Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

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Club information
Full name	Cronulla Sutherland District Rugby League Football Club Ltd
Nickname(s)	Sharks, The Shire, Sharkies
Colours	Sky blue      White      Black
Founded	1963 as Cronulla-Caringbah 1967 in New South Wales Rugby League
Current details
Ground(s)	Toyota Park (22,500)
Coach(s)	Shane Flanagan
Captain(s)	Paul Gallen
Competition	National Rugby League
2011 NRL season	13th
Home colours		Away colours
Current season
Records
Premierships	None
Runners-up	3 (1973, 1978, 1997SL)
Minor premiership	2 (1988, 1999)
Wooden spoons	2 (1967, 1969)
Most capped	328 - Andrew Ettingshausen
Most points	1,255 - Steve Rogers

The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales. They compete in the National Rugby League (NRL), Australasia's premier Rugby league competition.

The Sharks, as they are commonly known, were admitted to the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, predecessor of the Australian Rugby League and the current National Rugby League competition, in January, 1967. The club competed in every premiership season since then and during the Super League war joined the rebel competition before continuing on in the re-united NRL Premiership. Despite more than 40 years of competition and three Grand Finals, the Sharks have yet to win a premiership. They won the minor premiership in 1988 and 1999.

History[link]

In 1967 the New South Wales Rugby Football League (NSWRFL) added two new clubs to the competition, Cronulla-Sutherland and Penrith, the first to join the competition since Parramatta and Manly were admitted 20 years earlier in 1947.

Cronulla debuted in 1967 wearing a sky blue jersey adorned with a white V and red numbers on the back, at the then club home ground of Sutherland Oval, under the captaincy of multiple premiership-winner Monty Porter and the coaching of Ken Kearney. Cronulla earned immediate recognition when they beat Eastern Suburbs at the Sydney Sports Ground in their first match. They had only two more wins, against Norths and Parramatta, and finished last on the competition table.

In mid-1968 the club moved permanently to Endeavour Field at Woolooware, thus becoming the only club in Sydney to own their own ground. Their first match there was against Parramatta and the Cronulla Sharks won 10–7.

1970s[link]

Captain-coached by Englishman Tommy Bishop, Cronulla made the end-of-season play-offs for the first time in 1973 . They lost only five games and finished just one point behind minor premiers Manly, and ahead of local rivals St George. The Sharks made it to the grand final against the Sea Eagles but in a brutal encounter lost 10–7.

Cronulla met the Sea Eagles again in the 1978 grand final, amidst much controversy surrounding referee Greg Hartley. The Sharks led by 7–2 well into the second half. Manly came back and brought the scoreboard to 11–7. It took a late penalty goal from Steve Rogers to level scores at 11-all by fulltime. The replay saw the Sharks opportunity pass by as they fielded a much-weakened team due to further injuries, eventually being shut-out by Manly 16–0. Cronulla were without suspended stars Greg Pierce and Dane Sorensen in both games, while hooker John McMartin, fullback Mick Mullane and Barry Andrews were all injured for the replay.

In 1979, Cronulla won the mid-week Amco Cup competition, their first trophy in the top grade, beating Combined Brisbane 22–5.

1980s[link]

Cronulla suffered major financial trouble in 1983, with the NSWRL appointing an administrator and providing a loan. Western Suburbs and Newtown, both in a similar predicament, were refused a loan, with Newtown being forced out of the competition. However, the season wasn't all bad for Cronulla, with the emergence of teenage star, Andrew Ettingshausen, who was named Rookie of the Year, and would later go on to become the most capped and successful player for Cronulla. Cronulla also made the final of the mid-week KB Cup, but lost again to Manly, 26–6.

In 1985, Cronulla was buoyed by the arrival of 'super coach' Jack Gibson, who had coached Easts and Parramatta to premierships. Gibson left the club in good shape in 1987, with the promise fulfilled in 1988 when Cronulla won the minor premiership, led by veteran second-rower Gavin Miller, who was named Dally M Player of the Year, and Rothmans Medal winning halfback, Barry Russell. However, Russell dislocated his shoulder two weeks before the finals, and missed the semi-final where Cronulla went down to Canterbury. He was rushed back in for the final against Balmain, but he was severely hampered by the injury, and Cronulla were bundled out. A bright spot for the Sharks, though, was the selection in the Australian team of Miller, and young centres, Ettingshausen and Mark McGaw.

In 1989, Cronulla sneaked into the finals after thrashing Illawarra 46–14 in the final round, followed by a memorable 38–14 victory over the Brisbane Broncos in the play-off for fifth position. However, they could not repeat the performance in their semi-final against eventual premiers Canberra, in what was their third game in seven days. Gavin Miller was rewarded for another great year with both the Dally M Player of the Year award and the Rothmans Medal.

1990s[link]

Cronulla again dropped into a period of poor form and financial trouble in 1990, but the appointment as coach of rugby league Immortal, Arthur Beetson, in 1992 helped turn the on-field problems around. He helped develop a batch of promising players, including five-eighth Mitch Healey, fullback David Peachey, winger Richie Barnett, prop Adam Ritson, and hooker Aaron Raper, son of another Immortal, Johnny Raper. However, Cronulla were forced into receivership in 1993.

Beetson was replaced as coach in 1994 by John Lang, a former Australian hooker, and coach of the Brisbane Easts team. Lang brought halfback, Paul Green, down from Brisbane with him. A golden age for the club had begun, signalled by the two lower grade teams (President's Cup and Reserve grade) winning their competitions. During John Lang's coaching period, from 1994 to 2001, Cronulla made the semi-finals every year except for 1994 and 1998. The club had a glamorous image and attracted record crowds, with a corresponding financial improvement.

