The Great White's, the Sharks network of former players, coaches and officials, gathered at the Taren Point Bowling Club last week in support of former player Paul Fisher who is suffering from Motor Neuron Disease (MND).
'A Day on the Green' saw the likes of Gavin Miller, Andrew Ettingshausen David Peachey, David Hatch and a collection of other former club legends, come together for a friendly game of bowls and to raise funds for Paul, his wife Narelle and their two young boys.
Fisher, who was brought down from Brisbane by John Lang to play at the Sharks in 1995, was diagnosed with MND in August 2016. Paul and his family currently live in Logan in Queensland.
A progressive, terminal neurological disease, MND can strike anyone and there is no known cure or effective treatment. Each day in Australia two people die from MND and two people are diagnosed with the disease.
In explaining MND, it is the name given to a group of diseases in which the neurones which control the muscles that enable us to move, speak, breathe and swallow, fail to work normally. Muscles then gradually weaken and waste, as neurones degenerate and die.
The average life expectancy is 2.5 years and around 58 per cent of people with MND are under the age of 65.
In what was a hugely successful event, attended by over 100, auctions and fundraising initiatives on the day raised $17,500 for the Fisher family.
Friends and former teammates spoke emotionally of Fisher at a luncheon conducted before the bowls afternoon, with many talking in glowing terms of a man of great qualities and character.
A highly regarded player from the Brisbane area, Fisher featured in local area representative teams before signing a contract with the Local City Scorpions as a 20-year-old.
In 1992 he was coached at the Brisbane Capitals by Paul Vautin, where he switched from half back to fullback, impressing to the extent Fisher selection for the QLD Residents Team to play NSW at the SFS before that year's third State of Origin.
In 1994 his talent was recognised by Sharks Football Manager Shane Richardson and then-coach Lang, with Fisher making the journey from Queensland to the Sharks in 1995.
A knee injury curtailed his first season, with Fisher going on to play 76 games for the Cronulla club, nine of those in first grade, from 1995-1998.
In addition to the previously mentioned, ex-players Nathan Long, Mick Mullane, Mitch Healey, Brett Kimmorley, Ben Ross, Michael Porter, Craig Greenhill, Aaron Raper, Dion Cope, Sam Isemonger, Adam Maher, Chris Withall, Chris Gardner, Stuart and Andrew Pearce, Brian Cox and Geoff Bell were also in attendance to support Fisher, some traveling long distances to attend.
Aaron Raper from the Great White's and Kylie Lucas from the Sharks were instrumental in the organising of the event, Alan Wilson was luncheon MC and retired international cricketer Stuart Clark the guest speaker.
The Great White Sharks are proudly supported by Harvey Norman Commercial.
For any former Sharks players, coaches and/or officials not already on the data base and wanting to connect with the club and the Great White Sharks, please contact Kylie Lucas on [email protected].
