For the next two matches the Sharks will wear a specially designed jersey in celebrating the NRL’s Indigenous Round and supporting the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the game of rugby league.

Starting with the official Indigenous round match against local rivals St George Illawarra next Friday, the Sharks will then return home and again wear the special strip when they host the North Queensland Cowboys on a Thursday night at Southern Cross Group Stadium.

As for the thoughts behind Sharks jersey, Sutherland Shire local elder Aunty Deanna Schreiber came up with the design which has local area significance.

As explained by Aunty Deanna; “The word Cronulla originates from the word KURRANULLA which the first white settlers could not pronounce correctly and termed the area Cronulla.

“Kurranulla actually means a place of ‘pink sea shells’ hence the name and pink sea shell featured on the back of the jersey. The local totem for Kurranulla is the whale which formed to the area with the Sharks on ‘Shark Island’ just south of South Cronulla Beach. The Sharks formed with the whales to Shark Island which is represented on the front of the jersey. The jersey is predominantly blue across the front which represents the salt water people who first formed around Cronulla.”

Aunty Deanna, former Indigenous NRL player George Rose and representatives of Recognise, the movement to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution, addressed the Sharks NRL playing group yesterday in unveiling the jersey, explaining the importance of the Indigenous Round and the significance of Recognise.

All 16 clubs are set to unveil their Indigenous Round jerseys at an NRL media event on Monday.

Andrew Fifita will represent the Sharks at the media session.

Note: Sharks 2017 Indigenous jerseys will be made available for sale. Please check out Sharks Store, game day merchandise outlets and on-line in the coming week for more details.