The Sharks are planning to hijack one of the biggest stages on the Australian sporting calendar and follow the lead of the Cowboys to make a plea for government help to upgrade their suburban home ground.
Only a year after North Queensland's captain Johnathan Thurston used his presentation speech while sharing a stage with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to demand a new stadium for the newly-minted premiers, the NRL's fairytale side are mulling a similar headline-grabbing statement.
Cronulla are desperate to lift the capacity of their Southern Cross Group Stadium home ground to 25,000 – largely borne out of making the venue close to an all-seater – and might have the platform to launch a bid should they beat Melbourne and secure a maiden NRL title on Sunday.
"There are certainly some aspirational developments and I have no doubt if we were fortunate enough on Sunday to be successful – and we don't want to take that as an assumption or for granted – I have no doubt one of the first comments our captain [Paul Gallen] or coach [Shane Flanagan] will make will be what Thurston did last year in, 'we need a new stadium'," Sharks chief executive Lyall Gorman said. "We'll make that statement loud and clear."
It would certainly send a powerful message to politicians in Canberra and Sydney – including the Sharks' No.1 ticket holder and federal Treasurer Scott Morrison.
Gorman has already raised the issue with Morrison, who is the member for the local electorate in Cook.
Funding pledges have steadily been made for the Cowboys' new stadium in Townsville since Thurston's declaration, which was also driven by his desire to create more jobs in north Queensland.
The Sharks will jockey with NSW's other nine NRL clubs for a slice of $40 million of state government funding for the creation of centres of excellence, which is aimed at bringing premiership success back to the region.
There are plans for the Sharks to build a centre of excellence within its main western ET grandstand, which is projected to be extended on each wing to span the length of the field.
The Monty Porter Stand at the southern end is also likely to be expanded with the club hoping to retain the ground's community feel through its family hill at the northern tip.
But given the rivers of gold from the Sharks' development project adjacent to Southern Cross Group Stadium aren't expected to flow for at least another three years, the club is seeking government intervention for an upgrade.
The Sharks' 16-game unbeaten run and march to a historic premiership has triggered a wave of support in the Shire, highlighted by nearly 37,000 packing Allianz Stadium for the grand final qualifier against Thurston's Cowboys last Friday night.
"As we've seen in Canberra, at AAMI Park and here, there is still a need for good suburban venues," Gorman said. "We can't take any more seated season ticket holders so we're looking at other ways to invite membership into our club.
"One of the great things in business and professional sport is the scarcity model where if you get too big your members don't have to be members because they know they can get a seat, say for example at an 80,000-seat stadium. I think with 25,000 you can also get that 'house full' sign and a cacophony of colour and noise.
"I think the family hill is a part of our culture and we want to retain that unique feel. It would be a shame to lose the grassy part, but we do need more seats."
A redevelopment of Southern Cross Group Stadium would make the Sharks' interest in housing an A-League franchise – should Football Federation Australia give the green light to expansion – more attractive.
Gorman reiterated an interest in the Sharks exploring the A-League path and even attracting rugby union matches to the Woolooware venue.
"We think we're a very logical area to have those discussions [about A-League expansion]," Gorman said. "The FFA have got to get their own heads around expansion – it's not for us to tell them how to do that – but if the day comes we'll put our hand up."
Any successful bid would be a major coup for a club which was rumoured to be discussed as a candidate for relocation during the ASADA scandal.
"I've read some things in previous years [about relocation] but never in my time [at the NRL was it on the agenda]," NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg said. "They've got a thriving rugby league community.
"They've set themselves up. I know people like [chairman] Damian [Keogh] and their board and Lyall have worked hard on the development plans they have out in Cronulla for the long term."
