2004 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season
Encyclopedia
The 2004 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks season was the 38th in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2004 Telstra Premiership.
as their head coach following the previous season's dismissal of Chris Anderson.
Cronulla did not begin the 2004 season well, losing four or five matches on the trot to be sitting last on the ladder after round five. One early season lowlight was the on-field dismissal of Greg Bird
for kneeing Souths' winger Shane Marteene
and his subsequent 10-week ban. However, there were some on-field highlights none more so than their round 22 upset of the high-flying Sydney Roosters
who were sitting on top of the ladder at the time. They also defeated the likes of the Parramatta Eels
at Parramatta Stadium
where on their last visit the Sharks were thrashed 74-4 (in fact, Cronulla have not lost at the venue ever since), the Melbourne Storm
in Melbourne, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
at Brookvale Oval
where the Sharks historically have a poor record and the Brisbane Broncos
in Brisbane. Otherwise, the season was overall a disappointment; the Sharks missing the finals for the second year in succession however they did improve on their disastrous 12th finish in 2003.
Season summary
In the off-season the Sharks signed Stuart RaperStuart Raper
Stuart Raper is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach. He has since become a sideline commentator for the NRL with Foxsports...
as their head coach following the previous season's dismissal of Chris Anderson.
Cronulla did not begin the 2004 season well, losing four or five matches on the trot to be sitting last on the ladder after round five. One early season lowlight was the on-field dismissal of Greg Bird
Greg Bird
Gregory Bird is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently contracted to the Gold Coast Titans of the National Rugby League...
for kneeing Souths' winger Shane Marteene
Shane Marteene
Shane Marteene is a former rugby league player. He played for the Canterbury Bulldogs, South Sydney Rabbitohs and St. George Illawarra Dragons as a wing and centre....
and his subsequent 10-week ban. However, there were some on-field highlights none more so than their round 22 upset of the high-flying Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
who were sitting on top of the ladder at the time. They also defeated the likes of the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
at Parramatta Stadium
Parramatta Stadium
Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels...
where on their last visit the Sharks were thrashed 74-4 (in fact, Cronulla have not lost at the venue ever since), the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
in Melbourne, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
at Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval
Brookvale Oval is a sporting ground located within Brookvale Park at Brookvale, New South Wales, Australia. The ground is owned by Warringah Council and is primarily used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles rugby league team...
where the Sharks historically have a poor record and the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
in Brisbane. Otherwise, the season was overall a disappointment; the Sharks missing the finals for the second year in succession however they did improve on their disastrous 12th finish in 2003.
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sydney RoostersSydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
24 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 710 | 368 | +342 | 42 |
| 2 |  Bulldogs |
24 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 760 | 491 | +269 | 42 |
| 3 |  BrisbaneBrisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two... |
24 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 602 | 533 | +69 | 37 |
| 4 | Penrith Penrith Panthers The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan... |
24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 672 | 567 | +105 | 34 |
| 5 |  St George IllawarraSt George Illawarra Dragons The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the... |
24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 624 | 415 | +209 | 32 |
| 6 |  MelbourneMelbourne Storm The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria.... |
24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 684 | 517 | +167 | 30 |
| 7 |  North QueenslandNorth Queensland Cowboys The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
24 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 526 | 514 | +12 | 29 |
| 8 |  CanberraCanberra Raiders The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982... |
24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 554 | 613 | -59 | 26 |
| 9 |  Wests TigersWests Tigers The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs... |
24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 509 | 534 | -25 | 24 |
| 10 |  NewcastleNewcastle Knights The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership... |
24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 516 | 617 | -101 | 24 |
| 11 |  Cronulla-SutherlandCronulla Sharks The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales... |
24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 528 | 645 | -117 | 24 |
| 12 |  ParramattaParramatta Eels The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League... |
24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 517 | 626 | -109 | 22 |
| 13 | Manly-Warringah Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia... |
24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 615 | 754 | -139 | 22 |
| 14 |  New ZealandNew Zealand Warriors The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia... |
24 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 427 | 693 | -266 | 16 |
| 15 |  South SydneySouth Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
24 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 455 | 812 | -357 | 16 |