IT'S the local derby that could very well be a game of survival for Cronulla.
Anything less than a sell-out for Saturday night's biggest-drawing home game of 2009 against the Dragons will seriously undermine the embattled club's chances of recovering from a $9 million debt and staying alive.
According to the Sharks' most loyal supporters, there will be no excuses if Toyota Stadium is not full for the clash with their bitter rivals.
"If you don't turn up, you aren't true Sharks fans," Cronulla supporters club secretary Ben McGregor said bluntly.
But desperate officials are relying on more than fan power to survive, with controversial Manly owner Max Delmege approached to invest in a $110 million residential development alongside leagues club Sharkies that is being touted as Cronulla's saviour.
As NRL bean-counters spent a second straight day poring over Cronulla's books,
The Daily Telegraph learned that Delmege fronted the Sharks board last August to view plans and discuss investment opportunities.
"I did meet with the board about the development and we threw a few ideas around," said Delmege, who made his fortune from property development.
"That was about nine months ago and there's been nothing further since."
The Sharks' home crowd average this season is 9750, the lowest in the NRL, angering both McGregor and fellow fan Belinda McFarlane.
The Daily Telegraph was inundated with emails yesterday in an orchestrated campaign by desperate Cronulla supporters to fill Toyota Stadium on Saturday - and help save the embattled club.
"Over the past six years I have missed six games. I have been to all games around Australia and New Zealand," McGregor said.
"That puts me in a position to say that, yes, Sharks fans are fickle.
"It's no secret that the Sharks are in dire straits, yet apart from the football club and supporters club, no one seems to be doing anything. Are the fans that fickle that they would willingly lose their club forever?
"The Shire should be outraged at the possibility it could lose their local side. It's now or never.
"We haven't had good match timeslots this year but that shouldn't matter. We are going to lose our team if fans don't start turning up.
"Fans have to make a choice and hopefully that will be to attend matches and not watch them at Northies or Cronulla Leagues Club. I can't believe the house-full sign isn't already up for the Dragons game this week."
Cronulla are buckling under financial pressures that could see the club implode within 18 months.
Low attendance figures coupled with the recent bad press in relation to the recent NRL sex scandal has seen the club's financial position deteriorate even further.
The Sharks called NRL chief executive David Gallop to an emergency meeting on Monday with the club's concerned major sponsor LG.
LG, which pays Cronulla $700,000 a year, claims to be deeply worried about damage to its brand name after last week's drama involving Cronulla players in 2002.
Source: The Daily Telegraph
