Wikipedia

2002 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season

The 2002 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season was the 36th in the club's history. They competed in the National Rugby League's 2002 Premiership.

2002 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season
NRL rank5th
2002 recordWins: 16; draws: 0; losses: 11
Points scoredFor: 723 (132 tries, 97 goals, 1 field goal); against: 669 (115 tries, 104 goals, 1 field goal)
Team information
CoachChris Anderson
Captain
StadiumToyota Park
Avg. attendance13,409
Top scorers
TriesDavid Peachey (17)
GoalsBrett Kimmorley (97)
PointsBrett Kimmorley (251)
← 2001 2003 →

Season summary

edit

In the off-season the Sharks signed former Melbourne Storm premiership-winning coach Chris Anderson, who also brought along with him the halfback involved in that premiership, Brett Kimmorley.

After a poor start to the season by the Sharks' standards, the Sharks set about with a record-equalling 11-game winning streak which did not crossover with the Bulldogs' famous 17-match run. The highlight of Cronulla's season was a huge 64–14 win over an injury-hit Newcastle Knights at home in round 22, exacting revenge after a 52–6 loss at Newcastle in round six (one of Cronulla's worst ever defeats). Eventually the Sharks finished 5th at the end of the premiership season and were drawn an away final against the Sydney Roosters at Aussie Stadium. Despite scoring five tries apiece, it was the goalkicking that proved the difference as the Roosters emerged victors 30-20 (Brett Kimmorley missed all five of his conversion attempts). The Sharks advanced further due to favourable results, which ultimately saw them pitted against rivals St. George Illawarra in the second round of the finals. The Sharks were seeking revenge after the Dragons denied them a place in the 1999 decider (which would have had them pitted against Anderson and Kimmorley's Melbourne Storm) and indeed the Sharks won 40–24. For the second year in succession, and the third in four years, the Sharks reached the penultimate weekend of the season, only to lose against the minor premiers New Zealand, ending another season in agony.

Squad Movement

edit

2002 Gains

edit

2002 Losses

edit

Ladder

edit
2002 NRL season
Pos Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 New Zealand Warriors 2417072688454+23438
2 Newcastle Knights 2417072724498+22638
3 Brisbane Broncos 2416172672425+24737
4 Sydney Roosters (P) 2415182621405+21635
5 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2415092653597+5634
6 Parramatta Eels 24102122531440+9126
7 St George Illawarra Dragons 2493122632546+8625
8 Canberra Raiders 24101132471641-17025
9 Northern Eagles 24100142503740-23724
10 Melbourne Storm 2491142556586-3023
11 North Queensland Cowboys 2480162496803-30720
12 Penrith Panthers 2470172546654-10818
13 Wests Tigers 2470172498642-14418
14 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2450192385817-43214
15 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2420132707435+27281

1 The Bulldogs were deducted 37 premiership points due to gross salary cap breaches.

References

edit
  1. ↑ "Phil Bailey". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  2. ↑ "Matt Bickerstaff". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  3. ↑ "Greg Bird". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  4. ↑ "Dean Bosnich". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  5. ↑ "PLAYER PROFILE: Dean Bosnich". www.nrl.com.au. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  6. ↑ "Paul Franze". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "Matthew Johns". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "Brett Kimmorley joins Cronulla Sharks". www.sharks.com.au. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "Brett Kimmorley". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "Brett Kimmorley joins Cronulla Sharks". www.sharks.com.au. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  11. ↑ "Karl Lovell". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "Danny Nutey". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  13. ↑ "Pre-Season: O'Farrell Brings The Intensity". lions.com.au. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "Nick Paterson". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "Matthew Rieck". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  16. ↑ Dollin, Shawn. "Brett Sargent - Playing Career - RLP". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  17. ↑ "Don Tweddle". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  18. ↑ "Young Tweddle almost slipped through the net". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 February 2003. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  19. ↑ "Mark Capelin". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  20. ↑ "Death, drugs and dirty deeds: A brief, bizarre history of every Western Reds player". Fox Sports. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  21. ↑ "Matthew Daylight". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  22. ↑ "Adam Dykes". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  23. ↑ "Shannon Donato". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  24. ↑ "Jason Ferris". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  25. ↑ "Brent Grose". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  26. ↑ "RABBITOHS PLAYERS LIST 2002". nrl.com.au. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  27. ↑ "Martin Lang". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  28. ↑ "Nathan Long". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  29. ↑ "Paul McNicholas". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  30. ↑ "RABBITOHS PLAYERS LIST 2002". nrl.com.au. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  31. ↑ "We won't leave Mostyn high and dry: Piggins". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 April 2002. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  32. ↑ "RABBITOHS PLAYERS LIST 2002". nrl.com.au. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  33. ↑ "Scott Murray". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  34. ↑ "Stuart Pierce - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  35. ↑ "Mat Rogers". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  36. ↑ "Mat Rogers to finish the season and then switch codes". www.sharks.com.au. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  37. ↑ "Russell Richardson". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  38. ↑ "RABBITOHS PLAYERS LIST 2002". nrl.com.au. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  39. ↑ "Sean Ryan". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  40. ↑ "Ben Sammut". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  41. ↑ Dollin, Shawn. "Blaine Stanley - Playing Career - RLP". www.rugbyleagueproject.org. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  42. ↑ "RABBITOHS PLAYERS LIST 2002". nrl.com.au. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  43. ↑ "Luke Stuart". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  44. ↑ "PLAYER PROFILE: Luke Stuart". www.nrl.com.au. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  45. ↑ "RABBITOHS PLAYERS LIST 2002". nrl.com.au. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2002_Cronulla-Sutherland_Sharks_season&oldid=1347891313"