On a week where he signed a new three-year deal, stand-in skipper Wade Graham is one player certain to be doing everything in his power to turn his teams fortunes around – starting this Saturday night when the Sharks host the Roosters.
A former five eighth now a backrower who commands plenty of respect with his no-nonsense approach out on the field, Graham knocked back several other offers to remain at the Sharks.
His re-signing was a show of faith in his teammates and the direction the club is headed and should inject a boost of confidence into the camp ahead of Saturday’s game.
“I’ve been here for four years now, feel at home in Cronulla and I’m close to the playing group. I see it as a club moving forward and I want to be a part of that,” Graham said when announcing his new contract earlier this week.
“We’ve had a tough start to the season this year but with players at the club like Paul Gallen, Luke Lewis, Todd Carney, as well as some of the good kids we have coming through the 20’s, we can bounce back this year and be serious contenders over the next couple of years.”
With a number of his more senior teammates still sidelined Graham leads the Sharks into battle once more, however he will need the support of all concerned should his side hope to spring what many would consider to be an upset against the Roosters.
Down on form themselves, the Roosters will also arrive at Remondis desperate for success, the defending premiers having won just two of their six matches played so far in 2014.
With a side boasting the likes of Michael Jennings, Mitchell Pearce, James Maloney, Boyd Cordner and Sonny Bill Williams, the Roosters will certainly provide a stern challenge, however the Sharks will be buoyed by the fact they were able to inflict defeat on the visitors at their last meeting on home soil.
The Sharks in fact have a good recent record in matches played at Remondis, having won three and drawn the other in the last four games contested.
For those Sharks fans as yet without a ticket to the game Saturday, why not take advantage of a special family ticket offer.
The $50 special family general admission ticket is for two adults and two children and represents a $20 saving on the normal family ticket price. The special family ticket offer is only available online or from the Sharks Store in Sharkies Leagues Club.
The Sharks v Roosters match gets underway at 7.30pm, with the NSW Cup kicking off the afternoon at 3.15pm, followed by the NYC at 5.15pm.
See following all the statistics from Sharks v Roosters games played at the Sharks home ground since 1967, with statistics provided by Sharks historian Jeffery Petersen.
SHARKS / Roosters @ HOME (1967-2014)
All-Time Games Played Record (all venues): Played 85 Won 28 Drawn 2 Lost 55 Points For 1,391 Points Against 1,628
Total Record at Remondis: Played 41 Won 16 Drawn 2 Lost 23 Points For 689 Points Against 706
Sharks Form in Last 5 Home Games vs Roosters: Won 32-22 (Rd 24 2013) Draw 14-14 (Rd 18 2012) Won 18-4 (Rd 10 2011) Won 18-12 (Rd 23 2010) Loss 12-19 (Rd 08 2009)
Sharks First Game vs Roosters at Remondis: Rd 04 April 20, 1969 (Lost 19-29) Sharks Scorers: Dave Cooper, Len Gaffey, Noel Thornton tries; John Brown 4 goals; Dinny O’Bryan field goal Att: 4,837
Sharks First Win vs Roosters at Remondis: Rd 13 June 17, 1973 (Won 12-7) Sharks Scorers: Warren Fisher, Peter O’Brien tries; Eric Archer 3 goals Att: 7,813
