Inside Cronulla Sharks’ NRL grand final after-party

EXCLUSIVE: It’s the Sharks party that was 50 years in the making. PHIL ROTHFIELD takes us inside Cronulla’s grand final celebrations.

IT’S 4.30am and Chris Heighington is still in his grand final jersey standing at the bar.

“I’m not taking it off for at least three days,” he says, “No way. It’s too special.”

Other players are wearing their Premiers T-shirts but not ‘Heighno’.

The jumper is as precious as the premiership ring he collected earlier in the night.

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“I love this club, my teammates and this footy jersey. This is was what rugby league is all about. I just love it.”

Chris Heighington said he wouldn’t take his Sharks jersey off for three days.

Welcome inside the Cronulla Sharks victory party on the second floor of their Woolooware Leagues club, which until Sunday night had nothing but an old Amco Cup and cobwebs inside the trophy cabinet.

Now it has Norm and Arthur.

The players and family buses arrive back at the club well after midnight.

We are ushered through a side entrance and up two flights of stairs to kick off the biggest party the Shire has ever hosted.

Phil Rothfield, left, and Ben Barba, right, with Cronulla Sharks fans at the grand final after-party.

All the children are there.

Ben Barba and Luke Lewis are nursing their babies.

James Maloney’s six-year-old son Kade showed he was as tough as his father.

James Maloney's son, Kade, 6, needed stitches after crashing into a locker while playing footy with his mates.

He was playing footy with his mates in the dressing sheds at full-time and crashed into a locker.

The club doctor had to put Jack Bird’s elbow strapping on hold to give Kade two stitches.

There was blood all over his little jersey but he was tearing around the party at the Leagues club as though nothing had happened.

The room was full of old club legends.

Dane and Kurt Sorensen. Gavin Miller and Tommy Bishop.

Unlike most retired old front-rowers, Dane Sorensen doesn’t drink. Miller was happy to have his share.

“I never liked the taste of it,” Sorensen says, “But I’ll have one tonight. It’s a 50-year celebration.”

Channel Nine and 2GB personality Darryl Brohman arrives at the club.

He counts coach Shane Flanagan among his best mates. You could tell by their embrace.

Sharks players celebrate their grand final triumph with Cronulla fans. Picture: Jeremy Piper

It’s a far cry from the old Epic Bender Crew days for Barba, the Sharks’ superstar fullback. He’s now the proud family man.

He spends most of the night at a table with his four daughters, his partner Ainslee, Jack Bird and his stunning girlfriend.

James Maloney drinks a beer out of his shoe at the Sharks’ after party. Photo Jeremy Piper

Maloney gestures to the crowd after the skulling effort. Photo Jeremy Piper

The proudest man in the room is Gary Gallen — the skipper’s father.

He’s a tough old rugby league type from the western suburbs and can’t stop raving about his son.

“Paul so deserves this,” he says.

Players on the balcony, cheered on by the large crowd at Shark Park. Photo Jeremy Piper

Gallen himself was the most subdued of all the players.

He was so exhausted and so tired he was the first to head home about 3am.

No-one is enjoying victory more than retiring hooker Michael Ennis.

Sharks supporters celebrate Cronulla’s grand final victory. Picture: Jeremy Piper

He jokes about patting Cameron Smith on the back after the Australian captain’s first half knock-on then bags Storm prop Jordan McLean for rushing in to start a melee. He loved it.

Coach Shane Flanagan is thinking about the thousands of fans on the ground floor.

He grabs the trophy, Luke Lewis and Valentine Holmes and they head out to raise it in front of them.

The chant ‘Flanno … Flanno …. Flanno’ is deafening. So is the Up Up Cronulla song.

Sharks supporters celebrate in the Shire after Cronulla’s grand final triumph. Picture: Jeremy Piper

The scenes are just out of this world.

Adam Barnes is the boss of the club’s merchandise. He’s already turned over more than $500,000 in sales in the build-up to the game. The job is not over and he’s not going anywhere.

A shipment of Premiers T shirts from the factory at Tempe are due to arrive anytime. The printing started at full-time and the shirts were to be delivered at 5am.

Just on 100 of them were pre-made and taken to the ANZ Stadium in case they were required. And they were.

“There’s no point going home now,” Barnes says. “They’ll be lining up for all the fresh merchandise when it arrives. The shop will be open, business as usual. We’ll get by on the adrenaline.”