Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I join with the other speakers in commending the member for Flynn for moving this motion and, Madam Deputy Speaker, I note your keen and enthusiastic interest in the debate. The Cronulla Sharks are a worthy chapter in the centenary history of Rugby League. The Cronulla Sharks club was formed in September 1956 and officially incorporated in 1957. The Sharks entered the New South Wales competition in 1967, at the same time as the Penrith Panthers, expanding the competition from 10 to 12. In its first season the club won three games, drew one and suffered 18 defeats, taking out the wooden spoon. It has always been up since then.

In 1968 the club moved to its permanent home ground at Endeavour Field, Woolooware. Uniquely, the Sharks own their own home ground to this day and are the only NRL club to own their own home ground and the adjacent leagues club. In their 40 years of competition in the top division of Rugby League, the Sharks have yet to win a premiership, although they have come close on three occasions—and 2008 is shaping up to be our year, without question. They are currently leading the competition, with three other clubs, having had a great win over Parramatta just yesterday afternoon under Ricky Stuart’s leadership. We are looking forward to big things for the remainder of the season. Many in the shire enjoy getting down to ‘Shark Park’ on a weekend, and we will continue to enjoy doing that over the balance of the season. We are looking forward to the semis.

The Sharks played their first grand final against Manly Warringah, our arch enemies the Sea Eagles, in 1973. We lost that game seven points to 10. In 1978 we had the chance for yet another grand final, and that was again against Manly. On that occasion there was an 11-all draw, only for the Sharks to go down in the grand final replay 16 to nil. Our next encounter with Manly will be on 12 July, and we are looking forward to that fixture very much. In 1979 the club had a win in what was then the Amco Cup, which I remember watching as a youngster. It was an experiment with games at night, under lights. It is one of the many innovations that Rugby League has brought to many sports.

The club has produced many champions. Some of them have already been mentioned here in this debate. The late Steve Rogers was a Sharks great. He was a great not only in the game of Rugby League but in the game of life. He was highly respected by all those who live in the Sutherland shire community. Between 1973 and 1982 he played 231 games. Steve Rogers remains the club’s top points scorer, having scored 1,253 points, which comprised 82 tries, 499 goals and five field goals. The late Steve Rogers was truly a champion. There were other champions, like Andrew Ettingshausen, who the great Jack Gibson said could get into bed before the light went out. He played for the Sharks between 1983 and 2000, in a total of 382 games.

The Sharks have attracted several first-rate coaches in the last 40 years. There was none greater than the late, great Jack Gibson, who was also a great shire identity. I pay tribute to Jack tonight, and there have been many tributes to the late Jack Gibson in recent times, with his recent passing. During the nineties the club welcomed other high-profile coaches, including Arthur Beetson and John Lang.

In 1999 the club had its most successful season, achieving another minor premiership, accounting for the Brisbane Broncos in the quarterfinal only to come up short against the St George Dragons in the grand final qualifier later that season. The club can claim six Rothmans medallists: Terry Hughes in 1968; Ken Maddison in 1973; the late, great Steve Rogers in 1975; Barry Russell in 1989; Gavin Miller the following year, in 1989; and Paul Green in 1995. That is more than any other club in the league. It also has a long list of players who went on to play at the state and national representative levels.

There have been three Sharks players considered worthy enough to receive the competition’s prestigious Dally M award. They are: again, the late Steve Rogers, in 1981; Gavin Miller twice, in 1988 and 1989; and Preston Campbell, in 2001. But in the shire we have not just great players but also some great resident former referees in Bill Harrigan and Graham Annesley.

The club the Sharks is not just about rugby league. The club is also about what it gives back to the community, and there is not an event that I attend in my electorate—whether it is charitable or otherwise—where you do not see the Sharks involved. In supporting the McGrath Foundation, which is particularly topical today, they have donated $500 for every try scored this year; the tally is currently at $20,000. Later this year, in August, we will be opening a new stand at Shark Park. That stand was made possible by the commitment of $9.6 million from the Howard government, under the great stewardship of the former member for Cook Bruce Baird. We look forward in a few weeks time to opening what will always be affectionately known—at least by those on this side of the House—as the Bruce Baird stand.

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