Sharks fans to celebrate for next 50 years after winning their first ever title

THE Daily Telegraph’s Sports Editor at Large Phil Rothfield has been a long suffering Sharks fan. Not anymore!

Daily Telegraph journalist Phil Buzz Rothfield pictured with his daughter Emma and Jae Withers ahead of the Sharks first ever premiership win. Picture: Toby Zerna

TO pinch a line from the old super coach Jack Gibson: “Ding, dong, the witch is dead.”

Like the Parramatta Eels back in 1981, the Cronulla Sharks are NRL champions after 50 years of heartbreak, despair and pain.

The biggest party in rugby league history is now underway. Grown men are crying.

Our streets are barricaded for the first time since the riots — this time to salute the 17 heroes who held off the Storm at ANZ Stadium.

The success-starved Sutherland Shire has a population of 240,000, and it seems every one of them has joined in this once in a lifetime celebration. More than 100 busloads left ANZ Stadium, belting out the famous team victory song Up Up Cronulla on the way home to the Shire.

Daily Telegraph journalist Phil Buzz Rothfield pictured with his daughter Emma and Jae Withers ahead of the Sharks first ever premiership win. Picture: Toby Zerna

What a game. What a night. What an atmosphere.

The team that was broke, bankrupt and on death’s doorstep are the new NRL titleholders.

It was a game they almost won in the first tackle when six Sharks gang-tackled the Melbourne Storm ball carrier at the kick-off. It was the message of brutal intent.

We have many people to thank that Paul Gallen forgot about in his victory speech.

Thank you Phil Gould for Luke Lewis. Des Hasler for mighty Mick Ennis. Wayne Bennett for Ben Barba. And the Roosters … thank you for Jimmy Maloney. Even Melbourne Storm didn’t want him.

High drama for the Sharks midway through the grand final.

These four rejects found a home at Cronulla and have consistently played the best football of their ­careers. Even Andrew Fifita. He’s so hard to like. But what a sensational football player. That try was just hunger, desire, resolve and amazing grit.

This was a night so special for coach Shane Flanagan. I was with him at Tradies club in Miranda the night he was sacked over the peptides scandal back in 2013. The media was talking up life bans.

He was crying into his schooners, surrounded by his loyal coaching staff. That night he declared to me he’d be back, but never said anything about winning a premiership.

The Sharks fans celebrate their first ever premiership. Picture: Adam Taylor

He is a wonderful coach who will be at Cronulla for as long as Craig Bellamy at the Storm.

And Paul Gallen. Absolutely idolised in the Shire, loathed outside of it.

A one-club warhorse and the heart and soul of this football club.

Give the man a statue. And a grandstand while we’re at it.

You think back to everything we’ve been through. The tragic death of our greatest player Steve Rogers. The peptide scandal. The wooden bloody spoon. The talk we’d be relocated to Perth, Rockhampton or the Central Coast.

Sharks fans go nuts on the streets of Cronulla.

Financial emergencies every few years. Players collecting money in buckets at Caringbah station.

The gibes about our empty trophy cabinet, apart from the much treasured 1979 Amco Cup.

The shocking abuse on Twitter (and the thousands I’ve had to block).

Sharknado. The Monday night we got drenched last year when we beat South Sydney in the worst weather conditions a game has ever been played in.

And the day Parramatta flogged us 74-4 at Parramatta Stadium.

Cronulla Sharks fans at the 2016 NRL Grand Final between the Cronulla Sharks and the Melbourne Storm. Picture: Adam Taylor

My goodness, we know pain and heartbreak better than most. That’s what makes last night so special. ­

The porch light can be turned off. No more Harold Holt sightings.

Being premiers gives you that feeling of immense pride. There are almost tears dripping on to this keyboard.

For the past 49 seasons we’ve been saying there’s always next year. Not any more.

We are the champions.

Sing it one more time, loud and proud.

Up, Up Cronulla.

BUZZ’S BEST BITS

Highlight

The unbelievable atmosphere at ANZ Stadium with 90 per cent of the crowd cheering for the Sharks. It was like a State of Origin night with a sea of light blue.

Lowlight

Broadcaster Ray Hadley flashing his Melbourne Storm boxer shorts prior to the kick-off in the 2GB broadcast box> it was not a pretty sight.

Humble Hero

Not all legends fo the game need the five-star treatment on grand final day. Sharks great Gavin Miller caught the midday train to ANZ Stadium.

Thirsty Work

Old Bulldogs champions David ‘Cement’ Gillespie and Paul Langmack were spotted enjoying a beer in the Members Bar, alongside Greg Inglis and Benji Marshall.

The porch light aka Christian Hosick, on the supporter bus on the way to Olympic Park.

Bright Spark

Sharks fan Christian Hosick went all out with a “porch light” hat and wetsuit Harold Holt costume on the supporter bus.

Hungry Bird

Cronulla centre Jack Bird (above) arrived at the club to join his teammates for the bus ride to Olympic Park then realised he’d forgot to have lunch. One of the ball boys ran inside to get him a toasted ham and cheese sandwich from the club cafe.

Smart thinking by these Sharks supporters.

Flagging Interest

Some fans found a cheaper way to buy their merchandise. Instead of paying $25 for official Sharks colours, Matt Loughnan, Daniel Talbot and Luke Usherwood paid $7.50 on eBay for the flags of Estonia and Botswana,

Just The Ticket

Such was the demand for tickets and the excitement over the Sharks’ fairytale, the decider would have attracted more than 100,000 fans if we had a venue in Sydney big enough, according to ANZ communications boss Arthur Stanley.