The Cronulla Sharks have turned their worst hunting ground into a happy place.
With three straight wins at 4 Pines Park, including a 40-20 drubbing last season, the Sharks have officially shaken off their Brookvale curse ahead of this Sunday’s Round 10 clash against Manly.
Once the site of countless heartbreaks, the northern beaches venue is where Cronulla have flipped the script.
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In 52 visits, they’ve only ever managed nine wins against the Sea Eagles, but three of those have come in their last three trips, all since 2022.
Manly’s fortress no more
For decades, Brookvale Oval was a graveyard for travelling teams. Especially Cronulla. Between 1997 and 2006, they couldn’t buy a win at the venue.
But the tide has well and truly turned. Since Craig Fitzgibbon’s arrival, Cronulla have travelled north with purpose. They edged Manly 20-14 in 2022, then smashed them twice in 2023, 40-6 and 40-20, with an attacking flair that has become their trademark.
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Coming off a slick 34-22 win over the Eels in Magic Round, the Sharks have momentum on their side. Nicho Hynes was everywhere in that game, six goals, a try assist, and a calming influence in the big moments.
Manly, meanwhile, are fresh from the bye and still buzzing from their gritty Round 8 win over defending premiers Penrith. But this Sunday, they’ll have to face a reality they’re not used to: playing catch-up in a rivalry they used to dominate.
They haven’t beaten the Sharks at home since 2019 and have dropped five of their last six meetings overall. Anthony Seibold’s men will need a fast start and a fierce defensive showing to reclaim their turf.
As Women in League Round wraps up with this headline clash, the Sharks aren’t just looking to extend a winning streak. They’re looking to confirm a shift in power, at a ground where, for so long, they were written off before they’d even kicked off.