Hey Sharkies fans, here’s a fun side to contemplate, a team of players who each played just one game of first grade for Cronulla during the NRL era.
How many of them can you remember?
1. Toshio Laiseni (2006)
He joined Cronulla from the Warriors’ lower grades and played his one and only game of first grade when he filled in at fullback for David Simmons in their Round 18 clash with the Tigers. He went on to play four games for Tonga.
2. Leon Bott (2006)
Bott was a former Australian rugby union representative and had speed to burn. He had a break-out debut season for the Broncos in 2005 but injuries the following year saw him head to the Sharks, where he played just one first grade game.
He returned to rugby union in 2009 where he is best remembered for his devastating early tackle on David Dillon, former prime minister Bob Hawke’s grandson, who suffered a ruptured spleen.
3. Jackson Ferris (2020)
Originally from New Zealand, Ferris joined the Sharks in 2020 and made his first grade debut in Round 12 that year against the Broncos. He was one of six Cronulla players to cross for a try that day but found himself back in the lower grades the following week.
4. Dane Nielsen (2007)
He joined the Sharks from Mackay and played just one game in the top grade for the club before heading to Melbourne the following year, going on to play three Origin matches for Queensland.
5. Brett Kelly (2006)
Kelly played 21 first grade games in his five year career in the NRL before heading to France, including his first grade debut and sole appearance for Cronulla in 2006.
6. Manaia Waitere (2023)
Played one pre-season challenge game for the Sharks before heading to Canberra where he’s still waiting for an opportunity in the top grade.
Manaia Waitere of the Sharks is tackled by Lachlan Fitzgibbon. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
7. Luke Branighan (2001)
Son of Souths’ dual premiership winner Arthur Branighan, Luke joined Cronulla from the Dragons in 2001 but played only one first grade game in the Shire before heading to the UK.
8. Sam Moa (2008)
Moa was playing lower grades for the Tigers when selected for Tonga in 2006 and then joined Cronulla in 2008, where he made his NRL debut. He headed to Hull FC in England the following year where he made a name for himself, before returning to Australia with the premiership-winning Roosters in 2013.
9. Patrice Siolo (2014)
A good young prospect and Souths junior who joined the Sharks in 2014, and had to wait to make his first grade debut. He played a couple of first grade games for Souths when he returned to the club in 2016 but that was the extent of his first grade career.
10. Michael Greenfield (2004)
Greenfield is probably better known these days for his off-field exploits with the CFMEU than his NRL career, but the giant front rower did put together 39 first grade games between 2004 and 2012, the first one with the Sharks, before injury eventually saw him leave the game.
11. Trent Grubb (2010)
An unfortunate name and a very brief career, playing just one first grade game when the Sharks were flogged by Panthers 50-12 in Round 26 of 2010.
12. Tony Williams (2017)
Now everyone remembers “T-Rex”, that giant wrecking ball who represented NSW, Australia and Tonga, and won a premiership with Manly in 2011. Less memorable is his time at Cronulla, where he played just one first grade game before his season was ended with a knee injury picked up representing Tonga against Fiji.
13. Daniel Vasquez (2020)
Who knew? Chile has a national rugby league team and Vasquez has scored four tries for them in as many games, to go with his one game in the NRL when he came off the bench for the Sharks in Round 20, 2020.
Now be honest Sharks fans, how many of these one-gamers do you actually remember wearing the sky blue, white and black?
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