In 1995, Cronulla were one of the first clubs to join the Super League competition, which kicked off after protracted legal battles and much bitterness, in 1997. The club was motivated by a dissatisfaction with the perceived favouritism of the NSWRL administration towards other clubs, and a still-risky financial situation.

They reached the inaugural – and only – grand final of the ten-team Super League competition, only to lose to a vastly superior Brisbane side 26–8 in Brisbane. The game was notable for being the only grand final to be played outside Sydney. The club rejoined the reunited National Rugby League competition in 1998.

Arguably the Sharks' best season ever was in 1999, when they again won the minor premiership and the J. J. Giltinan Shield in convincing fashion. The Sharks easily accounted for the Brisbane Broncos in the quarter-final, and led 8–0 in the grand final qualifier against the St George Illawarra Dragons before eventually losing 8–24. Also in 1999, the Cronulla-Sutherland name was dropped, and the club was simply known as the "Sharks", and would be known as this until the end of 2002.

2000s[link]

Cronulla lost the grand final qualifier in similar circumstances in 2001, to eventual premiers Newcastle. The year was marked by the sudden rise of halfback Preston Campbell, who was named Dally M Player of the Year, despite being a fringe first grader at the start of the season.

Sharkies Leagues Club

In 2002, John Lang was replaced by Australian coach Chris Anderson, who had led Canterbury Bulldogs and Melbourne Storm to premierships. The following two years were the most acrimonious in the club's history. The first year was almost an on-field success, as Anderson retained the core of John Lang's team, and the Sharks again reached the grand final qualifier. However another heartbreaking loss to New Zealand, the replacement of halfback Peston Campbell – a crowd favourite – with former Melbourne halfback Brett Kimmorley, and a string of released players signaled trouble for 2003.

This was realised with the sudden mid-season departure of long-time stalwarts Nick Graham and Dean Treister. The Sharks finished 11th, suffering a record 74–4 loss to Parramatta in a match marred by the controversial performance of referee Shayne Hayne. Three Cronulla players were sent from the field, including Sharks captain David Peachey, for ignoring the referee's instructions. Constant infighting between the board and the coach led to Anderson's departure at the end of the season.

The same year the club's name reverted back to Cronulla-Sutherland, Chris Anderson was replaced by Stuart Raper, another son of Johnny Raper, and the coach of the President's Cup-winning team in 1994. A loyal clubman, he instantly brought a revival in club and supporter spirit. However, Raper's apparent focus on team harmony rather than results led to Cronulla's win percentage worsening, from 49% (24 wins 27 losses) under Anderson, to 43% (31 wins 42 losses).

Steve Rogers, the CEO of the Cronulla Sharks and a former club legend, died on 3 January 2006 at the age of 51 of a "mixture of prescription drugs and alcohol". In April, 2006, the NSW state coroner ruled that the death was accidental.

On 21 April 2006, the Australian government announced they would be funding a 9.6 million-dollar upgrade to Toyota Park.

Cronulla finished the 2006 season in disastrous fashion. After winning 8 out of 9 games in the middle of the season and climbing to near the top of the ladder, the team experienced the worst losing streak in the club's history, losing their last 10 consecutive games. In a see-sawing match to finish to a tumultuous season, the Sharks in their final game coming back from 26–0 down only to lose 26–24 to Canberra. A missed penalty goal in the dying seconds of the match would have sent the game into extra-time, allowing the chance for Cronulla to equal the biggest single-game comeback in the history of top-level rugby league in Australia.

On 22 September 2006, the Sharks Board ended weeks of speculation over the future of Coach Stuart Raper by sacking him as first-grade coach and handing him a $300,000 payout, making him the second consecutive coach to receive such a payout. On 26 September, Australian Test Coach Ricky Stuart signed a new three-year deal to coach the Sharks as of 2007, replacing Raper as coach.

Sharkies Leagues Club

Round one of the 2007 season saw the Sharks break their 10-game losing streak against the Penrith Panthers with an 18–0 victory at Toyota Park. Ricky Stuart, despite being somewhat hampered by the decisions of former coach Raper in the team he inherited, led the Sharks to fifth on the ladder at the halfway mark of the season surprising many critics.^[who?] Towards the end of the season, Cronulla plunged to fifteenth on the league ladder, slumping to seven straight losses. The season ended with the Sharks in 11th place, rounding off a heartbreaking season, with the club losing no less than nine matches by 4 points or less.

The Sharks had a strong season in 2008, finishing the season in equal first spot (third on for and against). They had one of the best defensive records, but one of the worst attacking records in the league. They had an excellent start to the season, beating defending grand finalists Manly and premiers Melbourne in away games in the first two rounds. After a comprehensive 36–10 victory over Canberra in the Qualifying Final at Toyota Stadium, Cronulla were beaten 28–0 by Melbourne (who later were found to be over the salary cap and cheating) in the Preliminary Final at the Sydney Football Stadium. This was a disappointing end to an otherwise successful season.

Cronulla attack Manly in August 2009

During the 2009 season Cronulla's dire financial problems became public knowledge. The club is asset-rich, owning its stadium and the surrounding land, but had cash flow problems due to its low average home gate, poor on-field performances in recent seasons and lower than average merchandising and corporate sponsorship. The club announced plans for a partial relocation to the Central Coast, which was rebuffed by the NRL. It was to split home games for the 2010–14 seasons among:

• 6 at Toyota Park, to include local derbies with the St George Illawarra Dragons and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs,
• 5 at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford, Central Coast, and
• 1 at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, South Australia [1].

