ONE hundred years of talent was on show on Saturday, as the Shellharbour Sharks unveiled their prestigious Team of the Century.
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Following their loss to the Superoos at Ron Costello Oval, the club headed to The Shellharbour Club for their centenary dinner - which was attended by 240 people.
During the evening, which had Mark Climo as the MC and Marianna Saliba, Anna Watson MP and Scott McLaurin in attendance, Ian 'Kiwi' McLean was presented his life members jacket before the Team of the Century was announced in three lots of six players - with the only qualification to making the team being they must have played first grade for the club.
As such, the panel, led by the chairman of selectors John O'Dwyer OAM, first announced the backline consist of fullback Harry Smith, wingers Jamie Manakonga and Aaron Grant, centres Harry Bush and Doug Senior, five-eighth Stephen Hill and halfback Matt Carroll - who skippered the club to their most recent premiership in 2018.
The septet is joined in the starting side by lock Ron Lynch, back-rowers Ron Costello and Barry Stanton, props John Armstrong (who was also named coach) and Russell Holdsworth and hooker Cole Skelly.
Manning the five-man bench is former Penrith Panther Adam Docker, 223-game NRL veteran Trent Merrin, Warren Paillas, Hans Schuster and Doug Steele.
Making this side even more remarkable is the fact it has at least one representative from each of the past 10 decades.
Below is John O'Dwyer's and fellow life member Allen Cody's detailed recap of each player's credentials as to why they were named in the Team of the Century.
Fullback - Harry Smith
As a junior, Smith would not have imagined that he would make a Team of the Century in rugby league as he grew up in Victoria playing Australian Rules before his family moved to St Marys in NSW.
When Smith joined the club in the 1960s, he was probably one of the first running fullbacks, as previously, custodians had to be strong kickers of the ball.
He was a member of the Norm Ward coached first grade team that won the 1962 premiership, breaking the 23-year drought of premierships and was the club's player of the year that season.
In that team, he combined brilliantly with his winger brother Peter to set up many tries.
The Group Seven representative player also scored a length of the field try against Kiama in 1963, where the newspaper report suggests he avoided being tackled by 10 different players on his way to the line.
Wing - Jamie Manakonga
Over the century, few players have shown more dedication to the club than Manakonga - playing 375 games for the Sharks.
Starting in under 18s in 1995 and except for one season with Berkeley played until 2020 including 266 games in first grade (including the 2001 premiership) and 90 in reserves (including 2004 and 2005 premierships) scoring numerous tries.
Prominent on the wing, Manakonga also could handle fullback and centre positions.
He is presently coaching the under 18s team.
Wing - Aaron Grant
Grant showed great pace on the wing scoring many tries none better than in the 1996 season, when he won the Group Seven top try-scorer award with a then-record of 36 four-pointers.
He actually commenced the season in reserve grade scoring two tries in the opening game then came on as a replacement in first grade scoring three tries.
His season went to greater heights from there but Shellharbour were beaten by Nowra Warriors in the grand final.
Grant had a short stint with South Sydney before returning to Shellharbour.
Centre - Harry Bush (deceased)
Bush was a punishing centre three quarter in the 1930s era and was the first player from Shellharbour to represent Combined Country in 1935 and 1936 - starring in the game and receiving an offer of six pounds per game to play with St George but not keen on city life, he declined.
Newspapers at the time stated he was a likely NSW and Australian representative.
Unfortunately, he was injured playing for Country and this greatly impacted his playing career.
He was in the defeated Shellharbour grand final teams of 1931 and 1932.
Later, he was club secretary and delegate to South Coast.
Mine host of the Ocean Beach Hotel for many years, Bush and his wife Hazel were tragically killed in a plane crash in the Grand Canyon in 1978.
He was represented on Saturday by relative Jamie Cullen.
Centre - Doug Senior
Senior was a hard-running centre and punishing defender who starred in the 1970s era.
He was a member of both premiership teams of 1971 and 1973 and in the former, had the task of keeping prolific scoring Gerringong centre and later international Michael Cronin under control.
He did his job as Cronin did not score a point in the game.
Senior had the ability to beat opposition defenders with his blinding speed.
His swerve and step saw him score many tries.
He also was capable of setting up supports with his passing skills.
He was an exciting player to watch with the ability to read his opponents and to find a way around or through them.
All over, he was a significant contributor to the first grade teams of the early 1970s.
Five-eighth - Stephen Hill
A talented player, Hill was probably one of the most controversial players in the history of the club.
He could win games with his exceptional line kicking (he would have been a sensation under the 40-20 rule of today) and bulldozing runs.
However, far too often he clashed with referees and officials and was a regular at judiciary meetings.
He was player of the year in 1967 and in 1971, a newspaper report stated Hill was becoming a liability in the Shellharbour team but after some stern words from coach John Armstrong, he not only was a star in the premiership success but won the player of the year award.
Later in life, he became a world-class swimming coach including coaching England in the Sydney Olympics and is now living in Thailand.
Halfback - Matt Carroll
One of the players from the present era, Carroll has been a prolific points scorer and with more 1900 points, is the greatest point-scorer in the history of South Coast Group Seven Rugby League.
Carroll won the Group Seven Kevin Walsh Trophy in 2009, 2016, 2017 and 2018 with points ranging from 219 to 170 - not including final series points.
He also won the prestigious Michael Cronin Medal Award for Group Seven player of the year in 2017.
He commenced his first grade career in 2007 but switched to Albion Park-Oak Flats from 2009-13 when Shellharbour played in the Illawarra competition and after returning to the Sharks, he missed most of the next two seasons due to a broken arm.
He captained Shellharbour to the 2018 premiership and is the present club captain.
He recently played his 100th first grade game for the club.
