Welcome to the CEO Update for our most recent playing and trading period as we pass the half point of the NRL season and move ever closer to the opening of our new leagues club at Woolooware.
Firstly, relating to erroneous comments made on a podcast and the recent social media chatter which has followed, and due to the concern shown by members, fans and corporate partners, we felt it necessary to address a statement made on a rugby league podcast yesterday on the future of games at Ocean Protect Stadium.
The comments, which have since gained traction on social media channels and on chat groups, suggested the NRL is considering moving games away from Ocean Protect Stadium, beginning next season.
While we already knew this to be incorrect, further enquiries made to the NRL earlier this morning confirmed there is no substance or truth in this commentary.
It was disappointing that these baseless comments have caused concern to our partners, members and fans who enjoy the game day experience at Ocean Protect Stadium.
We do concede upgrades are certainly necessary moving forward and we continue to work with the NRL and government in an effort to secure the necessary funding to make this happen.
With the Sharks Leagues Club at Woolooware nearing completion, as the builders work towards an opening later in the year, some of the current issues surrounding capacity and fan comfort will be alleviated and we look forward to not only this weekend’s Monty Porter Cup match, but also to many more games against the Dragons at Ocean Protect Stadium in the years to come.
We thank you for your continued support and hope to see a full house at the big local derby clash on Sunday, which contrary to reports, won’t be the last time we host the Dragons at Ocean Protect Stadium.
On football matters and with two wins either side of a bye, the NRL team has moved inside the top eight, while we are less than a month away from the kickoff to the 2026 NRLW season.
See following our football report, where we go into more detail as to team performance and player milestones, as well as an update on our pathways teams, however it goes without saying we are still extremely optimistic about the chances of all Sharks teams this year and we hope we can count on your continued support for the remainder of this season and beyond.
While on the topic of support, thank you to all Members who have shown their loyalty in 2026.
We are now approaching 16,900 Members and there are still great reserved seats and flexi memberships available for this current season. CLICK HERE to view what remains available.
Also recently released was our NRLW Membership and we hope we can also count on your support of our girls this season as they look to build on the success achieved over the last two years.
There is also a great variety of Member Benefit products in our Locker Room Store. Please make sure to regularly check sharks.com.au/membership/benefits for updated partner offers, which includes signing up for a free Aramex account, 20 per cent off selected Quest accommodation and 10 per cent off Zambrero.
In other areas of the business, we thank our valued corporate partners, from our apparel sponsors to signage partners, to those who join us on game day for the corporate hospitality offerings. You support is always much appreciated.
A special shout out to Ocean Protect, our stadium naming rights partner, who are this week supporting World Ocean Day, with media and game day activations highlighting and addressing crucial environmental issues.
In merchandise, the retro jersey design which the NRL team played and won in during Magic Round, proved to be immensely popular, with over 1400 units sold to date, the first drop of Men’s sizing selling out in less than 24 hours.
As for the second drop of reorders, 90 per cent sold out before stock arrived and revenue to date on this one jersey release is close to $200k.
But its not all about the retro jersey, the Sharks Store, both in the Woolooware Town Centre and online has stocks of all 2026 Sharks merchandise now available.
In the community space, Sharks Have Heart have again been active with their engagement and community involvement.
Last week we held Mental Fitness Round, an initiative driven by Sharks star Nicho Hynes, this year's round highlighting the outstanding work of Find Ya Feet and founder Tommy Herschell, whose school-based workshops continue to empower young people through meaningful conversations around mental health.
Supported by community advocates including Blakey Johnston and Darby Maguire, the partnership has helped deliver life-changing messages to hundreds of young people across the Cronulla-Sutherland region while also engaging our NRL, NRLW and pathways programs. CLICK HERE to read more.
Prior to that, Sharks Have Heart round (CLICK HERE) highlighted the many programs under our umbrella and our community engagement, while a Junior Girls Clinic, conducted on Ocean Protect Stadium with our NRLW women assisting, proved to be an outstanding success.
Then there is Sharks at Kareela and the new Sharks Leagues Club at Woolooware.
Please consider Sharks at Kareela, our second home in the Sutherland Shire, as an ideal venue for family and friends to enjoy top quality food, beverage and the entertainment offerings. We thank our regulars for their continued patronage and encourage all members and fans to take advantage of the service and everything Sharks at Kareela has to offer.
More on our new club at Woolooware is provided below by our building partners Xenia and project managers Caras, however it must be said we are now getting excited about the prospect of opening the doors to our members and the local community in the not-too-distant future.
