Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Inside Cronulla Sharks financial turnaround

The Cronulla Sharks are no longer the financial desperates of the NRL after this historic sponsorship blitz — check out all the latest NRL chatter.

Barnstorming Parramatta Eels forward Nathan Brown is considering a huge offer from the Manly Sea Eagles to jump ship at the end of the season.

We’re told the Eels are running out of patience with the NSW State of Origin lock, who has had a two-season $600,000-a-year offer on the table for several months.

Manly coach Des Hasler is desperately keen on Brown and his robust style of play.

This is surprising considering he already has Kangaroos and Blues Origin forward Jake Trbojevic playing in the position.

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Eels forward Nathan Brown is weighing up a big offer from Manly. Picture: Getty Images

Brown is 28 and rated one of the toughest and most fearless players in the competition.

He had a magnificent second-half at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night in Parramatta’s fightback from a 16-0 deficit to win a thrilling contest.

Brown is not the only big name State of Origin forward on the open market for 2022.

At the Roosters, edge forward Angus Crichton is also chasing a new multi-year contract.

The Roosters are taking a risk by telling Crichton they will wait until midway through the season to assess the situation. He desperately wants to stay and is happy to wait.

However there will be a significant pay cut from his current deal worth around the $800,000-a-season mark from when he was poached from arch rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs at the end of 2018.

Crichton was NSW’s best player in last year’s Origin series but the Roosters need to upgrade the likes of Victor Radley and Sam Walker.

Check out all the latest NRL chatter and more in Australia’s hottest sport gossip column.

SAINT

Esteemed cycling journo and former colleague Rupert Guinness is planning the most gruelling 4900km solo ride from Darwin to Hobart in 12 to 14 days to raise awareness for mental health. That equates to a 400km ride each day for two weeks. Unbelievable effort for a 59-year-old man.

12 weeks to to go until my 4,900km solo ride from Darwin - Hobart. My goals:
1. Finish the ride in 12-14 days
2. Finish safely
3. Heighten awareness for mental wellbeing and the value of human contact
4. Have some fun. “If you’re not, you’re not doing it right" 🙏 @markobalohpic.twitter.com/Hg6wvx28eG

— Rupert Guinness (@rupertguinness) March 8, 2021

SINNER

Roosters star Victor Radley gets a two-week ban and $20,000 fine for tackling a man in the street. Panthers star Brent Naden misses no football for using cocaine the night before the grand final and breaking the biosecurity bubble. This is a terrible message to be sending to the parents of young players. The penalties dished out by the integrity unit are a complete farce.

SHOOSH

Which big-name Cronulla Shark was recently spotted in Townsville … and it wasn’t for the All Stars game. We could not confirm the rumour he had talks with the Cowboys.

SHOOSH

The rumour Kyle Flanagan has a get-out clause in his three-year deal at Canterbury should his dad Shane get a coaching job at a rival club has been denied by Bulldogs officials.

SHOOSH

An absolutely disastrous radio ratings survey for new sports broadcasting network SEN. The Andrew Voss breakfast show rated a pathetic 0.2 — about the equivalent of an old TV test pattern. In fairness to Voss, for much of the survey Jimmy Smith and Katie Brown were hosting while he was still on holidays. Executives are desperately hoping the NRL kick-off spikes interest for the second survey.

SPOTTED

Rabbitohs legend Craig “Tugger” Coleman on a pushy ride from his eastern suburbs home to the Opera House. Tugger is now 58 but still looks fit enough to be feeding the scrums.

Rabbitohs legend Craig Coleman is in great shape.

SPOTTED

Rugby league is growing internationally — even in rugby union strongholds. ESPN Africa will show NRL games across the country from this weekend until the grand final. We’re not sure if Munster, Cleary or Tedesco will become household names but at least it’s a start.

SPOTTED

Colleague Dean “Bulldog” Ritchie heaving more chest than Johnny Travolta at a Saturday night disco in a major wardrobe malfunction in a live cross to Fox League.

Dean 'Bulldog' Ritchie v John Travolta.

SPOTTED

Dane Gagai at a building site on Goulburn St in hi-viz and hard hat on Tuesday. It turns out the Rabbitohs’ star is an ambassador for building firm Access Hire.

SPOTTED

Supreme Court listings next Thursday for Bulldogs legend Chris Anderson and brother-in-law Kevin Moore in their multimillion-dollar stoush with the ATO.

SHARKS IN $4M SPONSORSHIP COUP

The Cronulla Sharks are no longer the financial desperates of the NRL.

For the first time in history, the Sharks have sold out their entire playing outfit with eight sponsors — Aramex, Zambrero, TFH, Southern Comfort, PointsBet, Madimack, Dynasty Sport and SFD contributing towards $4 million.

This is a Sharks record and an extraordinary turnaround for a club that has had its share of off-field issues in the past and always struggled financially.

“We’ve achieved something really special,” said chief executive Dino Mezzatesta. “These are above-market deals. It’s huge.

Aaron Woods and Wade Graham show off the Sharks’ strip.

