Shark shame as night turns sour
Dean Ritchie From: The Daily Telegraph April 11, 2011
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/shark-shame-as-night-turns-ugly/story-e6frexnr-1226036892292
CRONULLA have been accused of disrespecting the club's greatest player, Steve Rogers, after Saturday night's last-second 19-13 loss to Manly at Toyota Stadium.
Sharks officials were yesterday having to answer heavy criticism about a disastrous night that included:
* SHARKS players walking off the field before the Steve Rogers Shield was presented;
* FANS queuing up for more than hour to buy food;
* FANS being told caterers Red Rooster had run out of pies, hamburgers and chips.
* A FIGHT on the northern hill in which a police officer was injured; and
* LONG queues in the club after a fire in the kitchen.
The Steve Rogers Shield is a perpetual trophy that Cronulla and Manly play for in honour of the Sharks' finest player.
Rogers' son, Don, waited on the field to present the shield to Manly captain Jamie Lyon but Cronulla were already in their dressing room.
"It wasn't bad sportsmanship but we admit that the communication breakdown was poor," Sharks chairman Damian Irvine said. "It wasn't the players' fault.
"By the time they found out and wanted to come back out, it was too late. It was a bad look but it wasn't malicious.
"I was a good friend of Steve and there was no disrespect intended."
A Cronulla fan contacted The Daily Telegraph to say: "I couldn't believe how they could disrespect such a legend."
Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan took the blame, saying: "My rookie mistake there. By the time I got down from the sheds, the presentation was done. I take responsibility."The poor catering meant one fan spent 83 minutes in a line trying to buy food.
"I took my six-year-old to his first game at Shark Park - it will be his last too," he said.
Irvine said the queues started when a catering truck needed to be repaired.
The fight prompted a fan's email that said: "Warning: Stay away from Shark Park."
"A police officer was injured and that was unacceptable," Irvine said.