Former Cronulla chairman Damian Irvine has spoken of his pride at how the club has bounced back from "certain death", saying the hard decisions made by his former board ensured the Sharks could survive and thrive against the odds.
Irvine presided over the club during its most tumultuous period, with the ASADA scandal striking at a time when the Shire outfit was on the brink of financial collapse. The Sharks were without a chief executive, a sponsor and perilously close to folding after owing St George Bank about $13 million.
But it was the supplements saga that was the greatest threat to a club plagued by a series of on and off-field scandals. Irvine, now the head of commercial at English soccer club Wycombe Wanderers, hoped the tough decisions made by the previous administration would not be forgotten as the Sharks attempt to win their maiden premiership in their 50th season.
"[It's important to] acknowledge the incredible work my directors did when no one else wanted to know the club," Irvine told Fairfax Media.
"No CEO wanted to risk coming on board as they were sure we were bankrupt, and the bank said if me or [former director] Craig Douglas walk away they would close the doors tomorrow.
"But [our successors] have done well in allowing [coach] Shane [Flanagan] and his staff the environment they needed to shine and deserve congratulations and acknowledgement."
Such was the financial strain on Cronulla during Irvine's chairmanship, the club struggled to spend all of its salary cap. However, officials managed to recruit and retain the talent required to become a genuine title contender.
"I take a bit of pride in the fact that during the time when we could barely spend the cap, I ensured we found a way to retain Gal [captain Paul Gallen] every time he told us he could get more at Manly or Parra or the Roosters, along with recruiting Wade Graham, Andrew Fifita, Luke Lewis, Chris Heighington, Sosaia Feki and Sam Tagataese," Irvine said.
"Not bad board support for a coach at a very poor club that every CEO in the game was sure was going broke."
Irvine will watch Sunday's grand final on the other side of the world, alongside another diehard Sharks fan, actor Brendan Cowell.
Irvine said he took satisfaction from witnessing Cronulla prosper just years after rival clubs were death-riding the Sharks.
"Sunday is a day for a club that has been under fire, underestimated and undervalued by other clubs and the game's administrators from day one of our history," Irvine said.
"So many with agendas wanted the Sharks to fail because it helped their own case for self preservation and drew attention away from their own many failings in administration.
"For the club to be in a GF [grand final] and flying off field too must annoy the hell out of clubs like the Roosters, Parra and Manly, who patronised and ridiculed the Sharks club for years.
"We didn't merge, we didn't take any short cuts or easy options, we worked hard as a club and traded out of certain death with daily detail and discipline.
"It's a day and an occasion the bloody brilliant supporters of this great club deserve and should be extremely proud wearing the colours.
"So many amazing people support the club and many didn't make it to see Sunday's match sadly – Sludge [Steve Rogers], Greg Pierce, many others.
"I'm so happy for those young and old who can experience this period in the club's history and hope they are rewarded with the bounce of the ball."
