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The Cronulla Sharks have had 48 seasons of nothing. That’s right, nothing.
Well, that’s excluding the 1979 Amco Cup and three wooden spoons – not least the newest addition yet to be officially showcased in an otherwise barren trophy case.
But from what we’ve come to know of the Sharks – and specifically more so in recent times – is that nothing, to them, means absolutely everything.
I’ve been a Cronulla supporter for as long as I’ve known rugby league. And for all of that time we’ve always been the underdog. We’ve always been the no-hopers from near the tip that built their stadium on top of a swamp.
More recently, we’ve come to be known as the drug cheats, who sacked their coach before their marquee man did his best Bear Grylls impersonation.
And, although it pains me to say it, we’ve always been – and probably always will be – the ‘little brother’ of the two-sides-come-one that couldn’t survive on their lonesome.
Would I swap it for the world? Not a chance. Why? Because on Monday night my boys made the trip to Townsville with nothing to play for.
Sitting stranded in 16th place, with no hope of jumping the Raiders, the Sharks also had nothing to lose. Hell, even I tipped them to go down by more than 40.
Sure, they fell short on the scoreboard. Down 19-12 with five minutes to play, not even the best short kick-off of all time could arrest Johnathan Thurston’s control of the proceedings.
But what the Sharks showed throughout all of Monday night’s 80 minutes typifies why they have defied, and will continue to defy, the naysayers for many a year to come.
They’ve used 37 players – let alone three coaches – in 2014.
This figure is by far and away more than that of any other side. Short on numbers, even the bloke behind the mower got a run on Monday.
Having staged two of the greatest comebacks in NRL history inside two weeks earlier on in the season, another miracle looked on the cards. And while they again walked away with nothing to show for it, the performance filled me with confidence that far better times are only a stone’s throw away.
Nothing will stop us from rebuilding into a competitive side. And once we do, well, then you’ll see that ‘nothing’ has everything to play for.
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