Just saw this from a couple of weeks ago:
'That's where the tribalism is built'
wwos.nine.com.au
We often debate the need for suburban grounds in the NRL and if the politicians weighing up whether to upgrade and invest in these venues needed proof of their importance, look no further than PointsBet Stadium on Saturday and McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.
I was at Shark Park with 2GB's Continuous Call Team
as Cronulla returned home for the first time in 930 days and wow, didn't they put on an incredible show.
In my 15 years covering rugby league, it's one of the best days I've had at the footy.
Sitting in the broadcast box and watching the sea of light-blue Sharks jerseys make their way down from Woolooware Train Station and across Captain Cook Drive, reminded me of my childhood walking to the footy with my late dad.
On the way to the ground, you'd be debating whether your team would come away with the two competition points and on the way home, you'd either be celebrating or commiserating with your fellow supporters.
Throw in the sledging, light-hearted banter with the opposing fans and that's where the tribalism is built in our game.
Thankfully we've got an ARLC chairman who's determined to protect and grow that tribalism because
Peter V'landys understands what the game has thrived on since 1908.
V'landys declared last year, "the fans want to be able to walk to their facility, they want to be tribal and we're not going to give up until we've got all teams playing out of suburban grounds in Sydney."
"You need to do it for Manly, you need to do it for the Tigers and the Bulldogs, you need to do it for the Panthers and that's going to be one of the main objectives of the commission, to get these suburban grounds (updated) and go back to the good old days of tribalism."
That is music to the ears of just about everyone in rugby league. Thank you Peter.
If you were at Shark Park or watching it on television, when Nicho Hynes slotted the match winning conversion attempt, you would have thought the Sharks had won another premiership.
2016 winning captain Paul Gallen was jumping up and down on the touchline, Toby Rudolph jumped the fence and celebrated with the fans at the southern end of the ground and 'Up Up Cronulla' was played on repeat as the Sharks celebrated their return home.
It was the hottest ticket in town and the crowd of 11,400 walked away buzzing.
In fact, veteran commentator David Morrow became quite emotional when declaring it "one of the most fabulous club games of footy I've ever called" and that's coming from a man who's been broadcasting rugby league for 50 years.
wooloowarebay.com.au
