Sharks are out of their depth in Gosford
Roar Guru
By Steve Kaless, 9 May 2009 Steve Kaless is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Cronulla Sharks, gosford rugby league, NRL, Rugby League
Misi Taulapapa lines up a nice right cross at Anthony Quinn during the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs Melbourne Storm Preliminary Final National Rugby League match at the Sydney Football Stadium, Friday, Sept. 26, 2008. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Colin Whelan)
The NRL board are one hundred percent right to block any half-baked move by the Cronulla Sharks to Gosford. The Sharkies may be in financial trouble, but the game as a whole would suffer if they shifted up to Gosford.
First, it is often the job of governing boards to right the wrongs of the past, not repeat them.
Say the word “Northern Eagles” anywhere between Mosman and Club Troppo and you’re about as popular as Damir Dokic.
As Gabriel Knowles wrote during the week, and I have previously said in the past, it’s painfully clear that the people of the region want their own team, not just a group of traveling bandits keen to pick their pockets when the cupboard is looking a bit empty.
The Eagles prove this and so does the fact that the relocated matches are hardly pulling in sellout crowds. It is merely the mystery of accounting which makes them viable for the clubs involved.
If the people of the Shire don’t want to watch the Sharks, why the hell would those in Gosford? There is a side ready and waiting for Gosford. The Bears.
After a short mourning period, the Bears have worked hard to rebuild their club around Gosford.
They have the colours, the coach, the CEO, even the captain in Chris Heighington, all ready to go.
For a side yet to have a match, they even have a rich history, and what’s more, they have more juniors than most current NRL clubs.
They also have the important X factor the Sharks don’t have.
The re-entry of the Bears would provide an enormous boost for rugby league. In my opinion, it would outstrip the readmission of the Rabbitohs and would provide a real excitement about the team.
Gabriel made the point yesterday that Adelaide could be the answer for the Sharks.
I agree. The matches they are considering moving to Gosford should be switched to Adelaide. What’s more, the NRL should provide some support for this.
It’s the best way to actually find out whether there is interest in a professional rugby league franchise playing out of the city of churches.
In fact, the crowd they got to their match against the Cowboys this year was roughly the same as their average this season at Shark Park, so it is not like we’re starting from zero.
While a move to the Coast would be muscling in on someone else’s territory, Adelaide doesn’t have the same hurdle (bar a few Rams fans still waiting for their return).
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Replaying the same old record of shifting to Gosford does no one any favours. The team from the insular peninsula needs to broaden its horizons.
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Dan said | May 9th 2009 @ 8:45am | Report comment
Talk about xenophobic. The Central Coast don’t deserve a team, let alone the Sharkies.
znotty said | May 9th 2009 @ 9:10am | Report comment
Time to bite the bullet & stop treating the Central Coast people like crap & give them their own team to support not North Sydney or Cronulla or Manly but a real team made up of local people with local support with a local leagues Club,we all know they`d thrive…
as for Dans comment…Xenophobic? the central coast isn`t foriegn,must be a forward.
Col the Bear said | May 9th 2009 @ 10:03am | Report comment
Excuse me, but the team will be called the “Central Coast “Bears, I don’t see “Northern”, I don’t see “North Sydney” in the name.. but the Central Coast Bears..some things still to consider Znotty…If the Bears were allowed to have played one game just one game at Gosford in ’99 they would be the NRLs Central Coast team since then..If the Bears didn’t put this bid together to get back into the NRL and onto the Central Coast team and find the corporate investment.no one else would of and know one else has in the past 10 seasons..The Bears almost made it in 99, extremely close in ’04, but will make it this time in either 2011,2012,2013, otherwise someone else would have done it already..15 mill, and the Bears are well on the way to that…
Also 2 Bears directors are on the Central Coast Stadium Board, it should be 3 as that is what we are entitled to, but maybe they are leaving a seat open for a CC person ?? maybe ..