Lock - Ron Lynch
Originally from Young, Lynch joined Shellharbour from Forbes and soon made his mark as a punishing defender.
He was part of the Shellharbour team beaten by Nowra Warriors in the 1957 grand final, with the Warriors forward pack regarded as one of the toughest ever in the group.
Signed by Parramatta, he played 189 games for them and 44 for Penrith.
Despite Johnny Raper being the Australian lock, Lynch played 12 tests for Australia - touring with the 1967 Kangaroos after missing the 1963 tour due to injury.
Lynch was represented by his son Adam on the night.
Second-rower - Ron Costello
Known to everyone as 'Caffa', Costello was Shellharbour born and came to prominence in the under 16 and 18s and then first grade, before being signed by Western Suburbs.
From Illawarra Collegians, he gained selection to play for Australia against New Zealand and then was signed by Canterbury, where he played 41 first grade games and the third test against Great Britain and the World Cup in New Zealand.
He returned to Shellharbour as captain-coach and has been a 'personality and practical joker of the town and the club' and was honoured with life membership.
Second-rower - Barry Stanton
Originally from Tumbarumba, Stanton was a long term player with the club, playing close to 300 first grade games.
He was the only player to play in three first grade premiership teams 1962, 1971 and 1973 and also played in the defeated grand final teams of 1966, 68, 1970 and 1972 - a remarkable performance.
He represented Group Seven, combined Groups Six and Seven and Southern Division many times.
Stanton was a player that every team requires, one who gave more the 100 per cent in every game and was honoured with life membership of the club.
Front-row - John Armstrong
One of the top prop forwards in NSW Country, Armstrong joined Shellharbour after winning premierships with Jamberoo and Berry-Shoalhaven Heads.
In 1971, was captain-coach in the memorable 8-nil grand final win over Gerringong to win the club's third title and all three grades on the day.
His representative career was outstanding, playing numerous times for Combined Country and for Southern Division.
He played three times against Great Britain, where he had many memorable clashes with top England forwards and against New Zealand and France, in games that were a highlight of those years.
Armstrong coached many teams including Country and Southern Division when they won their only country championship in 1981.
In 1983, he was also the non-playing coach of Shellharbour.
Front-row - Russell Holdsworth
A tough front-row forward during the 1980s.
He played in the 1980 grand final and in 1981, he represented Southern Division but injury prevented him from playing for Country.
He joined the Illawarra Steelers in 1983-84, playing 24 first grade games.
Returning home, he was Shellharbour's player of the year in 1985 and captain-coach in 1986 and again represented in 1987.
His tough play often earned the displeasure of the referees but he never took a backward step when things got tough.
Hooker - Cole Skelly
Represented New South Wales under 19s from Shellharbour before a career with Albion Park Oak Flats, South Sydney and Shellharbour - where he was captain-coach of the 2001 premiership team.
A top goal-kicker, Skelly was the top points scorer in Group Seven in 1999 and 2001, named in Group Seven's 50-team (1956-2006), player of the year in 2001 and best under 21 player in 1990.
Skelly was a very popular player with teammates, opponents and fans.
Interchange (listed in alphabetical order) - Adam Docker
A Shellharbour junior, Docker was a tough forward who made his first grade debut when the club joined the Illawarra competition.
He played two seasons with St George Illawarra before signing with Penrith, where he played 42 first grade games for the Panthers.
After representing Country Origin in a drawn game vs City, he was named in the train-on squad for the Four Nations Tournament and the State of Origin development squad.
Such was his toughness newspapers referred to him as 'the human wrecking ball.
A serious knee injury forced his retirement at the age of 24.
Interchange - Trent Merrin
After playing in juniors and under 18s with Shellharbour, Merrin made his first grade debut before joining the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2008.
He played in their under 20s followed by 135 first grade game and then 72 games for Penrith.
After a stint with Leeds, he returned to the Dragons retiring this year.
Merrin represented NSW in 13 State of Origin games and played seven games for Australia - a remarkable career that covered thirteen seasons.
Interchange - Warren Paillas
At home in either the backs or forwards, although his best position was at lock, Paillas, a Shellharbour junior, played many extraordinary games for the club in the 1970s and was a member of the 1971 first grade premiership team.
He was captain-coach in 1968 and 1969 and was a regular representative player for Group Seven and Southern Division in the 1970s.
Paillas was known for his tireless bootlace defence and support play down the centre of the field.
He was quite often man of the match and played a big part in the 1971 premiership team.
Later he played a part in the administration of the club and was honoured with life membership.
Interchange - Hans Schuster
Joined the club from Berkeley in 2003 and represented Southern Division under 18s.
He played 258 games for the Sharks including games in the Shellharbour Marlins and Dragons when they played in the New South Wales Cup, before joining Warilla-Lake South in 2018.
He was in the 2006 grand final team and captain in 2015 when narrowly beaten by Gerringong.
He played most of his career as hooker but was equally at home in the halfback position and is currently a junior club coach with Shellharbour.
Interchange - Doug Steele (deceased)
In a career that started in the late 1940s and concluded in 1965, Steele played as halfback, centre and wing and was a top goal-kicker - seeing him represent South Coast from 1950 to 1953 and Group Seven in 1955.
He played in the 1955 and 1957 grand finals when Shellharbour was beaten by Nowra Warriors.
He then was part of the 1962 first grade premiership team and reserve grade premierships of 1963, 1964 and 1965 - before coaching the 1973 first grade team to the premiership.
He was also a selector with Shellharbour, Group Seven and Southern Division.
Steele was honoured with life membership of Shellharbour.
After being part of the centenary committee, Steele unfortunately passed away in April 2021.
He was represented by his son Michael on the night.
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