Shellharbour Sharks
Encyclopedia
The Shellharbour City Sharks (Shellharbour Sharks or Shellharbour Workers as they are sometimes referred for sponsorship reasons) are an Australia
n rugby league
football team based in Shellharbour
, a coastal town of the Illawarra
region. The club was formed in 1920 and entered the South Coast Rugby League
competition, until 2009 when it moved into the Illawarra Carlton League
for geographical and sponsorship reasons.
competition. The side did not enjoy premiership success for nineteen years, winning their first in 1939. They had to wait another couple of decades before claiming their second in 1962. They enjoyed success twice in the 70's, but not again until 2001. Remarkably, Shellharbour's reserve grade side has had much better success. They won their first premiership in 1959, and didn't have to wait long to get their second. In fact they recorded their second win in the same year as the firsts team, 1962. This sparked a four year premiership run ending in 1965. In 1971 all three grades won the premiership and both firsts and seconds won again 1973. Seconds again went on to win a hat-trick of premierships between 2004 and 2006. Under-18s, have also recorded this feat between 1959 and 1961, and are on a current four-year streak from 2007 to 2010 (the first two of these in Group 7, and the latter in the Illawarra league).
using the colours as their parent club. It is rumoured that the name Marlins was chosen to differentiate themselves from any Cronulla Sharks
sides. The Shellharbour Sharks still competed in Group 7 Rugby League competition during this time. During 2008, the Dragons leagues club however did not give the same backing to Sharks, instead the Sharks stayed alive through other sponsorship deals, most notably Corban KIA. 2009 saw a change in direction again with both the Sharks side moving into the Illawarra Carlton League
and the Marlins side moving into the NSW Cup. This resulted in the Marlins changing their name to Shellharbour City Dragons and consequently changing their strip to the more famous Red-V.
Source: Shellhabour Sharks Trophy Room
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
football team based in Shellharbour
Shellharbour, New South Wales
Shellharbour is a southern beachside suburb of Wollongong, located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. It also gives its name to the Local Government Area, City of Shellharbour....
, a coastal town of the Illawarra
Illawarra
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake...
region. The club was formed in 1920 and entered the South Coast Rugby League
Group 7 Rugby League
South Coast Group 7 Rugby League is the divisional boundary drawn from the Southern Illawarra and South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia and is governed by the NSWCRL...
competition, until 2009 when it moved into the Illawarra Carlton League
Illawarra Rugby League
The Illawarra Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Wollongong, NSW. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1911 with five clubs ....
for geographical and sponsorship reasons.
History
The Shellharbour Sharks were established in 1920, entering the Group 7 Rugby LeagueGroup 7 Rugby League
South Coast Group 7 Rugby League is the divisional boundary drawn from the Southern Illawarra and South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia and is governed by the NSWCRL...
competition. The side did not enjoy premiership success for nineteen years, winning their first in 1939. They had to wait another couple of decades before claiming their second in 1962. They enjoyed success twice in the 70's, but not again until 2001. Remarkably, Shellharbour's reserve grade side has had much better success. They won their first premiership in 1959, and didn't have to wait long to get their second. In fact they recorded their second win in the same year as the firsts team, 1962. This sparked a four year premiership run ending in 1965. In 1971 all three grades won the premiership and both firsts and seconds won again 1973. Seconds again went on to win a hat-trick of premierships between 2004 and 2006. Under-18s, have also recorded this feat between 1959 and 1961, and are on a current four-year streak from 2007 to 2010 (the first two of these in Group 7, and the latter in the Illawarra league).
Dragons partnership, move into NSWRL and Illawarra leagues
In 2007, Shellharbour City struck a deal with NRL side the St. George Illawarra Dragons and thus created a new team and entered themselves into the NSWRL Jim Beam Cup with the name Shellharbour City MarlinsShellharbour City Dragons
The Shellharbour City Dragons are an Australian rugby league football club based in the Shellharbour, New South Wales. They currently are not competing in any competitions and formerly competed in the New South Wales Cup in 2009 and 2010 and acted as a feeder club to the NRL club St...
using the colours as their parent club. It is rumoured that the name Marlins was chosen to differentiate themselves from any Cronulla Sharks
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
sides. The Shellharbour Sharks still competed in Group 7 Rugby League competition during this time. During 2008, the Dragons leagues club however did not give the same backing to Sharks, instead the Sharks stayed alive through other sponsorship deals, most notably Corban KIA. 2009 saw a change in direction again with both the Sharks side moving into the Illawarra Carlton League
Illawarra Rugby League
The Illawarra Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Wollongong, NSW. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1911 with five clubs ....
and the Marlins side moving into the NSW Cup. This resulted in the Marlins changing their name to Shellharbour City Dragons and consequently changing their strip to the more famous Red-V.
Home Ground
The Shellharbour Sharks play out of Ron Costello Oval (and nearby Ben Fretus Field) on Cnr William and Mary St's, Shellharbour.Notable players
- Ron CostelloRon CostelloRon Costello was a rugby league player for the Western Suburbs Magpies, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, New South Wales and for the Australian national side....
- Western Suburbs MagpiesWestern Suburbs MagpiesThe Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, NSWNew South Wales Rugby LeagueThe New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
, and Australian KangarooAustralian national rugby league teamThe Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
. Sharks home ground name after him. - Luke Bailey - St. George Illawarra Dragons, Gold Coast TitansGold Coast TitansGold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
captain, NSW and Australian front row forward. - Matt Cooper - Dragons, NSW, and Australian centre
- Dan HuntDan HuntDan Hunt is a Australian rugby league player for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League competition.His position of choice is at Prop...
- Dragons and Country prop. - Trent MerrinTrent MerrinTrent Merrin is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the St. George Illawarra Dragons of the National Rugby League. Primarily a prop forward, he has played his whole career to date at the Dragons, winning the 2010 NRL Grand Final with them....
- Dragons, Country and NSW prop.
Honours
- Group 7 Rugby LeagueGroup 7 Rugby LeagueSouth Coast Group 7 Rugby League is the divisional boundary drawn from the Southern Illawarra and South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia and is governed by the NSWCRL...
Premierships: 5
-
- 1939, 1962, 1971, 1973, 2001
- Second Grade Premierships: 14
- 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1983, 1990, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006
- Third Grade Premierships: 2
- 1971, 1977
- Group 7 U-18's Premierships: 10
- 1944, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 2003, 2007, 2008
- IllawarraIllawarra Rugby LeagueThe Illawarra Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Wollongong, NSW. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1911 with five clubs ....
U-18's Premierships: 2
- Illawarra
- 2009, 2010
- 1939, 1962, 1971, 1973, 2001
Source: Shellhabour Sharks Trophy Room
External links
- Shellharbour Sharks Illawarra District Homepage
- Shellharbour Sharks Junior South Coast District Homepage
- Sharks clubpage
- Country Rugby League Homepage
- Country Rugby League
- South Coast Rugby League Homepage
- Group 7 Rugby LeagueGroup 7 Rugby LeagueSouth Coast Group 7 Rugby League is the divisional boundary drawn from the Southern Illawarra and South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia and is governed by the NSWCRL...
- Illawarra District League
- Illawarra Rugby LeagueIllawarra Rugby LeagueThe Illawarra Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Wollongong, NSW. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1911 with five clubs ....