Cronulla Sharks the only NRL club in Sydney that has failed to secure development funding

Furious CEO Dino Mezzatesta has slammed the state government for a series of false funding pledges leaving it as the only Sydney club without a grant for redevelopment purposes.

The Cronulla Sharks have slammed the state government over funding backflips to build a new centre of excellence.

Every other NSW-based NRL team, plus the Sydney Swans and the GWS Giants, has received cash from the government for stadiums and high-performance centres in recent years. The Sharks have had nothing.

“It’s embarrassing and it’s disgusting,” said Sharks CEO Dino Mezzatesta.

A series of text messages between former sports minister Stuart Ayres, Treasurer Matt Kean and Mezzatesta reveal months of stalling tactics and false pledges to the club.

The text messages, obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, show Ayres writing to Mezzatesta: “You’re in with the suburban grounds – still working through that.”

Dino Mezzatesta is furious the Sharks have not been able to secure funding for their ground. Picture: Richard Dobson

Ayres then pledged almost $400m for a new stadium in his own seat of Penrith, which is borderline for the election, but gave the Sharks nothing.

Kean wrote to Mezzatesta in December: “Dino we will get it done. I am trying to find the money. Let’s chat in the next week. Merry Xmas.”

Mezzatesta texted the Treasurer again in early January.

Kean: “Mate I’ll get into it when I get back from leave.”

Mezzatesta sent more texts in late January but didn’t get a reply. Finally, on February 3 Kean writes: “Let me get through next Tuesday half-year review. I’m still confident we can make it work.”

There has been no correspondence since.

Instead the government has handed out another $15 million to the Roosters, another $15 million to the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown plus $11 million to North Sydney Oval.

Interestingly, Kean is an old North Sydney Bears fan.

North Sydney Oval has just received $11 million from the government for redevelopment.

The Sharks, who have the second-biggest junior league catchment area in NSW, are furious at the way they have been treated.

“At one stage we were told we’d be getting $90 million for a stadium upgrade and a high-performance centre,” Mezzatesta said. “We’ve had countless conversations. The latest was $25 million. Then they told us after the election we’d get the balance.

“At least $25 million would get us up to the standards of all our rival clubs.

“We just want to be treated the same as everyone else. We’re in a safe Liberal seat and that’s the problem.

“We can’t host a men’s and women’s game at the same venue because of the lack of facilities. We’ve put forward a really strong case … surely we’re entitled to funding.”

A spokeswoman for treasurer Matt Kean said Kean had met with the Cronulla Sharks who asked for government funding for their private project.

“Subsequent to that meeting, the NSW government committed $800 million to the resilient homes fund for flood-affected communities, $500 million for regional road repairs as a result of floods, and $612 million for health measures relating to Covid which have been the government’s priorities,” she said.

“The government remains committed to suburban stadiums in a staged manner. “