The financial strife at Cronulla has been just the start of the club's woes. The first issue to come to light was allegations on the ABC program Four Corners that the team in a pre-season trip to New Zealand in 2002 psychologically damaged a young woman after the side was engaged in group sex,^[1] most notably ex-player Matthew Johns.[2] The director of Cronulla, Barry Pierce, was implicated in the drama, as he was managing the touring side. He later resigned and was replaced by current Sharks Chairman Damian Irvine, half brother of Labor Minister Peter Garrett.

Later in the season, Cronulla forward Reni Maitua tested positive to a banned performance-enhancing substance and has been banned for two years.[3] Major sponsor LG did not renew their contract beyond 2010.[4]

Ultimately the malaise was found to reach to the very top of the club, with the CEO, Tony Zappia forced to quit after controversy where he allegedly hit a female employee while shadow boxing.[5] It later came to light that Zappia had been receiving money obtained through fraud, whereby an allegedly terminally ill man had promised $13.8 million in insurance to the club. Zappia did not disclose this to the board.[6]

The on-field performances of the club also suffered in 2009, with the club recording 9 straight losses after a win in Round 1. Despite a midseason revival with four straight wins, the Cronulla side slipped to ten straight defeats to equal the club's worst losing streak. One of these losses caused great controversy as the Sharks, playing against Manly, were forced to field just 12 men for most of the game after Luke Douglas was sent off by referee Phil Haines for a careless high tackle. Coach Stuart was left fuming by this and other decisions made by the referees during the game. The Sharks managed to avoid the wooden spoon in 2009 when the Roosters were soundly beaten by the Cowboys in the final round, resulting in a lower overall standing than the Sharks. This was a rare positive in a horror season for the Cronulla club.

2010s[link]

The start of the 2010 season saw the Sharks return reinvented, with a new board, new CEO Richard Fisk and refinancing of club debt with the leagues club. However, reverting the poor on-field performance proved more difficult. After the board developed a plan to refinance debt and a long term financial strategy, Richard Fisk resigned in June 2010 due to his close friendship with Ricky Stuart and a failure to refresh the commercial area of the club. The clubs head coach, Ricky Stuart, also tendered his resignation from 2011 onwards due to the poor on field performance. Promising wing/centre Blake Ferguson was criticised for comments about wanting to leave the club in order to achieve success. On Tuesday, 20 July Ricky Stuart left the Sharks for the rest of the season after admitting he could get no more out of the players and had" lost" them. Assistant NSW and Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan was appointed as coach. After departing, Stuart and Fisk also cited fractured relationships with Chairman Damian Irvine as a reason for their departure however it is widely agreed that the club has gone from strength to strength in the absence of Stuart and Fisk and under Irvine's guidance.

The 2011 season started so promising for the club. The addition of Wade Graham at five-eighth and New Zealand international Jeremy Smith to a pack already containing two origin players promised an end to the Sharks' status as cellar-dwellers. Despite being humiliated by the Raiders at Canberra Stadium in round one, 40-12, the club won its next two matches. They beat defending premiers St. George Illawarra 16-10 at home in round two, and smashed Penrith 44-12 at Centerbet Stadium. Then the losses really started coming for the club as a number of first starters were injured, losing five in a row to the Warriors (26-18), Sea Eagles (19-13), Knights (24-20), Cowboys (30-12), and Rabbitohs (31-12). Cronulla dropped down the table, from 9th to 15th. They broke their hoodoo in round ten, when they beat the struggling Sydney Roosters 18-4 at Toyota Stadium. They were again disappointing in round eleven, when they were defeated 40-6 by the Eels at Parramatta Stadium. Despite losing 14-8 to the Storm in round 12, they were much improved and forced the Storm into a classic showdown at AAMI Park in Melbourne. They then faced the Broncos at home in round 13, and were, again, disappointing going down 34-16. A bye in round 14 gifted them with the chance to train hard for a week without a match, and skipper Paul Gallen lead the NSW Blues Origin team to a memorable 18-8 victory over Queensland, with an inspirational performance. He then played outstandingly for the Sharks in their round 15 match against the Bulldogs just three days after the State of Origin match. Cronulla beat Canterbury-Bankstown 26-10. The next four weeks saw a turnaround of the club's performance, with victory over the Gold Coast Titans 36-12, the South Sydney Rabbitohs 24-4, and then they took revenge against the Canberra Raiders 26-12.

A round of player signings occurred in the middle of the 2011 season. Cronulla lost their two props for the 2012 season, Origin representative Kade Snowden to Newcastle and Luke Douglas signing for the Gold Coast Titans. Captain Paul Gallen's transformation into an Origin prop alleviated this problem somewhat, and the Sharks were active in the player market, signing prop Jon Green from St George, former Shark Isaac de Gois and prop Mark Taufua from Newcastle, halfback Jeff Robson from Parramatta and props Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita from Wests Tigers.

2012 began very well for the club under the leadership of Chairman Damian Irvine,Coach Shane Flanagan, and General Manager Football Darren Mooney.The recruitment by Mooney and Flanagan paid dividends with new recruits Jeff Robson, Todd Carney, Ben Ross, Isaac De Gois and Mark Taufua taking pressure off Superstar Paul Gallen allowing him to hit a purple patch of form. The club won 6 matches in a row for the first time in over a decade and after 8 rounds were sitting third on the table as the highest placed Sydney based franchise.

New sponsorship deals with SHARK Energy Drink and Fishermans Friends capped a remarkable turnaround for the club in a short space of time since 2009.

Proposals to develop the land assets of the Leagues club which owns the stadium and land around Shark Park finally became more tangible, as details of a residential and shopping centre were released. The Sharks seek to alleviate their crippling debts and also to create an income stream. This project will come to a conclusion by June 31st 2012 when the club awaits State Government approval.