Thanks again for your interest in the Sharks and for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you at Sharks games, both in the NRL and NRWL, home and away, and in our licensed premises.
Dino Mezzatesta
Sharks CEO
XENIA
Great progress continues across the Sharks League Club redevelopment, with works advancing throughout both the internal fit out areas and external terrace spaces.
Inside the club, tiling works are continuing across the café, gaming lounge and function room amenities, while painting works are well underway throughout the new gaming areas and feature ceilings. The kitchen within the main café and dining lounge is also taking shape, with wall tiling now complete and floor preparation works underway.
Outside, installation of the new louvres on the Southern Terrace has commenced, helping define the look and feel of the upgraded outdoor areas. Works have also progressed on the Main Deck Bar, with structural steel and services installations moving ahead steadily. A major visual milestone this period was the installation of the new Sharks League Club signage on the Eastern Façade entry.
Further progress has also been made throughout the fit out, including the installation of the new foyer stairs and ongoing joinery works across a number of spaces as the redevelopment continues to come together.
Gerard McNamara
General Manager
CARAS
The redevelopment of the Cronulla Sharks Leagues Club continues to advance with strong momentum, with significant progress now evident across the building exterior, internal fit-out, and northern deck as the project moves towards its final stages.
Externally, the redevelopment is taking clear shape, with glazing approaching completion and high-level cladding substantially complete across the elevations. Focus has now shifted to lower-level cladding and the main entry areas, further defining the architectural vision for the completed venue.
Internally, works continue to progress well, with partitioning and ceiling installations advancing steadily, bathroom tiling underway, and early finishes commencing throughout the club.
The northern deck has also achieved key construction milestones, with roofing and skylight installations nearing completion and subfloor works now commenced. These works represent an important step in delivering a distinctive external entertainment offering within the redevelopment.
In parallel with onsite activity, the CARAS project team continues to work closely with the Club and Xenia through the final stages of design coordination, ensuring the redevelopment is delivered with a strong focus on quality, detail, and long-term value for members, guests, and the public.
With substantial progress continuing across the site, the redevelopment is moving confidently toward its final stages. CARAS is proud to be contributing to the delivery of this significant transformation, which will establish a renewed and elevated destination for the Cronulla Sharks Leagues Club members and the broader community.
FOOTBALL
On the football front and back-to-back wins over the Bulldogs and Sea Eagles has the NRL team well placed for a run home into the finals.
We now face a St George-Illawarra side which has a bounce in their step following a win last weekend, playing for the Monty Porter Cup, and while it will be an intense contest, we have every confidence in our boys being able to continue on their winning ways.
It was also pleasing for us to be able to bring home the Steve Rogers Memorial Trophy following our win against Manly, made even sweeter with Mat and Don Rogers at the game and able to present the trophy to our winning skipper Cam McInnes.
On an injury front, the team will be missing Blayke Brailey (arm) and Nicho Hynes (calf), with the pair to be out of action for the next few weeks. We have very capable replacements coming into fill their roles but wish both speedy recoveries.
With Nicho unavailable against Manly, Niwhai Puru became the 566th Sharks First Grade player and we congratulate him on his debut performance.
As for Blayke, the past week has been bittersweet. Following a State of Origin debut which received rave reviews, his broken arm came at the most inopportune time, not only for him, but for NSW and the Sharks. Knowing his resilience and determination, Blayke will be back bigger and better and on the field for the Sharks before we know it.
In addition to Blayke representing the Blues, we also congratulate Addin Fonua Blake for his selection and first game in NSW colours, and to Briton Nikora for his Maroons debut.
In the NRLW, Ellie Johnston played a leading role in the NSW Origin clean sweep, Chantay Kiria-Ratu was one of the best performers for Queensland, while Tiana Penitani Gray played strongly in the opening game before injury made her unavailable for games two and three.
Since the last CEO Update we have also seen the amazing recovery and return to the field for Ronald Mulitalo, with his first up performance during Magic Round a remarkable one considering the time he spent on the sidelines. Our media team followed Ronaldo’s recovery and return to the field and produced an outstanding series in documenting his journey. If you have missed it, the videos are well worth watching, CLICK HERE to see them on our YouTube channel.
In regard to our pathways teams, the Jersey Flegg Sharks and Newtown Jets are both firmly entrenched in the top eight, while the junior representative competitions came to an end, with presentation nights celebrating their seasons and recognising the stand out players. To see our junior rep award winners – CLICK HERE for male pathways, CLICK HERE for female pathways.
