CRONULLA Sutherland Sharks have endured the choppy seas of the footy world over the past 18 months but they don't plan on sinking any time soon.
There is the yet to be finalised Australian Anti-Doping Sports Authority investigation the club is facing.
Then head coach Shane Flanagan was suspended for nine months by the NRL — until September 15 — for the supplements program in 2011.
Troubled footballer Todd Carney was sacked in late June for repeated indiscretions.
Their injury toll this season resembles a hospital ward, with many players sidelined for long periods.
Wade Graham and Luke Lewis are now out for the season and captain Paul Gallen has been injured for extended periods.
Stand-in coach Peter Sharp, who replaced Flanagan, left, and assistant coach James Shepherd, is looking after things until Flanagan returns next season.
But in the face of all this Sharks chairman Damian Keogh, elected chairman in April 2013, believes the club can swim with the tide — and not against it.
It recently signed a new major sponsor Labour Health, just days after Todd Carney was sacked.
Keogh, an Australian national basketballer was a winner in his sport.
He played more than 400 National Basketball League games, mainly with the Sydney Kings and represented at three Olympics: 1984, 1998 and 1992.
Keogh wants to bring his winning culture off the field so that it flows to the entire club.
The 52-year-old, who is chief executive of the Hoyts Group said he intends not to lose sight of the "big picture" in his role with the Sharks.
"Our memberships have risen 20 per cent in the past year and we now have 11,279 members," he said.
"That's a record membership number for the club.
"When I got elected as chairman, the club had $14 million debt.
"Now, $10 million of that debt has been paid, we only owe $3 million."
*The Leader would like to clarify that Mr Keogh was not taking credit for reducing the club’s debt and that the comments were made in broad terms about where the club found itself in early 2013 when Mr Keogh was elected to the board. they were part of a wider interview about how the club was looking forward to a brighter future after a disappointing 2014 season.
The Leader reported in November , 2012 that the leagues club debt of $13.5 million was reduced to about $3.5 million when developers handed over a $10 million cheque as part of the deal struck last year between the Sharks' board of directors and commercial partners, Bluestone Capital.
Bluestone had 90 days from the time the development got state government approval.
The then Sharks' chairman Damian Irvine said designing for the new Sharkies club was under way, with work "planned to begin in August-September 2013".
Irvine said the reduced leagues club debt "finally put a stop" to the Sharks shelling out up to $1 million of loan repayments a year to service previous bank loans.
Keogh said this week that the Bluestone Woolooware Bay development, which is already selling residential apartments, is expected to start building in September.
Keogh, who has called the shire home for more than 25 years, believes living in the community allows him to tap into its "pulse beat."
"We're building things here at the Sharks for the long term," Keogh said.
"It's about growing our business and Cronulla is a true rugby league region.
"The shire wants a football team and they love their footy - they are very loyal."
What do you think is the best way forward for the Sharks?