Emblem and colours[link]

For Cronulla's maiden season in first grade a teal jersey with a white V was adopted from the Cronulla Surf Club despite Cronulla's chocolate and gold design in the Sydney 2nd Division competition. The team colours of black, white and teal changed to sky blue, with grey being incorporated during super league, and shortly after on the team's away strip.

The club wasn’t known as the Sharks' until after its initial admission into the competition. During Cronulla’s first season the crest featured a drawing of Captain Cook's ship the Endeavour. It is alleged that during the first season the club President suggested the 'Lions' while the captain Ken Kearney recommended the 'Sharks'. The mascot may have been named after the Cronulla Surf Club's rugby league teams of the 1970s.

From the late 1970s through to the late 1990s, the Sharks used a predominately black circular crest with a blue shark. This was changed after Super League in 1997 to a blue and white star-shaped design. Between 1999–2002, the name was shortened to simply the "Sharks"^{[citation needed]}. Since 2003, the name has since been changed back to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and changed their logo again in 2004, which is currently in use.

Jerseys[link]

• Home jerseys of the Sharks
• 

  1967–1969

• 

  1970–1994

• 

  1997–2000

• 

  2001–2003

• 

  2004–2006

• 

  2007–2009

• 

  2010-2012

• 

  2013-

Stadium[link]

Toyota Park

The Cronulla Sutherland Leagues Club is known as Sharkies and is located on Captain Cook Drive at Woolooware. The leagues club sits beside the Cronulla Sutherland home ground, Toyota Stadium, originally known as Endeavour Field. Cronulla's home ground has had numerous names over the years including Ronson Field, Shark Park,Toyota Park, and its current name, Toyota Stadium, renamed after the construction of a stand at the Southern end of the ground.

Team Anthem[link]

(To The Tune of the Beer Barrel Polka)

Up, up, Cronulla,
the boys in the black white and blue.
Up, up, Cronulla,
name of the sharks fits you.
Sharks, sharks, forever
go out and play without fear.
Now's the time to see good football,
cause the sharks are here!
Up the sharks!

Players[link]

2012 Squad[link]

Sharks Immortals[link]

The club has honoured five individuals as "Immortals" of the club:^[2]

• Tommy Bishop, player-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)

Representative players[link]

Club captains[link]

• Monty Porter (1967)
• Warren Ryan (1968)
• Noel Thornton (1968–1969)
• Graeme Wilson (1969–1970)
• George Taylforth (1970)
• Tom Bishop (1970–1971, 1973)
• Kevin Hogan (1971)
• Ron Turner (1971)
• Greg Pierce (1971–1980)
• Ken Maddison (1972, 1974)
• Cliff Watson (1972–1973)
• John Maguire (1974–1975, 1977)
• Roger Millward (1976)
• John McMartin (1977)
• Steve Rogers (1978–1982)
• Dane Sorensen (1982)
• Gavin Miller (1983, 1991–1992)
• David Hatch (1984–1990)
• Greg Nixon (1984)
• Dan Stains (1992–1994)
• Mark McGaw (1992)
• Andrew Ettingshausen (1992, 1995–2000)
• Danny Lee (1994)
• Mitch Healey (1995–1998, 2000)
• Les Davidson (1996)
• David Peachey (1998, 2000–2005)
• Jason Stevens (2000–2002)
• Andrew Pierce (2000)
• Chris Beattie (2002)
• Brett Kimmorley (2002–2007)
• Paul Gallen (2007–2009 2010–present)
• Greg Bird (2008)
• Trent Barrett (2009–2010)
• Luke Covell (2009)
• Luke Douglas (2009–2010) on occasion

Club Icons[link]

• Ray Corcoran (1968–1975)
• Greg Pierce (1968–1980)
• Tommy Bishop (1969–1973)
• Rick Bourke (1972–1982)
• Cliff Watson (1971–1973)
• Ken Maddison (1972–1975)
• Steve Rogers (1973–1982, 1985)
• Mick Mullane (1974–1983)
• Steve Kneen (1976–1982)
• Dane Sorensen (1977–1983, 1985–1989)
• David Hatch (1978–1990)
• Gavin Miller (1980–1983, 1986–1992)
• Barry Russell (1983–1991)
• Andrew Ettingshausen (1983–2000)
• Mark McGaw (1984–1992)
• Mitch Healey (1988–2000)
• Danny Lee (1988–1998)
• Les Davidson (1991–1998)
• Dean Treister (1993–2003)
• David Peachey (1993–2005)
• Paul Green (1994–1998)
• Mat Rogers (1994–2001)
• Jason Stevens (1997–2005)
• Preston Campbell (1999–2002)
• Paul Gallen (2001–present)
• Phil Bailey (2002–2006)
• Greg Bird (2002–2008)
• Brett Kimmorley (2002–2008)
• Luke Covell (2005–2010)
• Luke Douglas (2006–2011)
• Lance Thompson (2006–2008)
• Trent Barrett (2009–2010)

Dream Team[link]

Announced 2006

No. Position Player 1 FB David Peachey 2 WG Mat Rogers 3 CE Steve Rogers 4 CE Andrew Ettingshausen 5 WG Roy Corcoran 6 FE Chris Wellman 7 HB Tommy Bishop 8 PR Jason Stevens 9 HK Ron Turner 10 PR Cliff Watson 11 SR Ken Maddison 12 SR Gavin Miller, 13 LK Greg Pierce

No. Position Player 14 RE Dane Sorenson 15 RE Steve Kneen 16 RE Brett Kimmorley 17 RE Mark McGaw

Club Legends[link]

Announced 2003

• Cliff Watson
• Greg Pierce
• Mark McGaw
• Steve Rogers
• Andrew Ettingshausen
• Mat Rogers
• Tommy Bishop
• Gavin Miller
• David Hatch
• David Peachey

Award winners[link]

Dally M Medal[link]

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

Rothmans Medal[link]

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

Club Player of the Year[link]

• David Peachey (1997, 1999, 2001)
• Danny Nutley (2005)
• Greg Bird (2006)
• Paul Gallen (2007–2010)

Coaching staff[link]

The current head coach of the club is Shane Flanagan following the mid-season resignation of Ricky Stuart in 2010.

