Over the weekend I was afforded a rare opportunity to study an exotic and threatened creature at close quarters: a Cronulla Sharks fan.
Out of his natural element and floundering in the tropical, if heavily polluted, surroundings of a Queensland bucks weekend, it wasn’t just last night’s poor man’s passion pop that had Mr Sharky green around the gills.
As the bad news rolled in about Cronulla and the worst horse-related jokes since those Broncos Diamond jerseys gave way to stony silence with the increasing severity of the situation, I could not help but relive a few bittersweet memories with my bitter.
As a Steelers fan who for too long lived in rugby league’s unofficial relegation zone, I knew the bumpy boat trip that comes with backing a ‘lovable loser.’
I won’t have to go into detail about this for any Annandale, University, Newtown, North Sydney or South Sydney fan.
The stolen juniors, wild celebration of first-week finals appearances and hair-brained schemes to save your club from financial meltdown.
Aside from the heady days of ‘Sharks International’ during Super League, the Cronulla Shark has more or less made Struggle Street its natural habitat off the paddock.
But all this was going to change with their new development deal (Bulldogs and Bears fans laugh bitterly here) and the future would be as bright as the morning Mooloolaba sun when nursing a two-day-old hangover.
Suddenly though there’s trouble in Sharkadise.
From their ivory lifeguard tower, the NRL’s Mitch Buchanan has spied the usually harmless and docile Shark whipping itself into a feeding frenzy, before swimming aimlessly around in circles and floating like an un-flushable floater to the top of the sea.
The question here is whether the bloke in the budgie smugglers calls Sea World to tell them that this battered and tough old girl needs a helping hand, or just look the other way to check out the talent?
The NRL will never, ever again wind up an NRL club, it is simply too unpopular.
But would they let one just drift meekly, without dignity, into the horizon to be torn apart by a million marauding minnows?
The fact is there are other jawed fish in the sea for the NRL, with an exotic species tally around two countries all begging to be released into the big time.
I’m not saying there’s a conspiracy plan to bone the Sharks, as some out there might.
But I’m pretty sure there isn’t a plan to save them either.
And hey, maybe this is just how things are going to roll from here on in, and Darwinism has returned to the game.
To think as a fan though, that your team, your club, your passion isn’t likely to be afforded the assistance that others might is harder for a fan to swallow than any creatively put together cocktail concoction.
Because after having a good look at the Cronulla Sharks fan up close, it may not be a creature that’s particularly easy to love or understand.
But that doesn’t mean I want to see it drown slowly before my eyes.
Follow Chris on Twitter @Vic_Arious
Steve MacNei
Guest
Chris McKenna was a Bronco and put in some terrfic years with the Sharks
Perth Shark Supporter
Guest
Bring the Sharkies to Perth, and play half the games in Perth & half in Cronulla.It seems to work for the Dragons,why not the Sharks?The West is ripe for a NRL side, especially with 1 out of every 7 residents a Kiwi, and loads of East Coasters that don't watch AFL and are not into Union either. Plus there is loads of Northern English immigrants who would get behind a NRL side in Perth. I think the Sharks are wasting their time playing in the Central Coast, its more akin to playing in enemy territory.Bring the Sharks to Perth, and let them play at the new East Perth Stadium.
Perth Red
Guest
I want expansion but not at the blood letting of struggling clubs. Having said that Sharks are in dire straights, even with the development and the increase in club grants they would barely be breaking even without sponsors.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
That's not why the Sharks were brought in. It was to break up St George's dominance at the time, and it was intended for Illawarra to be admitted. But the country RL blocked that move.
Eliah James
Roar Rookie
The Titans were always meant to be called the Dolphins, but Redcliffe stopped that by threatening legal action (was a blessing in disguise because suddenly name, uniform etc. became very community-based). I think you might see the same thing happen with the use of the Jets name for Brisbane... especially because the Jets name is strong in Ipswich due to the RAAF base there. Possibly the reason for the 'Bombers' consortium, garner support from Ipswich while not strictly taking away from the Jets.
Renegade
Guest
That's the best post i've read this year! GOLD!
