A PREMIERSHIP on Sunday would complete a remarkable chapter in Shellharbour’s rugby league homecoming.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Only seven years ago, the club held greater ambitions than a Group Seven title, which would mean a lot to them if the Sharks beat Gerringong at Collegians Sports Centre.
The high water mark of Shellharbour’s bold push came when they facilitated Wendell Sailor’s return as the feeder club for St George Illawarra.
“It won't be too many games and he'll be back to the Wendell of old," Dave Walsh, coach then and now, said after Sailor scored two tries in a 30-22 victory over Erina in the third-tier Jim Beam Cup competition.
Sailor, playing after a two-year cocaine ban, went on to play 33 games for the Dragons, the redemption story making him a cult hero of the Wollongong fan base.
It was a heady time, as part of the Dragons emerging Wayne Bennett empire which captured the 2010 NRL premiership. But financial and manpower restraints ensured Shellharbour’s time in the elite system would be shortlived.
The change in nickname during those years perfectly reflects the wild ride.
They became the Marlins, then Dragons, when they wore one of the worst looking jerseys since the Gold Coast Chargers graced the field.
An attempt at combining the Shellharbour and Dragons colours in one jumper, it was perhaps a sign the fit would not be permanent.
The naysayers were quick to judge when Shellharbour returned to the Illawarra Coal League.
Then in 2013, Group Seven clubs voted for the Sharks return.
‘‘Since 2008, the grand finals have been shared between three clubs [Albion Park, Gerringong and Warilla] and they’ve pushed each other to greater heights each year,” Group Seven general manager Jim McAuliffe said at the time. “Shellharbour returning is only going to strengthen it further.’’
Gerringong coach Mick Cronin, who is plotting Shellharbour’s downfall on Sunday, was a proponent of the move.
‘‘They were one of the stronger clubs so I never wanted them to leave,’’ Cronin said before the vote.
For all of Shellharbour’s admirable ambition, Gerringong have been a worthy benchmark in Group Seven.
Fullback Joel Roberts spoke of the Lions’ big game experience and it’s hard to argue when they’ve been in five grand finals since 2010.
Gerringong as a town and club is a beacon of country rugby league, with the legendary Cronin lighting the way.
While they have had a vastly different philosophy, Shellharbour officials deserve recognition for taking the journey. It’s the kind of bold vision, particularly in regional and rural areas, rugby league often lacks.