The Cronulla club was saddened to learn of the passing of two former players, Shark #141 John Berne and Shark #342 Karl Lovell.
Berne, a rugby convert and former Wallaby who played three seasons for the Sharks, passed away earlier this week (July 13) aged 72.
Lovell, a member of the Sharks team that qualified for a preliminary final in 2002, passed away on Saturday (July 11) following a battle with lung cancer.
The Sharks offer their sincere condolences to the family, friends and former teammates of both men.
Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, John Berne played his junior rugby league in the South Sydney district, before he switched to rugby union in 1973. He played one rugby union test for Australia against Scotland in 1975 during the Wallabies tour of Great Britain, then made the switch back to rugby league in 1976, playing four seasons with Souths and one with the Roosters in 1980.
Berne would then join the Sharks in 1981, playing three seasons and 28 first-grade games with the Cronulla club.
He would finish his rugby league career at the Roosters.
New Zealand born Karl Lovell debuted in the NRL with the Eels in 1997, making his debut at just 19 years of age, before going on to play 37 matches for Parramatta over two seasons, featuring in their 1997 and 1998 finals campaigns.
He would move to England, where he played for the Huddersfield-Sheffield merger side, returning to Australia in 2001 to join the Northern Eagles.
Lovell was then recruited to the Sharks for the 2002 season, where he was a member of the squad that won their way to a preliminary final, a star-studded team which included the likes of Brett Kimmorley, Greg Bird, Paul Gallen, Matt Johns and Phil Bailey. The 2002 Sharks team would ultimately fall to the Warriors one game shy of the Grand Final.
He played 16 top-grade games during that 2002 season and 55 in all in the NRL.
After retiring from the NRL and professional rugby league, Lovell returned to his junior club, the Toukley Hawks. He leaves behind wife Megan and their two daughters.
The Sharks will wear black arm bands in honour of both Berne and Lovell when they play the Knights on Friday night.
The club will communicate funeral details through the appropriate channels when they become available.
KARL LOVELL STATISTICS
Date of birth: 9 December 1977
Position: Backrow/prop
Years at club: 2002
Player number: 342
First grade games for club: 16
First grade games: (Eels, Northern Eagles, Sharks) 55
Sharks Debut: March 17, 2002, Round 1 v St George
Last Sharks game: September 29, 2002, Preliminary Final v Warriors
Statistics for Cronulla: 4 tries 16 points
JOHN BERNE STATISTICS
Date of birth: 14 March 1954
Position: Centre
Years at club: 1981-1983
Player number: 141
First grade games for club: 28
First grade games: (Souths, Roosters, Sharks) 126
Sharks Debut: March 29, 1981, Round 1, 1981 v Penrith
Last Sharks game: August 25, 1983, Round 25 v Illawarra
Statistics for Cronulla: 28 points from 8 tries
