V for Vic Arious

Masters of their Domain

V for Vic Arious

Vic Investigates a wet Monday night at Shark Park

Although everyone has a different idea of what a perfect outing at the footy involves, chances are it's something along the lines of a warm afternoon watching two football teams put on an absorbing contest in front of a huge crowd.

That is to say, not Shark Park on Monday night. But hey, one out of three ain't bad!

Yes, despite the fact that Cronulla put on its fortnightly cyclone for the hardcore Sharks fanatics who turned up on a Shire school night, the no frills home side put on a fantastic wet weather football display to upset their fancy high-flying opponents.

Over the years certain NRL teams have managed to develop special synergies with their particular environments. Think Wests Tigers at a sun drenched Leichardt oval, the Cowboys at a muggy Dairy Farmers Stadium or the Broncos at a buzzing Friday night Suncorp. Granted that last one may happen more than is probably reasonable, but it still goes to show that in these times of calls for stadium rationalisation and sharing, the effect of having a true local to call your own should not be underestimated.

Funnily enough for a club based out of Sydney's southern sun drenched beaches the Sharks particular bond has been developed with soggy surroundings. Whilst it has become de rigueur in recent years to bag the black, white n blues, the fact that they show their best when Mother nature is at its worst is testament to the fact that what they can at times lack in flair, they more than make up for in determination.

Quite simply on Monday night the Sharks tackled harder, kicked smarter and played more disciplined for 63 mins of the match against Manly. Sure the last ten minutes was probably an unnecessary heart strain for the local grommets in Ponchos on the hill, but to out muscle the reigning premiers with a new odd-couple combination of