The Sharks hosted a very special guest, with 92-year-old Oliver Redman casting a watchful eye over an NRL training session at PointsBet Stadium earlier this week.
A resident of the nearby Woolooware Bay apartments, Redman liked what he saw as the Sharks ran through their paces in preparation for the big game against the Eels on Saturday.
After recently having a cancerous kidney removed, Redman has been unable to travel to Sharks games of late, however he took advantage of his close proximity to their home training base by dropping in this week to meet the team with his friend and Woolooware Bay neighbour Dave.
“Oliver is such a resilient character, and he has really taken this huge operation and the difficulties that followed it, in his stride. We brought him to the stadium on Wednesday morning and it was so wonderful to see his face light up like that again,” Dave said.
While the majority of the playing group, as well as coach John Morris, greeted and chatted to the pair, it was Andrew Fifita, Oliver’s favourite player, to present him with a signed jersey, one it is hoped he will proudly wear as he cheers the Sharks on to plenty of victories in 2021.
“We’ve known Oliver for a while. He is a passionate supporter but at the moment he isn’t able to travel to games,” Sharks Membership Manager Ben Ross explained. “John (Morris) was only too happy for us to get him along to training and if we get a win and Oliver becomes something of a lucky charm, we might get him down to give the boys some advice and encouragement on a regular basis.”
A fan and a Sharks member since 1967, Redman was amongst the pioneers of the Cronulla club, along with a number of supporters and benefactors assisted finically during the formative years.
Still a keen follower of the team and all things Sharks, being just a stone’s throw away in the Woolooware Bay complex, Oliver and many of his neighbours eagerly await the return of games to PointsBet Stadium from the 2022 season onwards.