Eliah James
Roar Rookie
As a sharks supporter, I banked with St George Bank. They gave me a white eftpos card with a big red V. I now bank with nab.
simmo green
Guest
I can tell you why, because they have twice the demographic of the shire and population growth is a given. Cronulla came into this comp because Wentworthville had a bad year in 66', Bill Buckley et al were not being particularly visionary by admitting the Sharks
Chris Chard
Expert
Also played 13 games for the Broncos Baloo!
Epiquin
Guest
Central coast bears are the only team in a position to be rushed in.
Epiquin
Guest
I see you've moved on from your ridiculous idea if merging sharks with roosters!
Bearfax
Guest
Can see your point to a degree Oikee, and in fact the Manly club started out in the mid 40s from the equivalent of an Under 21 team in such a comp that existed back then before it assumed its own status separated from North Sydney in 1947. I would suggest though that by reducing the length of the comp a little and adding new teams, the finances would be close to accommodating the arrangement. You see the locations I identified have all shown that financially they are capable of running a club in the comp. Adelaide is the only uncertainty but there are options. A second team close to Brisbane could be accommodated easily, New Zealand are crying out for a second side and it would increase the interest in the game there. Central Coast have been financially ready for years. Perth has a lot of ex pat NSW people and has been shown in the past can be successful, and I understand there's some big money behind the move for a New Guinea side to come into the comp. And remember the comp was running about 18 teams successfully before the Super League war. Unfortunately the Super League war, though expanding the two comps to 22 teams, almost sent a number of non SL teams broke trying to compete with Murdock money. But it has run successfully before because what it does is bring in more spectators who ordinarily wouldnt be attending major fixtures, brings in more sponsors interested in running a team and generally expand the game. If we think small and worry there isnt enough money to go around, we will remain small. Its like the argument about there isnt enough talent to go around. Piffle. If you make earning a good living playing League more available, more people will play the game. First graders are superior to reserve graders mainly because they have slightly better talent but more because they have better competition which increases their skills. You see this over and again when players play SOO. The increased skill level required increases the level at which those players then play. Your opponent on the field is the best person to help you improve your game. For me expanding the game to locations where a) there is a viable sponsor to run the team and an appropriate ground to play their games and b) where there is an audience waiting for a team in their area, should be the primary factors in determining expanding the comp. That's what Oz Rules is doing. Its only mistake (probably in the short term) was their Greater Western Sydney team, which is struggling for crowds. The reason was they forgot the second factor. They had the money, but not the people wanting to attend the games in that area. The places I identified, except perhaps Adelaide, all fit the two basic requirements. Five years later and we would be wondering what all the worry and fuss was about.
Baloo
Guest
McKenna was a Crusher's man ;)
Arthur fonzarelli.
Guest
I can't see why the central coast is any more deserving of an NRL side than the Sutherland shire . Cronulla drew a bigger crowd than the Melbourne storm on the weekend.
dishes
Guest
Haha okay I'm talking out of my ass, but just trying to point out that the shire hasn’t reached its development potential and it is definitely a growth area. Not that the ‘ nimbies ‘ are happy about it
dishes
Guest
simmo green
Guest
You have previously stated that the Sharks home ground is the 'best real estate in Sydney' and that the Shire has more growth potential than the Central Coast. Do you think you might like to review those statements?
Johnno
Guest
Plus a nuclear power plant at Lucas Heights, in the heart of the shire lol.
dishes
Guest
A lot of people want to live there for a 'mosquito infested ghetto' it's already been shown that its easier to get players there than parramatta or penrith.
simmo green
Guest
I'm astonished that they've lasted this long. They almost qualify as a protected species. The facts are that the area has no potential for growth and they are chronic underachievers. It's absurd to think that great clubs with great histories had to merge, while these SL patsies survived. The west, south west and northern Sydney to central Coast corridors are massive growth areas, While Brisbane, with a 2mill+ demographic fields one team, as does NZ. In fact the way the NRL has neglected the areas north of Sydney is culpable. 500,000 fans without a team? The Sharks have the Pacific Ocean behind them, the oldest National Park in the world on one side and a strong entity like Saints applying pincer pressure on the remaining fronts. The Shire is the bloody Alamo of Rugby League. How is a massive development plonked on a mosquito infested ghetto going to save the Sharks? It's a no brainer, the only way to save the Sharks is re-location to WA. And let's face it, the way that the noahs are consuming humans over there it's a natural fit