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“We are not leaving” read the cardboard and whiteboard marker sign at the southern, standing-room-only, end of Shark Park.
Cronulla weren’t moving either for 40 minutes, albeit with a caveat or two.In a week when their rundown home ground emerged once more as an NRL talking point, the Sharks were gracious hosts of arch rivals St George Illawarra.
They struggled for spark, and without star playmakers Nicho Hynes and Blayke Brailey, as well as late injury withdrawal Jesse Ramien, looked ripe for the picking. The Dragons led 12-6 at half-time through defence, desire and a small mountain of Cronulla errors at their own end.
Eventually, the Sharks did come to life, though coach Craig Fitzgibbon told his side at half-time “I don’t think we’re going that bad”. And so it proved. Cronulla did it easily and attractively in the end – 34-12, to continue the narrative of their topsy-turvy, believe-if-you-dare season so far. A bit like the suburban digs they call home.
A podcast rumour last week briefly put Shark Park’s future (Ocean Protect Stadium for those who can keep up with the venue’s annual name changes) on the agenda – and club CEO Dino Mezzatesta instantly dismissed the suggestion Cronulla would move on in 2027 as “incorrect” and “baseless”.
Only 15,000 fans can get into the joint presently, and it desperately needs serious upgrades to be retained as an NRL venue for much longer.
But when the rain doesn’t come in sideways, the southerly doesn’t howl and there’s serious distance between you and the portaloos, a sunny Sunday afternoon local derby is as good as the place gets.
“It’s a clear message to everyone that we want suburban grounds,” Fitzgibbon said of the semiregular conjecture.
“So, why are we not entitled to what everyone else is? It’s our home, we love it. What’s the difference between Leichhardt [Oval], WIN [Stadium], what’s the difference? If the game makes the call [to retain suburban grounds] then we’re all in.”
Especially when the Sharks let the Steeden sing. Long-range tries to Will Kennedy (48th minute) and Sam Stonestreet (57th) were just reward for the Cronulla faithful after an off-pace opening 40.
Queensland Origin back-rower Briton Nikora started the revival when he was turned back inside, seemingly innocuously, only to find Dragons props Loko Pasifiki Tonga and Josh Kerr – who had been with the trainers moments earlier – nowhere to be seen.
Nikora’s saloon passage to the line was matched a minute later in far more impressive fashion. Just two tackles into their kick-off set, a Billy Burns offload had Niwhai Puru and then Kennedy streaking away.
A six-point deficit had swung into an 18-12 advantage in two minutes. When Stonestreet and then Ronaldo Mulitalo followed on the end of fine attacking play, the Sharks had four tries in 15 minutes. Braydon Trindall, who has had a hand in roughly 60 per cent of Cronulla tries this season, helped himself to another for the road as full-time closed in.
“When they’re in this mood in attack,” mused Phil Gould in commentary, “I think they’re as clinical as any team in the competition.”
St George Illawarra didn’t deserve to be skewered so succinctly. Not on the effort of their first 40 in any case, but a last-placed side will often find life breaks this way.
“Everyone got to see what the new Dragons look like and got a good look at what the old Dragons look like. It was a game of two halves,” coach Dean Young said.
Young also lamented that Jaydn Su’A may have played his last game for the club amid fears of a torn pec.
Cronulla roll on, up to sixth on the ladder. But questions over their true premiership credentials, not to mention what will ever be done with Shark Park, will linger for a while yet.
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