The Great Whites: Dan Stains

In the fourth instalment of the Great Whites, we sit down with Shark No.225, former first grade captain and proud Queenslander Dan Stains.

Stains reflects from his introduction to rugby league in Toowoomba to his arrival at the Sharks in 1987 under super coach Jack Gibson. Stains recalls the highs and lows of the famous '88 season and his time with the Queensland Maroons.

Watch the full interview in the player below. The audio version can be heard on Apple, Spotify and all podcast apps.

Raised on a dairy farm in the Darling Downs locality of East Cooyar, population not more than 100, Stains experienced representative honours early in his career, earning selection for Queensland's under-18 side in 1982.

In 1984, Stains was selected to represent the Queensland Country team, coached by Allan Fitzgibbon, in the National Panasonic Cup. After an impressive 25-18 victory over Auckland in the opening round, Queensland Country were brought back to earth with a heavy 44–0 defeat to the Eastern Suburbs Roosters in the second round.

In 1986, while excelling for Brisbane Brothers in the Brisbane Rugby League (BRL) competition, Stains caught the eye of John Jabore – a close friend of Cronulla Sharks director and club legend Tommy Bishop.

"I like your style and the way you play the game," Jabore told Stains after a match. "Where would you like to play next season – England or Sydney?"

Without hesitation, Stains replied: "Sydney."

"Well, I'm good friends with Tommy Bishop, who is one of the directors at the Cronulla Sharks," Jabore said. "I'll mention your name to him."

Taking Jabore's advice, Bishop recommended Stains to Sharks first-grade coach Jack Gibson, who was already familiar with the young forward after his performances for Queensland Country under Fitzgibbon two years earlier.

That same year, Stains lined up in the BRL Grand Final for Brothers against the powerhouse Wynnum-Manly Seagulls – coached and captained by rugby league Immortal Wally Lewis and boasting Origin stars Gene Miles, Bob Lindner, Colin Scott and Greg Dowling. Brothers battled bravely, but Wynnum-Manly prevailed 14–6.

Despite the defeat, Gibson – who had travelled north specifically to assess his sole off-season target – was suitably impressed by Stains' display.

"Nobody could have expected more from him," Gibson said. "He had a big job to do today and he did it well. He's a first-grade player, alright."

At age 22, Stains made an immediate transition into top-flight rugby league upon his arrival at Cronulla in 1987. In his book "What Now'', Stains recalls his first match with Cronulla.

Our first trial game was against the mighty South Sydney Rabbitohs at the famous Redfern Oval. I was selected to play second grade. The morning of the game, I received a phone call from Jack (Gibson). ‘The skipper has taken a bait, and he is a bit off for the game, so you're going to be his replacement'. This was Jack speak for, ‘The captain has eaten something off and is indisposed'. Indelibly etched in my memory is sitting in the visitors' dressing room of Redfern Oval, waiting to get my jersey for the game. It was cold and dim, but I didn't take much notice. This was the moment I had been dreaming of ever since I first ran on the uneven footy field with a flat ball as a kid. Then, just as I had dreamed, the gear steward handed me my playing strip, my uniform. Right there in my hands was a Sharks jersey with number 8 on the back.

A solid performance in the pre-season trials earnt Stains his debut in the Sharks' Round 1 clash with the Canberra Raiders at Seiffert Oval.

It proved a tough introduction to Sydney football, with Stains packing down against a powerful Raiders forward unit featuring Dean Lance, Sam Backo and New Zealand Test prop Brent Todd. Cronulla were unable to match Canberra's firepower, going down 19-2 in the season opener.

Despite the challenging start, Stains quickly cemented his place in Gibson's side, featuring in 23 matches throughout his debut NSWRL campaign – a strong platform for what would become a highly respected career in the black, white and blue.

In 1988, Jack Gibson handed the coaching reins of the Sharks to his former assistant, Allan Fitzgibbon.

Stains was a key contributor to Cronulla's remarkable 1988 campaign, helping steer the Sharks to their first-ever minor premiership. But despite their dominance, the side fell short in the finals, undone by a mounting injury toll that saw Stains and several teammates battling through the pain at the season's most crucial stage.

Arguably his finest season came in 1989, when Stains earned selection for the Queensland Maroons in the prestigious State of Origin series. Opposing three of his Cronulla teammates – Gavin Miller, Alan Wilson and Andrew Ettingshausen – he appeared in Games 1 and 3, contributing strongly to what is widely regarded as one of Queensland's greatest Origin line-ups.

However, not everyone agreed with his inclusion. Queensland legend and Origin teammate Paul Vautin famously told the press: "He's a midget and shouldn't be in the team. We need a bigger front-rower to take on the might of New South Wales."

Stains didn't bite back publicly. Instead, he let his actions do the talking – tackling relentlessly, working tirelessly in the middle, and helping Queensland to a clean sweep of the series. By the end of the campaign, any doubts about his worth were well and truly silenced.

Stains' outstanding club and representative form earned him Kangaroo selection for their mid-season tour of New Zealand. He took the field on July 4, starting in the second row against a New Zealand XIII – a match Australia won 50-18. Stains featured in two further tour matches but did not earn Test match selection.

