

Award Winners

Dally M Medal

• Steve Rogers (1981)
• Gavin Miller (1988, 1989)
• Preston Campbell (2001)
• Nicho Hynes (2022)

Rothmans Medal

• Terry Hughes (1968)
• Ken Maddison (1973)
• Steve Rogers (1975)
• Barry Russell (1988)
• Gavin Miller (1989)
• Paul Green (1995)

Club Player of the Year (Porter Gallen Medal)

Clive Churchill Medal

• Luke Lewis (2016)

Coaches Register

Team Achievements

• Premierships: 1 (2016)
• Runners-Up: 3 (1973, 1978, 1997 Super League)
• Minor Premierships: 2 (1988, 1999)
• Wooden Spoons: 3 (1967, 1969, 2014)
• Finals Appearances: 26 times
• Amco Cup: 1 (1979)

Team Rivalries

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

This rivalry is called the "Battle of the Beaches" because of where the teams are located. Manly beat the Sharks in two Grand Finals, in 1973 and 1978. These games were very tough. Manly has usually had more success against the Sharks. Cronulla has only won five times at Manly's home ground. However, the Sharks' biggest win ever was against Manly, a 68-6 victory in 2005. The two teams play for the Steve Rogers Trophy each season.

St. George Illawarra Dragons

The Sharks' biggest rivalry is with their nearby team, the St George Illawarra Dragons. St. George has a long history of success. This has sometimes made Cronulla seem like the "little brother" team. In 1999, the Cronulla CEO famously cut up a St. George jersey. He was later removed from his job.

Even with this rivalry, the games between the two teams are often very close. Both teams play with extra effort when they meet. In the 1999 preliminary final, Cronulla was leading but St George Illawarra came back to win. They met again in the finals in 2002 (Cronulla won) and 2005 (St George Illawarra won). In 2023, Cronulla had their biggest win against St. George Illawarra, beating them 52-16.

Melbourne Storm

This rivalry is more recent. It became very strong in the 2016 NRL Grand Final, which Cronulla won.

In 2008, Cronulla beat Melbourne with a field goal. That game had a big fight where two players were sent off. The teams met again in the preliminary final, and Melbourne won.

In 2012, Melbourne had won nine games in a row. But Cronulla beat them 12-10. Later that year, Melbourne made a big comeback to beat Cronulla 20-18. The rivalry grew in late 2015 when Melbourne beat Cronulla. The Sharks coach said Melbourne was slowing down the game.

In 2016, Cronulla beat Melbourne in Round 4. This started Cronulla's record 15-game winning streak. The two teams met in the final round for the minor premiership, which Melbourne won. But four weeks later, Cronulla beat Melbourne in the 2016 Grand Final, 14–12.

The teams had close games in 2017. In 2018, Cronulla won both regular season games against Melbourne. But they lost to them in the preliminary final. That game had a controversial moment with a tackle by Melbourne player Billy Slater.

Supporters

The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks have many fans. They have groups like the "Cronulla-Sutherland Supporters Club" and websites like "Sharks Forever".

Sharks fans are known for doing "Spirit Fingers" when a player kicks the ball.

Famous Supporters

• Lara Bingle, model and actress
• Stuart Clark, former cricketer
• Peter Costello, former Treasurer
• Brendan Cowell, actor and director
• Cathy Freeman, former sprinter
• Samuel Johnson, actor
• Brendan Jones, radio presenter
• Daniel MacPherson, actor
• Elle Macpherson, model
• Glenn McGrath, former cricketer
• Scott Morrison, former Prime Minister
• Shannon Noll, singer
• Mark Occhilupo, surfer
• Glenn Wheeler radio personality
• Markus Zusak, writer

See also

In Spanish: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks para niños