2008 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season

The 2008 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season was the 42nd in the club's history. Coached by Ricky Stuart and captained by Paul Gallen and Greg Bird, they competed in the National Rugby League's 2008 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season 3rd (out of 16) to qualify for the finals. The Sharks then came within one game of the Grand Final but were knocked out by eventual runners-up Melbourne Storm.

2008 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season
NRL Rank3rd
2008 recordWins: 18; draws: 0; losses: 8
Points scoredFor: 487 (82 tries, 78 goals, 3 field goals); against: 422 (74 tries, 62 goals, 2 field goals)
Team information
CoachRicky Stuart
Captain
StadiumToyota Stadium
Avg. attendance12,965
Top scorers
TriesLuke Covell (15)
GoalsLuke Covell (73)
PointsLuke Covell (206)
← 2007 2009 →

Season summary

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The Sharks began the season on a positive note, with a victory over 2007 runners-up Manly Sea Eagles in Round 1 followed by a shock 17-16 victory over 2007 grand final winners Melbourne in Round 2. The match against the Storm was marred by an on-field brawl after an illegal tackle by Cronulla's Ben Ross on Melbourne's Cooper Cronk, resulting in both Ross and Melbourne's Brett White being sent off and later being referred to the NRL Judiciary.[1]

The Sharks' season of promise was however marred by the late season suspension of star player Greg Bird, following its round 24, 20-0 win over top four contenders the Sydney Roosters at home. Bird was accused of glassing his then-girlfriend Katie Milligan and was stood down by the club just a fortnight out from the finals. Furthermore, five-eighth Brett Seymour suffered a knee injury during the finals; robbing the Sharks of any valuable halves experience at the wrong end of the season. Bird was later sacked by the Sharks; since then he has been exonerated over the glassing incident and he now plays for the Gold Coast Titans.

The Sharks ended the season joint minor premiers with Manly and Melbourne (third on points differential) and many believed this was the year Cronulla would finally win its maiden premiership. The Sharks won its first final in style, thrashing the Canberra Raiders 36-10 at home with Misi Taulapapa, a Warriors outcast scoring a hat-trick. Due to the Melbourne Storm losing its first final, the Sharks earned the week off along with Manly. It was during this time that Seymour suffered his knee injury, ending his 2008 season. The Sharks' season ended with a disappointing 28-0 defeat at the hands of the Melbourne Storm whose captain Cameron Smith was suspended a week earlier for a grapple tackle on Brisbane's Sam Thaiday.

Ladder

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Pos Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1   Melbourne Storm 24 17 0 7 2 584 282 +302 38
2   Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (P) 24 17 0 7 2 645 355 +290 38
3   Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 24 17 0 7 2 451 384 +67 38
4   Sydney Roosters 24 15 0 9 2 511 446 +65 34
5   Brisbane Broncos 24 14 1 9 2 560 452 +108 33
6   Canberra Raiders 24 13 0 11 2 640 527 +113 30
7   St George Illawarra Dragons 24 13 0 11 2 489 378 +111 30
8   New Zealand Warriors 24 13 0 11 2 502 567 -65 30
9   Newcastle Knights 24 12 0 12 2 516 486 +30 28
10   Wests Tigers 24 11 0 13 2 528 560 -32 26
11   Parramatta Eels 24 11 0 13 2 501 547 -46 26
12   Penrith Panthers 24 10 1 13 2 504 611 -107 25
13   Gold Coast Titans 24 10 0 14 2 476 586 -110 24
14   South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 8 0 16 2 453 666 -213 20
15   North Queensland Cowboys 24 5 0 19 2 474 638 -164 14
16   Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24 5 0 19 2 433 782 -349 14

Results

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29 August 2008 Round 25 Wests Tigers 6 – 32 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Leichhardt Oval
19:30 Attendance: 10,766
Referee: Sean Hampstead



References

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