Coaches register[link]

• Ken Kearney (1967–1969)
• Tommy Bishop (1970–1973, 1980)
• Noel Thornton (1974)
• Johnny Raper (1975–1976)
• Ted Glossop (1977)
• Norm Provan (1978–1979)
• Greg Pierce (1981–1982)
• Terry Fearnley (1983–1984)
• Jack Gibson (1985–1987)
• Allan Fitzgibbon (1988–1991)
• Arthur Beetson (1992–1993)
• John Lang (1994–2001)
• Chris Anderson (2002–2003)
• Stuart Raper (2004–2006)
• Ricky Stuart (2007–mid 2010)
• Shane Flanagan (Mid 2010–present)

Supporters[link]

Some notable fans of the club are:

• Chris McCormack, triathlete^[3]
• Elle MacPherson, supermodel^[4]
• Shannon Noll, singer^[5]
• Jai Taurima, Olympic long jumper^[6]
• Larry Davidson, basketball player^[7]
• Nick Davis, Australian rules footballer^[8]
• Peter Costello, former Treasurer of Australia^[9]
• Phil Kearns, former Australian Wallabies rugby union captain^[10]
• Shane Dye, jockey^[11]
• Brendan Cowell, actor^[12]

Rivalries[link]

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles[link]

This rivalry has been dubbed the "Battle of the Beaches", due to their geographical locations and areas. Manly played the Sharks in two grand finals during the 1970s, which are renowned for being the most brutal in history. Cronulla and Manly play for the Steve Rogers Trophy when the two clubs meet in the NRL premiership each season.

St. George Illawarra Dragons[link]

One of Cronulla's fiercest rivalries is with their Southern Sydney neighbour, St. George Illawarra Dragons, creating a true local derby every time these teams meet.

Club Records[link]

Career[link]

Most Games

• Andrew Ettingshausen 328
• David Peachey 232
• Mitch Healey 223
• Dane Sorensen 216
• Danny Lee 212

Most Points

• Steve Rogers 1255
• Mat Rogers 1112
• Luke Covell 948
• Andrew Ettingshausen 662
• Barry Andrews 657

Most Tries

• Andrew Ettingshausen 165
• David Peachey 110
• Steve Rogers 82
• Barry Andrews 75
• Ray Corcoran 63

Season[link]

Most Points

• Brett Kimmorley (2002) 251
• Mat Rogers (2000) 212
• Luke Covell (2008) 206
• George Taylforth (1970) 202
• Mat Rogers (1997) 196

Most Tries

• David Peachey (1999) 19
• Andrew Ettingshausen (1994) 18
• Brett Howland (1999) 18
• Preston Campbell (2001) 17
• Andrew Ettingshausen (1988) 17
• Chris Gardner (1983) 17
• David Peachey (2002) 17

Match[link]

Most Points

• Brett Kimmorley (2002) 28 v Newcastle
• Steve Rogers (1977) 26 v Wests
• Mat Rogers (2000) 26 v Newcastle
• Steve Rogers (1980) 24 v Balmain
• George Taylforth (1969) 24 v Canterbury

Most Tries

• Andrew Ettingshausen (1989) 5 v Illawarra
• Andrew Ettingshausen (1994) 5 v South Sydney
• Greg Bird (2004) 5 v ???- Balmain?? (reserve grade)
• Mat Rogers (1995) 4 v Newcastle

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Cronulla Sharks website
• Cronulla Sharks image and news archive, with game stats back to 1967
• Daily Telegraph – Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2007 season feature
• Daily Telegraph – Sharks relocation plan article
• "Player Awards Australia"
• "Rugby League history"
• "Sharks The Champs At Cricket Charity Clash"

Cronulla Sydney, New South Wales
Cronulla, New South Wales
Population:	16,754 (2006 Census)
Established:	1908
Postcode:	2230
Location:	26 km (16 mi) south of Sydney CBD
LGA:	Sutherland Shire
State electorate:	Cronulla
Federal Division:	Cook
Suburbs around Cronulla: Caringbah Kurnell Kurnell Woolooware Cronulla Bate Bay Burraneer Maianbar Bundeena

Cronulla is a beachside suburb, in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Cronulla is located 26 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Sutherland Shire.

Cronulla is located on a peninsula framed by Botany Bay to the north, Bate Bay to the east, Port Hacking to the south, and Gunnamatta Bay to the west. The neighbouring suburb of Woolooware lies to the west of Cronulla, and Burraneer lies to the southwest. The Kurnell peninsula, the site of the first landfall on the eastern coastline made by Lt. (later Captain) James Cook in 1770, is reached by driving northeast out of Cronulla on Captain Cook Drive.

History[link]

Cronulla Theatre and Cronulla Plaza

Cronulla is derived from kurranulla, meaning ‘‘place of the pink seashells’’ in the dialect of the area's Aboriginal inhabitants, the Gweagal, who were a clan of the Tharawal (or Dharawal) tribe of Indigenous Australians. They were the traditional custodians of the southern geographic areas of Sydney. The beaches were named by Surveyor Robert Dixon who surveyed here in 1827-28 and by 1840, the main beach was still known as Karranulla.^[1]

Matthew Flinders and George Bass explored and mapped the coastline and Port Hacking estuary in 1796 and the southernmost point of Cronulla is named Bass and Flinders Point in their honour. John Connell received a grant of 380 acres (1.5 km²) in 1835. Thomas Holt (1811-88) owned most of the land that stretched from Sutherland to Cronulla in the 1860s. Holt built Sutherland House on the foreshore of Gwawley Bay in 1818, on the eastern side of Sylvania. The Cronulla area was subdivided in 1895 and land was offered for sale at 10 pounds per acre. In 1899, the government named the area Gunnamatta, which means sandy hills. On the 26th February 1908 it was officially changed to Cronulla and Gunnamatta was used for the name of the bay, on the western side.