The Bears still own 20% of Gosford stadium…Not Sharks, Not Roosters, Not Bunnies, Not titans,bulldogs etc, but the Bears.. and John Singleton owns the other 80% this was the deal made back in 2001, to get the Bears out of Adminiistration from ferrier hodgson for 2 mill, Singleton inturn got the rights to the Stadium and the Bears keep the 21 year playing rights to the stadium, I believe we still are only up until year 10, so do you want to wait another 11 years for the Central Coast team at least?? No I thought not…..Mind you the only reason we went into Administration was because we built the stadium at gosford, for a full relocation as the Central Coast Bears..The agreement at that time was the NRL team would be called the Central Coast Bears and the colours would be Red and Black…we voted on it unanamiously at the AGM in 2001..yes it seems like a while ago but for us Bears supporters, it is just like yesterday…
Morally this is the right thing to do also.!!. 10 years the fans of the North Shore and Central Coast have waited for their own team. 1 mill population. it has to happen now…as Paul kent said yesterday “the Bears are just a punch away for reinstatement” enjoy your team Znotty and enjoy your Bears, because they will be the Central Coast team..with 101 years tradition behind them.. you can’t buy that…
Local people … OK Znotty, David Fairleigh as the Coach, CC Boy… Chris Heighington as the Captain…Central Coast boy.. as for the players personally I’d pick a blend of the Norths Sydney team and the Central Coast storm NSW cup sides I think Central Coast boy James Maloney has got some talent there and has played for the Bears as well as the Storm.. they are both very competitive sides, and both play against each other next week at Wyong..There is enough talent from the North shore and the central Coast combined and also guys from the CC and North shore in the NRL now, where you could make a very competitive side…Mark O’meley may still have a few years in him, (central coast and Bears player)
Just bring it on.. bring on the Central Coast Bears.. and not some team which is in it for the ‘dash for cash’.. with no allegiance to either area…geographically, the Bears are the best fit…and somehow I think the NRL know this as well…see you at Grahame pk…
Col the Bear said | May 9th 2009 @ 10:22am | Report comment
And one more thing, there is another reason why you need the North shore as well… you need that Northern Corridor.. from Milsons point to Lake Munmorah.. 1 mil population..I don’t think you’ll get the team on your own without the North shore population taken into consideration..you need both areas for the franchise to get up, otherwise it’ll probably not happen..you can’t negelect 3/4 of that bid team…another club can not do that..so you see we actually need each other geographical area for this to succeed znotty…
Col the Bear said | May 9th 2009 @ 11:58am | Report comment
No top flight rugby league club/team has ever been readmitted after 10 seasons out..to bring back the Bears will be a huge bonanza for the code.. The Bears have kept up the fight where many thought they would have withered and died; and don’t worry sometimes it was scary..
someone mentioned what have the Bears done since they were kicked out of the comp..Nothing..!!
well we Survived and we have fought long and hard.. oh we might not have marched through the streets but this battle has been fought through cyberspace, and through the media for the past 10 years(The keyboard ihas been mightier then the sword)
and talk back.. constantly
what have the Bears done since being ejected from the NRL.. well 2007 they were Grandfinalists ; 2008 they were Minor premiers, 2009? we might take out the cup..
Crosscoder said | May 9th 2009 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
As a Sharks supporter,I would prefer them to play their home games away to such teams as the Broncs/Newcastle/Nth Qld/GC/Wellington NZ plus the already committed Adelaide for the next few years.Just to get decent quantities of cash flowing,until the development gets up and running and or the team is privatised.They are the areas I would be exploring for the time being.
I have also stated they play Sydney teams at home. Such as the local derby against Saints then the Dogs/Souths/Tigers/Manly/Parramatta they will attract crowds at Toyota.they would have a better chance to flog a 6 game tickets,than 12 when no one on this planet knows a season in advance when,or where or time of day the team will play.
The CC needs a full time committment,the Bears fit the area like a glove with the attached Nth Sydney.I am also sure should the big ,bad, black and badly bruised Bears get back in,they will play a couple of games at Nth Sydney oval against egManly.You would have to lever the fans in ,such will be the crowd.
Col the Bear said | May 9th 2009 @ 1:07pm | Report comment
I hope all goes well for your Sharkies Cross Coder..it’s not a good feeling loosing your club I can assure you of that.I do have a few Sharks mates, who were really worried about the move to Gosford, they thought for sure it would signal the end of the club..Darwin also looks like an option for you as well, they will bring in the crowds..plus the Adelaide connection. you could also try a game at perth,as they are trying to get back in, could work in their favour..there’s obviously something wrong there when you continue to have the money short fall, maybe fresh blood into the place is the answer..Our bid had been pretty stagnant until Perry Lopez come on board early last year, and began the push for reinstatement..
Has the development even been approved I keep hearing conflicting reports about it..
Col the Bear said | May 10th 2009 @ 7:18am | Report comment
Herald today full page spread on the Bears..thanks again Fairfax..we’re to go in 2011 if the Sharks fallover..also in the tele..Central Qld will meet with Cronulla next week to offer a relocation to them… come on those mighty BEARS
Col the Bear said | May 10th 2009 @ 8:46am | Report comment
Flo ready to move offices to Gosford..
Col the Bear said | May 10th 2009 @ 9:52am | Report comment
Dean ritchie just said the NRL would probaly be quite happy for the Bears to come in as the 16th team if Cronulla become insolvent..but he also said either way the Bears will be first off the rank come expansion for 2013…
Perry Lopez Bears director and leading the charge for the CCBears was very good on the Zorba show today laying a few furphys to rest…It’ll be the Central Coast Bears..in the red and black, and we are ready tos tart getting into the schools on the Coast as soon as next few weeks..when our new office is set up on the Coast..Now why would we be setting up on the Central Coast if we didn’t have intesions of moving full time..
HERE COME THE BEARS HERE COME THE BEARS