Sharks

Puberty Blues

The Cronulla Sharks entered the NSWRL in 1967 to represent a surfing region nestled between St George and Wollongong. It was the region made famous in the Aussie cult movie classic Puberty Blues; a story dealing with blooming femal sexuality and love in the back of a panel van.

The blue, white and black colours were adopted from the Cronulla Surf Club. Due to the region's proximity to Botany Bay, the club badge featured a black outline drawing of Captain Cook's ship the ‘Endeavour'. The Shark moniker came from Cronulla Surf Club's rugby league teams of the 1950's which were also known as the 'Sharks'.

Cronulla always battled for funding in these early years. Whereas other clubs considered the year to be a success if it won a premiership, Cronulla considered the year to be a success if it survived. Former coach Jack Gibson put it quite aptly when he said that waiting for the Sharks to win a premiership would be like leaving the light on for Harold Holt.

In the late eighties, Cronulla gained a bit of glamour. It signed a pretty boy named Andrew Ettinghausen who refutted the stereotype that all rugby players are short, stocky with a nose like the elephant man and ears like satellite dishes.

Promoting its sex appeal, Cronulla pulled women through through the rugby league turnstiles. One of these ladies included Elle McPherson; a supermodel who probably had never made love in the back of a panel van.

Perhaps it was the glamorous associations that motivated News Ltd to extend Cronulla an invitation to join its rebel 'Super League' in the mid 90s. As a team with no premierships to cherish and a multinational company promising a solution to its financial woes, Cronulla was more than willing to turn its back on the ARL.

But Super League proved to be a flop and a subsequent peace deal stipulated that Sydney clubs must merge in in preparation for a streamlined competition. Although Cronulla's funding from News Ltd gave it immunity from rationalisation, the two ARL clubs to the north and south of it, St George and Illawarra, had their heads on the chopping blocks.

To ensure their survival, St George and Illawarra merged to create a southern Sydney super club. This left Cronulla sitting in an uncomfortable position geographically. Trying to adapt, they dropped Cronulla from their name to become 'the Sharks.' Thus a club with the NRL's most regionaly flavoursome moniker, no longer has a regional association.

Roy Morgan research

2004 - when compared to other NRL supporters

• 51% more likely than the average person to say they like tough physical activity;
• 32% more likely than the average person to smoke cigarettes (factory made);
• 26% more likely to have gone to the beach in the last three months;
• 21% more likely than the average person to say they try to look stylish.

2006 - when compared to other NRL supporters

• 21% more likely to live in a young singles household
• 20% more likely to be concerned about their cholesterol level 
• 26% more likely to have rented a video in the last three months

Icon

• Steve Rogers - Almost won Cronulla a grand final in 1978. In 1983, defected to St George, then returned to Cronulla in 1985 and had his jaw broken by the swinging arm of Canterbury's Mark Bugden
• Andrew Ettinghausen - Eric Grothe he wasn't. Pretty-boy winger who sued a magazine for publishing a photo of his penis.
• Gavin Miller - Countless heads, boots and swinging arms ensured this forward wasn't going to win any beauty contests. But these scars of battle combined with his imposing size struck fear into opponents as he charged into them.

Shark jokes

There is a Shire psychiatrist that has a thriving practice, particularly during the football season. He tried an idea-association test on a patient and asked her what came to mind when she thought of something brown, firm and had smooth curves. " A football" said the patient immediately. "Good. And what comes to mind when two arms slide around your waste?" "An illegal tackle" was the instant reply. "Now picture a firm set of thighs" "a full back!" "Top marks" said the psychiatrist. "Your answers are perfectly normal. You would be surprised by some of the silly answers I get."

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