On the club front, a narrow loss to the eventual wooden spooners the Gold Coast Giants in the second-last round of the regular season proved costly. Instead of finishing in third spot, the Sharks were forced to face the star-studded Brisbane Broncos in a mid-week playoff for fifth position. Despite star halfback Barry Russell being sidelined through injury, the Sharks were ruthless in their approach, running out 38-14 winners in a match many believe to be one of the Sharks' greatest-ever victories.

Only days later, the Sharks were no match for the eventual premiers the Canberra Raiders, going down 31-10 to end their season.

The 1990 season began with high hopes for the Sharks. After consecutive finals appearances, the Shire believed a premiership might be within reach. The optimism was justified early on, as the Sharks won their first four matches – including a dramatic late victory over defending champs Canberra. But the promising start unravelled. With their last five games ending without a win, the club failed to clinch a finals berth, finishing the season in 10th place.

Meanwhile, Stains retained his place for the Queensland Maroons for Games 1 and 2 of the 1990 State of Origin series, including the first Origin match played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Unfortunately for Stains, he was dropped for Game 3, and New South Wales secured the series 2-1.

The 1991 season was one of frustration and inconsistency for the Sharks. In Allan Fitzgibbon's final season as head coach, the club struggled to build momentum and failed to secure a place in the finals for the second consecutive year. Despite possessing a talented roster, the Sharks were unable to produce consistent performances across the season.

Cronulla finished 10th on the NSWRL premiership ladder, managing only nine wins. Injuries and a lack of depth in key positions again hampered their campaign. The side often showed patches of strong form but lacked the composure to close out tight matches.

The Sharks' home form at Caltex Field was patchy, and they struggled against the top sides, highlighting the gap between Cronulla and the competition's elite teams.

The 1992 season marked a period of rebuilding for the Cronulla Sharks under new coach Arthur Beetson, with several established first-graders – including Alan Wilson, Jonathan Docking and Barry Russell – departing the club. Midway through the season, club Immortal Gavin Miller was demoted to reserve grade, paving the way for Stains to be appointed Cronulla's first-grade captain.

Despite the emergence of young stars such as Aaron Raper, Mitch Healey, Stuart Topper and Robbie Kearns, the side again failed to qualify for the finals.

In 1993, after the retirement of Miller, Stains continued his role as captain. Talking with SharkCast, Stains said: "I can't remember now how I became captain, but it was something I cherished and loved."

The arrival of new coach John Lang in 1994 brought a wave of young Queensland talent to the Sharks, including Paul Green, Craig Greenhill, Adam Maher and Andrew Neave.

Midway through the year, the Sharks were also deep in negotiations with international forward Paul Sironen, with many news outlets reporting it as a foregone conclusion that 'Big Siro' would be playing for Cronulla in the 1995 season. Sironen's imminent arrival, coupled with an abundance of emerging young talent, led to the board's decision not to offer Stains a contract beyond 1994.

In an article from Big League magazine in August 1994, Stains said:

"I heard, like everyone else, that ‘Siro' (Paul Sironen) was coming to Cronulla and I knew the management no longer wanted me. I'm not bitter at having to leave, but I am very annoyed about the way it was handled. Considering I turned down plenty of offers for more money to play elsewhere while building a base at Cronulla over the years, it does hurt a little."

Reflecting on his departure from the Sharks, Stains told SharkCast: "Looking back now, I was at the end of my road, the style of player I had transformed (into) had a use-by date. I had run out of gas, run out of petrol."

After 135 first grade appearances for the Sharks – 44 of them as captain – Stains played his final match in the black, white and blue in the Round 20 clash against arch-rivals Manly at Brookvale Oval.

In 1995, Stains joined the recently re-badged Sydney Tigers, where he finished his Sydney playing career in 1996. Stains remained with the Tigers, beginning his coaching career with the club's lower grades before being appointed head coach of the London Broncos in the UK.

In 1999, he guided the Broncos to the Challenge Cup Final, where they met Graham Murray's Leeds Rhinos before a crowd of 73,242 at Wembley Stadium. Despite a strong campaign, the Broncos went down 52–16.

Stains remains a die-hard Sharks supporter, following the side's progression from back up in Queensland.

Dan Stains

Born: June 28, 1964 in Toowoomba, Queensland
Positions: Second row; front row; hooker
Years at club: 1987-94
Sharks player number: 225
Games for club: 135 in first grade
Debut: Round 1, Saturday, February 28, 1987 against Canberra at Seiffert Oval
Last game (for Sharks): Round 20, Saturday, August 30, 1994 against Manly at Brookvale Oval
Sharks statistics: 32 points in first grade, four points in reserve grade
Representative football: Queensland (1989-90 – four games, no points); Kangaroos (1989 – three tour matches)
Other clubs: Sydney Tigers (1995-96; player no. 833 – 35 games, no points)
English league: Halifax (1988 – 19 games, eight points), London Broncos (1997-99 – no stats available)