Bulldogs Sharks Fears After Cronulla The Australian 21 May 2006

SUNDAY 21 MAY

John Stapleton

FEARS were strong that five months after the race-based Cronulla riots the first match between Western Sydney's Bulldogs, with their strong Lebanese support base, and Cronulla's Sharks, would spark riots in the stands at Telstra Stadium yesterday. Instead extremely heavy security, including mounted police, sniffer dogs and riot squad police, ensured that the much anticipated match between the two rugby league teams went off without any serious problems.

A spokesman said despite the arrest of a man and a woman over minor incidents police were generally pleased with the behaviour of the crowd before, during and after the match.

General duty police and stadium security supplemented the unprecedented show of force.

There was more spite on the field than off it, as Bulldogs star Sonny Bill Williams and Cronulla's Phil Bailey were both sin-binned following a fist fight while Sharks captain Brett Kimmmorley raised the ire of Bulldogs players in the first half following two suspect tackles.

The match was the first since last December's race based Cronulla riots. Men of Middle Eastern appearance were targetted in the riots, and in the following days there were revenge attacks by men of Arabic background from the Bulldog's home turf of south-western Sydney. There were fears amongst authorities that the match could be used to settle grudges between the two teams.

Amongst the strategies used were the offer of free admission to off duty police as part of what club officials termed ``Police Appreciation Day''. As well the lead-in match was the annual interstate league match between NSW and Queensland Police.

The small size of the crowd, just topping 12,000, may also have contributed to the peaceful outcome. Cronulla Sharks supporters have a general reputation of not travelling to back their team and were vastly outnumbered at Telstra Stadium yesterday afternoon.

Despite this - and their narrow loss - Sharks supporters professed to having a good team and being well treated by ``doggy'' fans. ``It's all good mate,'' said John Peat, 20, a student from Cronulla. ``It is a small crowd but a good atmosphere, we are having fun.''

Sharks supporter, Peter Schafer, 43, a TAFE lecturer, said he didn't hesitate to bring his son and his friends. ``We have had no agro,'' he said. ``It is a good atmosphere. Footy fans are footy fans. The doggies have been good, maybe because they won.''

Many Bulldog fans reiterated the claim that the dark days were long gone and long forgotten. Mike Collins, 57, a mechanic from Padstow, said the Cronulla problems were ``gone now, it is in the past. We weren't worried at all.'' Mother of two Megan Everingham, 27 of Minchenbury, a die-hard Bulldogs fan who never misses a game, said she hadn't hesitated to bring her children. ``It was a good atmosphere,'' she said. ``There were too many police here, it was a waste. It's a Sunday afternoon, it is a family atmosphere. The whole Cronulla thing is over.''