Inside knowledge is no help

CRONULLA captain Paul Gallen won't be calling on Jeremy Smith for any last minute insight into the Dragons, convinced there is no secret behind the reigning premiers' success.

NRL PRE-SEASON

Newcastle's former NSW and Australian star Adam MacDougall has rated Cronulla's pack as the NRL's testing material before tonight's trial match. MacDougall's description is particularly interesting since NSW prop Kade Snowden is set to switch to Newcastle next year if mining magnate Nathan Tinkler takes ownership of the Knights. "To me, they've probably got the best forward pack in the comp," MacDougall said. "I think they've got the best back row, definitely. It's an international back row [Paul Gallen, Anthony Tupou and Jeremy Smith], so it's going to be a great battle up front to decide the outcome this weekend. It should be a very tough and torrid match up front, and that's why I play in the centres." MacDougall, who turns 36 in May, said it was important the Knights came out of their last trial with confidence.

Cronulla expect no decision from Snowden until Knights' future sorted

CRONULLA are prepared to wait until the Newcastle ownership issue is sorted out before star prop Kade Snowden tells the club whether he is going to remain at the Sharks next season.

Magnate admits he made call to Snowden

NATHAN TINKLER has admitted he approached Kade Snowden just hours before the former Newcastle prop was about to sign a new two-year deal with Cronulla.

No circus: Sharks to shut gates to media

CRONULLA will lock the Toyota Stadium gates behind them when Kade Snowden returns to training with the rest of the team today.

Cupboard is bare for Stuart

Parramatta 30 Cronulla 0

Eels boss tied up in Sharks' mystery fund

THE NRL is investigating whether money donated to the Cronulla Sharks by a dying fan was being used to rort the salary cap. And it also emerged that the new Parramatta Leagues Club chairman, Roy Spagnolo, may have known more about the finances of the Sharks than that club's chairman, Barry Pierce.

Sharks circle around Cronulla chief as new allegations surface over punch

CRONULLA SUTHERLAND€™S chief executive, Tony Zappia, will be forced to resign this morning after damning new evidence emerged of pornography in the Sharks€™ office and serious question marks about management of the accidental punch to the face of former employee Jenny Hall.

Bird Must Take Flight After Sharks Cut Him Loose

GREG BIRD has been prevented from playing in the NRL this year by Cronulla, who yesterday terminated the representative back-rower's contract.

Bye-bye Birdy

GREG BIRD has been prevented from playing in the NRL this year by Cronulla, who yesterday terminated the representative back-rowers contract.

Scene To Savour

Wet'n'wild . . . teenagers brave a powerful swell at the North Curl Curl ocean pool. The pool is part of a series of rock pools that stretch from Palm Beach to Cronulla. Carved out of natural rock formations, they were originally constructed in the late 1800s as a way to protect swimmers from rips and shark attacks.

Wedding Of The Week

Aisling Butler and Jason Steporowski Summer Salt Restaurant, Cronulla

Stuart's Aura Lures Maitua To Sharks

THE lure of playing under former Australian coach Ricky Stuart, a desire to remain in Sydney and the flexibility of a short-term contract were factors for sacked Bulldog forward Reni Maitua signing yesterday with Cronulla.

I Want To Play, Says Bird, As Injury Hits Sharks

SUSPENDED Cronulla five-eighth Greg Bird has broken his silence since being charged with allegedly assaulting girlfriend Katie Milligan to declare he is ready to help his side to win its first premiership.

Bird Grounded - And That's Final

BRAVO the NRL and Cronulla for holding the line against allowing Greg Bird back into the Sharks side for the finals series.

Candidates Play White Australia Card

THREE years after racial tensions turned Cronulla into a riot zone, several candidates in next week's council elections in the Sutherland Shire are running campaigns aimed at attracting the xenophobic vote.

Sponsors Won't Fly The Coop After Bird Drama

CRONULLA'S sponsors have backed the club's handling of the Greg Bird affair as the parents of the American girlfriend he is alleged to have glassed flew out from the US to be by her bedside.

Eels Reject Gallen Still A Westie At Heart

NSW and Sharks star Paul Gallen has revealed he only ended up at Cronulla because he was "never really given a go" at Parramatta.

Big Money Starts To Flow For Eels, Sea Eagles And Storm

PARRAMATTA are popular with punters to continue their form when travelling to Cronulla to take on the Sharks on Sunday.

Williams Lets Off Steam As Dogs Upset Cronulla

AFTER weeks of pressure, Bulldogs superstar Sonny Bill Williams finally erupted last night with an explosion of anger and a wild punch thrown at Cronulla prop Ben Ross during his side's 30-22 upset NRL win at ANZ Stadium.