“This is a great thing for the Sharks and the NRL that strong international brands are investing in our game. There is a lot of commercial confidence around our club.”

Cronulla’s financial comeback under Mezzatesta and chairman Steve Mace should end any suggestions of a relocation or merger in the future. The club has no debt, owns Kareela Golf Club, their stadium and leagues club and is making a profit.

“People can say we’re struggling,” Mezzatesta said. “They don’t know the true story. The Sharks are now showing we do business at the big end of town and match all the big clubs. Our business is leaner than ever before and more effective.”

A-LEAGUE TV RATINGS CRASH

Soccer’s A-League is struggling big time for TV ratings. We can reveal the figures on Foxtel platforms have plummeted by 29 per cent compared with last season.

They are getting around 10,000 less viewers on average for each game.

The halcyon days of Alessandro Del Piero and Dwight Yorke are now a distant memory.

The only good story is the Central Coast Mariners and their fairytale rise to the top. There’s a long way to go but it’s got the feel of Leicester City miraculously winning the 2016 EPL.

Interestingly the W-League is doing much better with the girls’ ratings up by 22 per cent, but off a low base.

Who knows what the future holds. The Fox Sports contract expires this year but we understand they are in talks with A-League officials about a possible extension.

Central Coast Mariners are flying high at the top of the A-League, but the TV ratings are struggling. Picture: Getty Images

CRONK HIT AND MISS

Cooper Cronk is fortunate the media was so kind during his playing days.

He has been vocal in supporting the South Sydney Rabbitohs in their reluctance to sign halfback Adam Reynolds on a long-term contract because the 30-year-old has failed to take the Rabbitohs into a grand final from qualifiers in the last three years.

Yet Cronk had the same issue when Melbourne missed the GF in 2013, 2014 and 2015, despite having champions Cameron Smith and Billy Slater as teammates. And not once did anyone question his own long-term future at the club.

HADLEY TUNES OUT

Channel 9 have confirmed top rating talkback host Ray Hadley won’t be required to call any rugby league on TV this year. His five-year contract to call league expired last September and has not been renewed.

Hadley didn’t call any league for the last two years of his contract but Nine Radio will still use the veteran commentator to call Origin and the grand final. Hadley told colleagues he’s never spoken to 9 Sports boss Brent Williams.

Storm legend Cameron Smith called time on his career this week. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

STORM STILL SURGE AFTER SMITH

The retirement of rugby league’s greatest player has surprisingly had no adverse commercial impact on Melbourne Storm.

Even without Cameron Smith, Storm club membership has already hit 20,000 and is up year on year. Every available ticket and every corporate suite was sold out for Friday night against Souths.

“Cameron was such an important figure,” said CEO Justin Rodski. “But it’s a testament to our club we’ve now got Ryan Papenhuyzen, Cameron Munster, Brandon Smith and Jahrome Hughes ready to step up.”

CRAWLEY BANS SUNCORP CROSSES

Fox Sports has banned live TV outside of Suncorp Stadium after an embarrassing cross to Broncos legend Corey Parker at full-time on Friday night.

Parker could hardly get a word in as he was mobbed by dozens of fans, some of whom had obviously had a lot to drink.

“I thought it was disgraceful,” Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley said. “We won’t be doing stand-ups there again. It was stupid.”

Producers were forced to cut Parker off as he was analysing the game and giving his thoughts on the Broncos blowing a 16-0 lead to lose a thriller to the Parramatta Eels.

Corey Parker was mobbed by fans during a live cross.

BARRETT CALLS ON BULLDOGS LEGENDS

Canterbury coach Trent Barrett knows the importance of having the support and input of old legends around a footy club.

That’s why he invited Terry Lamb, Chris and Peter Mortimer, Greg Brentnall and Joey Thomas to address the team and hand out jerseys before the Knights game at a team dinner in Newcastle. A nice touch on the eve of the game.

Joe Thomas, Chris Mortimer, Terry Lamb, Peter Mortimer, Greg Bretnall and John Khoury.

TICKETING RUSH FOR TIM TSZYU

An extra 1500 seats will be made available this week for rising superstar Tim Tszyu’s next fight on March 31 at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

The first ticket release for his bout against Denis Hogan sold out in a week. Promoters No Limit Boxing were initially only allowed to sell 75% of the 5700- seat venue due to covid-restrictions at the time.

Tsyzu’s father and Boxing Hall of Famer Kostya fought seven times in the Steel City.

“I was only a little kid when Dad was fighting here in the nineties but I now know why he kept coming back,” Tszyu said, “The support has been incredible. I want as many people as possible to be there.

“Who knows how much longer I’ll fight here (in Australia) if the talk of world titles keeps heading the way it is heading.”

DES RATES

There is no truth in the rumour that Manly Sea Eagles coach and former schoolteacher Des Hasler is taking the credit for Ben Fordham’s extraordinary 18.1 radio rating on 2GB this week. Dessie taught religion to a young Fordo at St Pius primary school in Chatswood in the late 80s.

Originally published as Saint, Sinner, Shoosh: Inside Cronulla Sharks financial turnaround