Sharks Last Win vs Roosters at Remondis: Rd 24 August 26, 2013 (Won 32-22) Sharks Scorers: Paul Gallen, Michael Gordon, Chris Heighington, Jonathan Wright tries; Todd Carney 8 goals Att: 11,418
Sharks Biggest Win vs Roosters at Remondis: 48-14 Rd 18 July 28, 1991 (34pts margin) Sharks Scorers: Greg Carberry 3, David Boughton, Glenn Coleman, Jonathan Docking, Michael Elliott, Mark McGaw, Barry Russell, Alan Wilson tries; Greg Carberry 4 goals Att: 7,071
Sharks Heaviest Defeat vs Roosters at Remondis: 5-30 Rd 13 June 23, 1974 (25pts margin)
Sharks Best Home Attendance vs Roosters: 20,380 Rd 26 September 07, 2002
Sharks Home Attendance Average vs Roosters: 10,049
Sharks Home Points Average Per Game vs Roosters: 16.8pts
Most Points Scored by the Sharks vs Roosters at Remondis: (48pts) Rd 18 July 28, 1991
Most Aggregate Points Scored in a Game vs Roosters at Remondis: (62pts) 48-14 Rd 18 July 28, 1991
Most Sharks Points Conceded vs Roosters at Remondis: (40pts) 20-40 Rd 04 April 06, 2003
Most Total Points Scored by a Sharks Player at Remondis: (42pts) by Luke Covell, (2 tries 17 goals)
Most Sharks Points Scored in a Game vs Roosters at Remondis: (20pts) by Greg Carberry, (3 tries 4 goals), Rd 18 July 28, 1991
Most Tries Scored in a Game vs Roosters at Remondis: (3 tries) by Greg Carberry, Rd 18 July 28, 1991;
Most Goals Scored in a Game vs Roosters at Remondis: (8 goals) by Todd Carney, Rd 24 August 26, 2013
Most Sharks Team Tries Scored in a Game vs Roosters at Remondis: (10 tries) Rd 18 July 28, 1991 (Won 48-14)
Total Try Scorers for the Sharks vs Roosters at Remondis: (116 Tries, 80 Try Scorers) Paul Gallen 5; Ben Pomeroy 4; Warren Fisher 3; Steve Rogers 3; Greg Carberry 3; David Peachey 3; Dave Cooper 2; Fred Dennehy 2; Dave Chamberlin 2; Greg Mullane 2; Kurt Sorensen 2; Jim See 2; Andrew Ettingshausen 2; Mark McGaw 2; John Davidson 2; Jonathan Docking 2; Alan Wilson 2; Mat Rogers 2; Geoff Bell 2; Chris Beattie 2; Paul Franze 2; Brett Kimmorley 2; Greg Bird 2; Phil Bailey 2; David Simmons 2; Nigel Vagana 2; Luke Covell 2; Len Gaffey 1; Noel Thornton 1; Brian Cox 1; Paul Taylor 1; Ray Corcoran 1; Cliff Watson 1; Bob Wear 1; Peter O’Brien 1; Greg Pierce 1; Eric Archer 1; Steve Hansard 1; Rick Bourke 1; Steve Edmonds 1; Chris Gardner 1; John Berne 1; Gary Wright 1; Steve Anderson 1; Rowland Beckett 1; Dean Carney 1; Dane Sorensen 1; David Laming 1; Paul Merlo 1; Greg Nixon 1; Michael Speechley 1; Paul Bishop 1; Denis Fricot 1; Laurie Spina 1; David Boughton 1; Glenn Coleman 1; Michael Elliott 1; Barry Russell 1; Les Davidson 1; Craig Dimond 1; Charlie Saab 1; Darren Higgins 1; Allan Bateman 1; Craig Greenhill 1; Ben Sammut 1; Adam Dykes 1; Brett Howland 1; Scott Murray 1; Jason Stevens 1; Paul Mellor 1; Beau Scott 1; Fraser Anderson 1; Reece Williams 1; Dean Collis 1; Nathan Gardner 1; Stewart Mills 1; Ricky Leutele 1; Michael Gordon 1; Chris Heighington 1; Jonathan Wright 1.
Total Goal Scorers for the Sharks vs Roosters at Remondis: (127 Goals, 22 Goal Scorers) Luke Covell 17; Steve Rogers 13; Barry Andrews 12; Todd Carney 11; Alan Wilson 10; Steve Edmonds 7; Mat Rogers 7; Dane Sorensen 6; Brett Kimmorley 6; Tony Armstrong 5; Sean Watson 5 goals; John Brown 4; George Taylforth 4; Greg Carberry 4; Eric Archer 3; Mitch Healey 3; Dave Cotter 2; Dean Carney 2; Jason Ferris 2; Greg Bird 2; Wayne Smith 1; Matthew Wright 1.
Total Field Goal Scorers for the Sharks vs Roosters at Remondis: (2 Field Goals, 2 Field Goal Scorers) Dinny O’Bryan 1 (1969); Adam Dykes 1 (2001).