Northies Hotel

After the Illawarra railway line was built to Sutherland in 1885, the area became popular for picnics and swimming. Steam trams operated between Cronulla and Sutherland from 1911. Many regulars rented beach houses at Cronulla every year for school holidays. The Oriental Hotel was built by Captain Spingall in 1888, on the present site of apartments behind the North Cronulla Hotel. The Cecil Hotel was located on the foreshore of South Cronulla and the Ritz Café was popular with holiday-makers. The Cecil Apartments were built on the former site of this hotel. The steam trams were replaced by the Cronulla branch of the Illawarra railway line when it opened in 1939.^[2]

The post office opened in January 1891, known as Cronulla Beach, but closed in 1893. It reopened in 1907 and the name was officially changed to Cronulla in 1929.

The Cronulla School of Arts was established in 1904. The original wooden building was demolished and replaced by the current School of Arts building in November 1912, and is now one of the oldest buildings in Cronulla.

Cronulla School of Arts building est. 1912

The first public school opened in 1910. From the 1950s, many of the guest houses began being replaced by high rise flats. Even though it developed as a residential area, Cronulla remained popular with beachgoers and tourists. Several hotels, motels and serviced apartments operate today. The Cronulla Bicentennial Plaza opened in February 1989.

In 2005, the beachfront at Cronulla was the scene of widely-publicised mob disturbances and violent confrontations.^[3] These incidents continued over a number of days and also spread to other areas in Sydney.^[4] See 2005 Cronulla riots.

Beaches[link]

People on North Cronulla Beach

Cronulla is a popular tourist attraction and attracts many beachgoers from all over Sydney. Cronulla Beach features a long stretch of sand that runs from Boat Harbour to North Cronulla, followed by rock pools and another sandy beach at South Cronulla. The beaches of Cronulla from north to south are: Boat Harbour, Wanda Beach, Elouera Beach, North Cronulla Beach, Cronulla Beach, Blackwoods Beach, Shelly Beach and Oak Park. Local names also apply to various parts of the beach, such as The Alley, between Cronulla Beach and North Cronulla, The Wall, between North Cronulla and Elouera and Green Hills, to the north of Wanda, Sandshoes, near the mouth of the Port Hacking estuary, Voodoo Reef and The Point. The beaches are perfect recreational areas for swimming, surfing, bodyboarding, bodysurfing and other water sports.

Shark Island, just off Cronulla Beach, is a famous surfing and bodyboarding spot, and the site of the annual Shark Island Challenge bodyboarding contest. Gunnamatta Bay provides protected swimming at the baths off Gunnamatta Park. Port Hacking is a popular location for such water sports as waterskiing and wakeboarding.

Parks[link]

Dunningham Park, North Cronulla

• Bass & Flinders Point is the southernmost part of Cronulla and features a monument to explorers George Bass and Matthew Flinders, who explored the Port Hacking estuary.
• Darook Park, Gunnamatta Park and Tonkin Park are all located on Gunnamatta Bay.
• Cronulla Park is located behind the beach at South Cronulla.
• Dunningham Park sits behind the beach at North Cronulla, shaded by large Norfolk Island Pines. It features a children's playground, picnic tables and a kiosk.
• Monro Park, featuring the Cronulla War Memorial, is located opposite Cronulla railway station.
• Cronulla Recreational Reserve is located beside the car park at Wanda Beach, popular for sport and recreational activities such as flying kites.
• Shelly Park sits behind Shelley Beach.

Commercial area[link]

The main shopping strip runs along Cronulla Street, which has been partly converted into a pedestrian mall known as Cronulla Plaza. It also extends along the Kingsway, Gerrale Street and other surrounding streets. Cronulla has developed a café culture, with some cafés and restaurants located along the North Cronulla foreshore and Cronulla Plaza. Tourists can choose from a number of hotels, motels and serviced apartments. Cronulla has many attractions including an independent cinema, nightclubs, pubs and bars. Northies is a well-known pub, near North Cronulla Beach.

Transport[link]

Cronulla Ferry Wharf

Trains terminate at Cronulla railway station on the Cronulla branch of the Illawarra line, on the City Rail network. Cronulla Tunnel Gallery is just north of the station, linking Cronulla Street to Tonkin Street.

Cronulla and National Park Ferry Cruises runs passenger services around Port Hacking and a regular route between Cronulla and Bundeena, on the edge of the Royal National Park. The Cronulla Ferry wharf sits on Gunnamatta Bay, beside Tonkin Park.

Veolia Transport NSW has several bus routes that stop at Cronulla Railway Station. These are the 969 Sutherland via Miranda and North Caringbah, 962 Bankstown via Sutherland and Illawong, 971 to Hursville via Sylvania, 988 to Miranda via Wooloware and 987 Kurnell via North Cronulla.

