Sharks turn focus to stadium upgrade as $30m leagues club opens

Upgrading Ocean Protect Stadium is the next priority for the Cronulla Sharks following the unveiling of their $30 million leagues club, with the club continuing to pursue government funding for its ageing home ground.

The new leagues club was officially unveiled on Friday ahead of its public opening on Saturday 7 November, completing a long-delayed component of the Woolooware Bay precinct. Attention now turns to the stadium, where spectator amenities and player facilities remain in need of substantial investment.

Sharks Group CEO Dino Mezzatesta told The Daily Telegraph that the board would bring the same commitment to the stadium project as it had to completing the leagues club.

“Our mission is to deliver an asset that our fans and members are proud of and is also a major asset to the entire region of the Sutherland Shire,” he said.

Mezzatesta said the club was working with the NRL to secure government support, but a funded stadium redevelopment and construction timetable have not been announced.

The opening highlights the different paths taken by the stadium and its surroundings. The wider precinct now includes apartments, shopping, hotel accommodation and the rebuilt leagues club, while a major overhaul of the football ground remains outstanding.

Sharks Park was last upgraded in 2006 with the construction of the 1,500-seat southern grandstand following $9.6m in Federal Government funding. Earlier this year, Mezzatesta acknowledged that the new leagues club and associated corporate facilities would help, but further investment was needed to improve the matchday experience.

The distinction dates back to the precinct redevelopment that displaced the Cronulla Sharks for two seasons.

The club played its home fixtures at Jubilee Stadium in Kogarah during 2020 and 2021 before returning to Woolooware in 2022. Despite that absence, the works were concentrated around the ground rather than delivering a stadium redevelopment.

As Austadiums reported ahead of the Sharks’ return, capacity was initially reduced from approximately 20,000 to 12,000, with temporary food and beverage arrangements required while surrounding construction continued. Limited improvements included planned terracing to sections of the family hill.

The consequences of the stadium’s limitations were again evident in September, when Cronulla’s elimination final against North Queensland was moved to Allianz Stadium despite the Sharks earning hosting rights by finishing fifth.

The club described that decision as another reminder of the importance of securing upgrade funding. Its NRLW match against St George Illawarra was also relocated to Moore Park as part of the double-header.

Female player facilities are among the shortcomings highlighted in the latest reporting, adding to the case for modernising a venue now supporting both NRL and NRLW teams.

However, the Sharks remain committed to Ocean Protect Stadium. In June, the club rejected speculation that regular home matches would be moved elsewhere from 2027, while acknowledging that upgrades were necessary. It has since confirmed plans for 11 home games at the ground next season.

The new leagues club will provide an immediate improvement to the surrounding precinct after seven years of disruption.

Its centrepiece is an elevated hospitality deck accommodating approximately 2,000 people, overlooking the stadium, Botany Bay and the Sydney skyline. Restaurants, bars, function spaces and family facilities will operate throughout the year, extending the precinct’s use beyond football matches.

For Sharks supporters, the opening brings a significant part of their home precinct back into use. Delivering a comparable improvement to the stadium itself remains the next challenge.