2016 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season


The 2016 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season is the 50th in the club's history. Coached by Shane Flanagan and captained by Paul Gallen, they competed in the NRL's 2016 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season 3rd to make the finals.
In the first week on the finals, they took on the Canberra Raiders, who at that stage were on a 10-game winning streak, at GIO Stadium. A day before the game, Sharks captain, Paul Gallen did not take the trip and was ruled out with a back injury. 7 minutes into the game, stand-in captain Wade Graham was taken off the field and would not return due to a concussion. Despite playing with one less player for more than 70 minutes, the Sharks managed to earn a week off and advance to the preliminary finals with a 16-14 win, one of the Sharks' more memorable wins in their history.
In the preliminary final, they took on the North Queensland Cowboys, who managed to narrowing beat the Brisbane Broncos in a 90-minute thriller the week before, at Allianz Stadium. Paul Gallen and Wade Graham returned from their respective injuries to line up in a near fully strengthed Cronulla side. With James Maloney and Chad Townsend leading the way, the Sharks defeated the Cowboys 32-20 to progress into the NRL Grand Final, their first grand final appearance since the 1997 Super League Season. It was only the fourth time they had appeared in a grand final in their history.
Playing in front of 83,625 fans, the Cronulla Sharks broke their 49 year drought without a premiership, with a 14-12 win over the minor premiers, the Melbourne Storm. It sent Michael Ennis out a winner in his final game in the NRL. The Clive Churchill Medal Winner was Luke Lewis.

Results

Tries: Chad Townsend, Jack Bird
Tries: Ben Barba, Valentine Holmes, Chad Townsend, Jayson Bukuya, Ricky Leutele
Tries: Luke Lewis, Valentine Holmes
Tries: Ben Barba, Chad Townsend
  • Round 5 - Wests Tigers vs Cronulla Sharks
Tries: Luke Lewis, James Maloney, Sosaia Feki, Paul Gallen, Ben Barba
Tries: Ben Barba, Sosaia Feki, Matt Prior, Andrew Fifita, Valentine Holmes
Field Goal: Chad Townsend
Tries: Ben Barba, Jack Bird, Jayson Bukuya, Valentine Holmes, Matt Prior, James Maloney
  • Round 8 - Cronulla Sharks vs Penrith Panthers
Tries: Michael Ennis, James Maloney, Valentine Holmes
Tries: Sosaia Feki, Paul Gallen, James Maloney, Chad Townsend
Tries: Valentine Holmes, Sosaia Feki, Luke Lewis, Ben Barba, Wade Graham
  • Round 11 - Cronulla Sharks vs Manly Sea Eagles
Tries: Sosaia Feki, Valentine Holmes, Ben Barba
Tries: Chad Townsend, Valentine Holmes, Ben Barba, Ricky Leutele
  • Round 14 - Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys
Tries: Valentine Holmes
Field Goal: James Maloney
Tries: Michael Ennis, Ricky Leutele, Jayson Bukuya
Field Goal: James Maloney
  • Round 17 - Cronulla Sharks vs Parramatta Eels
Sosaia Feki, Ricky Leutele, Gerard Beale
  • Round 18 - Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla Sharks
Tries: Ben Barba, Mitch Brown, Joseph Paulo, Luke Lewis
  • Round 19 - Sydney Roosters vs Cronulla Sharks
Tries: Sosaia Feki, Valentine Holmes, Jack Bird, Luke Lewis, Chad Townsend
  • Round 20 - Cronulla Sharks vs Newcastle Knights
Tries: Jack Bird, Ben Barba, Valentine Holmes, Sosaia Feki, Gerard Beale
Tries: Valentine Holmes, Jack Bird, Andrew Fifita
  • Round 22 - Cronulla Sharks vs Canberra Raiders
Tries: James Maloney, Paul Gallen
Tries: Valentine Holmes, Ben Barba, Ricky Leutele
Tries: Wade Graham
  • Round 25 - Cronulla Sharks vs Sydney Roosters
Tries: Matt Prior, Ben Barba, Gerard Beale, Paul Gallen, Jayson Bukuya, Valentine Holmes
Field Goal: James Maloney
  • Round 26 - Melbourne Storm vs Cronulla Sharks
Tries: Gerard Beale
  • Qualifying Finals - Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks
Tries: Matt Prior, Valentine Holmes
Tries: James Maloney, Sosaia Feki, Chad Townsend, Luke Lewis
Tries: Ben Barba, Andrew Fifita
Clive Churchill Medal Winner: Luke Lewis