Sport[link]

Cronulla Beach and rock pool

• The local National Rugby League football club is the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. The Cronulla-Sutherland League's Club and home ground, Endeavour Field, are located on Captain Cook Drive at Woolooware.
• Surf lifesaving clubs are located along the beach at Wanda, Elouera, North Cronulla and South Cronulla.
• Many soccer clubs are located in the Cronulla district, the most prominent being Cronulla Seagulls and the Cronulla RSL clubs.
• Surfing plays a major role in Cronulla. Famous professional surfer and 1999 world champion Mark Occhilupo ('Occy') grew up surfing in Cronulla. Many surfboard shapers hand craft their surfboards in Cronulla and the Sutherland Shire.
• The annual Shark Island Challenge bodyboarding contest and the annual Shark Island Swim Challenge are held at Cronulla Beach.
• The "Cronulla International Cycling Grand Prix" has been held in Cronulla since 2006. In 2009 it was also the Australian National Criterium Championships.^[5][6]

Events[link]

• Cronulla Spring Festival is held every year on the second weekend of September. It includes free entertainment, food and many variety stalls.

• Opera On the Beach is an event commonly held at Cronulla as part of the nation's Australia Day celebrations.^[7]

Popular culture[link]

• Puberty Blues is a book and movie about the surfing culture in the Sutherland Shire.
• An episode of the popular science-fiction TV series Farscape was filmed in Cronulla.
• The Australia's Next Top Model (Cycle 4) house was situated on Gunnamatta Bay.
• The Shire, is a reality T.V. Show began being filmed in early 2012, having Cronulla as its main setting.

Population[link]

Demographics[link]

According to the 2006 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population, there were 16,502 people usually resident in Cronulla. 15.6% stated they were born overseas with the top countries of birth being United Kingdom 4.7%, New Zealand 2.2% and South Africa 0.5%. English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 83.1% of residents and the most common other languages spoken were Greek 1.0%, Italian 0.8% and Spanish 0.6%. The most common responses for religious affiliation were Catholic 29.3%, Anglican 25.3% and Uniting Church 4.1%.^[8]

Socioeconomics[link]

Bass and Flinders Point

Cafes

The Australian Bureau of statistics found that 23.5% of residents were employed in professional positions, 41% were employed in technical and trade or administrative positions. The average individual income was $68,757, and mean family income was $122,698 according to the 2006 Australian Census. Unemployment amongst people under 29 is above the state average in 2006 ABS Census data.

Notable residents[link]

• Luke Baines, actor, singer and model.
• Nathan Beves, model, runner-up of the fourth season of The Mole.
• Lara Bingle, model, former partner of cricketer Michael Clarke.
• Brendan Cowell, actor, appeared on Love My Way.
• Daniel MacPherson, Australian actor, TV presenter, notable for being in City Homicide.
• Chris McCormack, ironman, triathlete.
• Toni Pearen, TV presenter, actress.
• Myles Pollard, actor, appeared on McLeod's Daughters.
• Ricky Ponting, former captain of the Australian national cricket team.
• Jason Stevens, former Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks player.
• Cheyenne Tozzi and her model/actress sister Tahyna Tozzi.
• Sharni Vinson, actress, appeared on Home and Away.

Schools[link]

Cronulla is home to a number of primary and secondary schools:

• Cronulla High School
• De La Salle College
• Our Lady of Mercy College
• Cronulla Public School
• South Cronulla Public School
• St Francis De Sales
• Burraneer Bay Public School
• St Aloysius Catholic Primary School

Churches[link]

St Andrews Anglican Church, St Aloysius Catholic Church, Cronulla Baptist Church, Cronulla Uniting Church, Presbyterian War Memorial Church.

See also[link]

• Electoral district of Cronulla, a seat in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
• Cronulla railway station
• 2005 Cronulla riots
• Wanda Sand dunes

References[link]

• Our Shire
• Beautiful Images by Chris Dixon, a young Cronulla based photographer

Media related to Cronulla, New South Wales at Wikimedia Commons Coordinates: 34°03′27″S 151°09′08″E / 34.05744°S 151.15219°E / -34.05744; 151.15219

Beau Ryan

Ryan in 2009
Personal information
Born	(1985-05-11) 11 May 1985 (age 27)
Height	186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	85 kg (13 st 5 lb)
Playing information
Position	Wing, Centre, Fullback
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2007–	Wests Tigers	90	43	0	0	172
As of 19 May 2012
Source: League Central Rugby League Project

Beau Ryan (born 11 May 1985) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League. He plays primarily in the backs.

Playing career[link]

Ryan played junior football with Wests Illawarra. In 2003, Ryan was selected to represent in the New South Wales Schoolboys team. In 2005 he won a premiership with the St. George Illawarra Dragons Jersey Flegg Cup team^[1] under coach Steve Price, but left the club as he was behind centres Matt Cooper, Mark Gasnier and Wes Naiqama.^[2]

Making his NRL debut in round 16 of 2007, Ryan played a further 2 games that year, scoring a try in his second appearance. The next season, he played in 15 games.

From 2009 onwards, Ryan was a regular on the wing for the Wests Tigers. He scored a personal best 13 tries that year, including seven tries in the last 4 games. Soon after, Ryan signed a contract to remain with the Tigers until the end of the 2012 season.^[3]

Injury hampered Ryan's season in 2011, and he didn't take his regular position on the wing until round 14. He scored 8 tries in the remaining 13 games, including the last try of the qualifying final match against St George as the Wests Tigers came from 12-6 down at half time to win 21-12.

Television career[link]

From 2009, Ryan began making regular comedic appearances on The Footy Show,^[4] and in 2010 started his own comedy segment, "Beau Knows...".^[5] He has also created two popular characters; DJ Yallah, an Egyptian-Australian DJ from Bankstown and Donnie Palmer, a Titans trainer who is obsessed with doing stretches.

Coach Tim Sheens said of Ryan's television appearances, "Some players play golf on their day off. He goes and has some fun doing some television. At the moment, TV is his interest and good luck to him as long as it doesn't overtake his football."^[6]

Career highlights[link]

• First Grade Debut – Round 16, 2007 vs Canberra Raiders at Canberra Stadium.

