NRL 2022: The secret ingredient that gives Cronulla a huge advantage in the finals

Home ground advantage will never feel more important if the Sharks get to play a finals game at PointsBet Stadium for the first time in 14 years.

The fans always get behind the Sharks at PointsBet Stadium. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Everything has gone right for the Sharks in Craig Fitzgibbon’s first year as an NRL coach, and a win against the Knights on Sunday would secure second spot and a home final at PointsBet Stadium for the first time since 2008.

The Sharks have only hosted three finals matches at the venue in the NRL era, with Cronulla winning games there in 1999, 2001 and most recently against Canberra 14 years ago.

There were plenty of fans at Allianz Stadium in the 2018 finals, but it wasn't quite like playing in the Shire. Picture: Brett Costello

They’ve had to host post-season matches at Allianz Stadium since then, and while they’ve had plenty of memorable wins, it hasn’t been the same as playing in front of the boisterous locals who were starved of footy while the stadium was out of action for a couple of years so apartments could be built next door.

There were fears they’d have to play a home game elsewhere again this year because their ground doesn’t have modern facilities and can’t hold a big enough crowd, but the NRL confirmed last month that it wouldn’t be an issue.

Cronulla will get to host a qualifying final next week if they can beat the Knights in Newcastle, and it will be a huge advantage given they are 9-1 at PointsBet Stadium this year.

“We’ve got to beat Newcastle first. They’re going to be looking for a win in their final home game in front of their loyal fans,” Nicho Hynes told the NCA NewsWire.

“I love running out in front of the crowd here. They’re all plastered but they get into it and back us all the way.

“I remember coming here in the pre-season and the boys said ‘just wait until our first home game’ but I didn’t really know what to expect.

“I asked all the boys what their favourite ground to play at is and they all said Shark Park. When I was at the Storm, some people would say Suncorp Stadium because that’s a special place for Queenslanders, but there was none of that here.”

Nicho Hynes is a fan favourite in his first year in the Shire. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Hynes has been a revelation in the halves since moving north from the Storm, and he’s felt the love in the Shire everywhere he goes.

“You can walk to the shops in Melbourne and no one would bother you because they didn’t know who we were,” he said.

“But it’s been pretty humbling to go down to the shops and have everyone ask how you’re going and just want to chat because I’ve always wanted to be an NRL player and you get to live the full experience here.”

Dale Finucane has also felt a different vibe after spending seven years in a city where AFL dominated every other sport.

The veteran lock was on the receiving end of the Cronulla crowd back in 2018 on the night Storm skipper Cameron Smith was sent to the sin bin, and he’s just glad he doesn’t have to cop it anymore.

Cameron Smith copped it after he was sent to the sin bin in 2018. Picture; AAP Image/Craig Golding

“Just watching the still shots and photos from it, you could see people with absolute hate in their eyes,” he said, unaware that the NRL had given them the green light to play at home in the first week of the finals.

“They were pointing their fingers at him so relentlessly, and it’s actually quite funny to look back on in hindsight because it was so hostile that night. Now that I’m in the Sharks team, I love it.

“Our capacity is 12,000 with all the refurbishments going on, but it feels like 30,000 when it’s full. Everyone is so close to you when you come out of the sheds and you don’t really get that feeling at any other grounds.”