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

• Beau Ryan at Wests Tigers
• Beau Ryan at the Rugby League Project

Junior dos Santos
Born	(1984-09-12) September 12, 1984 (age 27) Caçador, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Other names	Cigano ("Gypsy") JDS
Residence	Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Nationality	Brazilian
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	108.4 kg (239 lb; 17 st 1 lb)
Division	Heavyweight (265 lb)
Reach	77 in (196 cm)
Style	Mixed Martial Arts
Stance	Orthodox
Fighting out of	Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Team	Team Nogueira
Rank	Brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu[1]
Years active	2006–present (MMA)
Mixed martial arts record
Total	16
Wins	15
By knockout	11
By submission	2
By decision	2
Losses	1
By submission	1
Website	http://www.juniordossantos.com.br/
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
last updated on: November 23, 2011

Junior dos Santos Almeida (Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʒũnjoʁ dus ˈsɐ̃tus]), also known as Junior Cigano ("Gipsy"; born September 12, 1984), is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and the current UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is ranked as the number one heavyweight fighter in the world by numerous media outlets.^[2][3][4]

Mixed martial arts career[link]

Dos Santos started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Yuri Carlton for fitness reasons. After some time he was invited to join an MMA practice, where he met his boxing coach Luiz Carlos Dórea, and after roughly a year he made his debut fight.^[5][6]

Early career[link]

Dos Santos became professional in 2006 at the age of 21. He fought in small promotions in Brazil, such as Demo Fight, Extreme Fighting Championship, Minotauro Fights and Mo Team League. He won 6 out of his first 7 bouts, suffering his only loss to Joaquim Ferreira, a fighter he'd previously beaten.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (2008–present)[link]

Debut (2008–2010)[link]

Dos Santos debuted for the UFC on October 25, 2008 at UFC 90. Considered a major underdog,^[7] dos Santos knocked out top contender Fabricio Werdum at a minute and twenty-one seconds of the first round with a strong uppercut,^[8][9] earning himself a "Knockout of the Night" award.^[10]

Dos Santos returned on February 21, 2009 at UFC 95 and fought promotional newcomer Stefan Struve defeating him at fifty-four seconds of the first round by TKO.^[11]

On September 19, 2009, Dos Santos continued his winning streak and defeated Mirko Filipović at UFC 103.^[12] During the third round, dos Santos dominated Filipović in the clinch with knee strikes and punches. A knee from the clinch and a right uppercut left Cro Cop unable to see causing him to verbally submit.^[13]

Dos Santos was supposed to fight Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 108. However, Gonzaga pulled out of the bout on November 25, 2009, due to a staph infection.^[14] Instead on January 2, 2010, dos Santos fought Gilbert Yvel,^[15] winning the fight via TKO at two minutes and seven seconds of the first round.^[16]

Dos Santos defeated Gabriel Gonzaga on March 21, 2010, at UFC Live: Vera vs. Jones by knockout in the first round.^[17] Earning Dos Santos his second "Knockout of the Night" award.^[18]

Heavyweight title contender (2010–2011)[link]

Dos Santos faced Roy Nelson on August 7, 2010, at UFC 117.^[19] The fight saw Dos Santos use a variety of strikes and, for the first time, a successful takedown.^[20] Despite dos Santos' striking ability, Nelson was able to stay in the fight,^[21] resulting in the fight going to decision.^[22] Dos Santos won via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, 30–27).^[23] Following the win Dos Santos was expected to challenge Cain Velasquez for the heavyweight title. However a torn rotator cuff suffered by Velasquez sidelined the champion for nearly a year.^[24]

Junior Dos Santos in action against Shane Carwin in the main event of UFC 131.

On January 11, 2011, it was revealed that Dos Santos would be one of the coaches of The Ultimate Fighter Season 13, opposite to Brock Lesnar.^[25] They were scheduled to face each other on June 11, 2011, at UFC 131,^[26] but Lesnar pulled out of the bout due to a recurrence of diverticulitis and was replaced by Shane Carwin.^[27] Dos Santos dominated Carwin and defeated him via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26),^[28] relying predominantly on his boxing skills,^[29] but showed more variety in his game by landing a couple of kicks and completing two takedowns in the third round.^[30][31]

UFC Heavyweight Champion (2011–present)[link]

Junior Dos Santos with the UFC Heavyweight Title Belt.

Dos Santos faced Cain Velasquez at UFC on Fox 1 for the UFC Heavyweight Championship on November 12, 2011.^[32] Dos Santos defeated Velasquez in 1 minute and 4 seconds of the first round via KO to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship title.^[33] Dos Santos dropped Velasquez with an overhand right and finished him off with a series of punches.^[34] The performance also earned Dos Santos his third "Knockout of the Night" award.^[35] After the fight, it was revealed that he had a torn meniscus in his knee,^[36] he subsequently underwent a successful knee surgery.^[37]

Dos Santos was scheduled to face Alistair Overeem on May 26, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at UFC 146.^[38] On April 4, 2012, the Nevada State Athletic Commission announced Overeem had failed a pre-fight drug test.^[39] Overeem's "A" sample was found to have a elevated T/E ratio of 14:1, the NSAC's allowable ratio is 6:1, Overeem had the opportunity to request a test on his "B" sample.^[40][41] A NSAC hearing on the issue was held on April 24, 2012.^[42] At the hearing Overeem's request for a license was denied.^[43] On April 20, 2012, Dana White the UFC president announced Frank Mir would be replacing Overeem.^[44] Junior dos Santos dominated the fight showing his superior boxing skills, resulting in a TKO in the second round.