Editing Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (section)

===2000s===
Cronulla lost the grand final qualifier in similar circumstances in 2001, to eventual premiers Newcastle. The year was marked by the sudden rise of halfback [[Preston Campbell]], who was named Dally M Player of the Year, despite being a fringe first grader at the start of the season.

In 2002, John Lang was replaced by Australian coach [[Chris Anderson (rugby league)|Chris Anderson]], who had led Canterbury Bulldogs and Melbourne Storm to premierships. The following two years were the most acrimonious in the club's history. The first year was almost an on-field success, as Anderson retained the core of John Lang's team, and the Sharks again reached the grand final qualifier. However another heartbreaking loss to New Zealand, the replacement of halfback Preston Campbell – a crowd favourite – with former Melbourne halfback Brett Kimmorley, and a string of released players signaled trouble for 2003.

This was realised with the sudden mid-season departure of long-time stalwarts [[Nick Graham (rugby league)|Nick Graham]] and [[Dean Treister]]. The Sharks finished 11th, suffering a record 74–4 loss to Parramatta in a match marred by the controversial performance of referee [[Shayne Hayne]]. Three Cronulla players were sent from the field, including Sharks captain David Peachey, for ignoring the referee's instructions. Constant infighting between the board and the coach led to Anderson's departure at the end of the season.

The same year the club's name reverted to Cronulla-Sutherland, Chris Anderson was replaced by [[Stuart Raper]], another son of Johnny Raper, and the coach of the President's Cup-winning team in 1994. A loyal clubman, he instantly brought a revival in club and supporter spirit. However, Raper's apparent focus on team harmony rather than results led to Cronulla's win percentage worsening, from 49% (24 wins 27 losses) under Anderson, to 43% (31 wins 42 losses).

Steve Rogers, the CEO of the Cronulla Sharks and a former club legend, died on 3 January 2006 at the age of 51 of a "mixture of prescription drugs and alcohol". In April, 2006, the NSW state coroner ruled that the death was accidental.

On 21 April 2006, after much work and lobbying carried out by then-Chairman Barry Pierce and Sharks board member Brian Quinn, Peter Costello, on behalf of the Federal Government, announced they would be funding a $9.6 million upgrade to Toyota Park. The funds were primarily used to construct the Southern Stand which was never completed but later named the Monty Porter Stand.

Cronulla finished the 2006 season in disastrous fashion. After winning 8 out of 9 games in the middle of the season and climbing to near the top of the ladder, the team experienced the worst losing streak in the club's history, losing their last 10 consecutive games. In a see-sawing match to finish a tumultuous season, the Sharks in their final game coming back from 26–0 down only to lose 26–24 to Canberra. A missed penalty goal in the dying seconds of the match would have sent the game into extra-time, allowing the chance for Cronulla to equal the biggest single-game comeback in the history of top-level rugby league in Australia.

On 22 September 2006, the Sharks Board ended weeks of speculation over the future of Coach [[Stuart Raper]] by sacking him as first-grade coach and handing him a sizeable payout, making him the second consecutive coach to receive such a payout. On 26 September, Australian Test Coach [[Ricky Stuart]] signed a three-year deal to coach the Sharks as of 2007, replacing Raper.

[[File:Sharkies Leagues Club Sign.JPG|160px|thumb|right|Sharkies Leagues Club]]

Round one of the [[2007 NRL season]] saw Cronulla-Sutherland break their 10-game losing streak against the [[Penrith Panthers]] with an 18–0 victory at Toyota Park. Ricky Stuart led the Sharks to fifth on the ladder at the halfway mark of the season surprising many critics. Towards the end of the season, Cronulla plunged to 15th on the league ladder, slumping to seven straight losses. The season ended with the Sharks in 11th place, rounding off a heartbreaking season, with the club losing no less than nine matches by 4 points or less.

Cronulla-Sutherland had a strong season in 2008, finishing the season in equal first spot (third on for and against). They had one of the best defensive records, but one of the worst attacking records in the league. They had an excellent start to the season, beating defending grand finalists Manly and premiers Melbourne in away games in the first two rounds.  After a comprehensive 36–10 victory over Canberra in the Qualifying Final at [[Endeavour Field|Toyota Stadium]], Cronulla were beaten 28–0 by Melbourne (who later were found to be over the salary cap and cheating) in the Preliminary Final at the [[Sydney Football Stadium (1988)|Sydney Football Stadium]]. This was a disappointing end to an otherwise successful season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2008-09-27/storm-through-to-nrl-final/523884/|title=Storm through to NRL final|website=ABC|date=26 September 2008 }}</ref>

[[File:ManlySeaEagles CronullaSharks Tackle.JPG|thumb|right|Cronulla attack [[Manly Sea Eagles|Manly]] in August 2009]]

During the 2009 season Cronulla's dire financial problems became public knowledge. Asset-rich, owning its stadium and the surrounding land, but with cash flow problems due to its low average home gate and poor on-field performances in recent seasons, the club announced plans for a partial relocation to the Central Coast, which was rebuffed by the NRL. It was to split home games for the 2010–14 seasons among:

* 6 at [[Endeavour Field]], to include local derbies with the [[St George Illawarra Dragons]] and [[Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs]],
* 5 at [[Central Coast Stadium]] in [[Gosford]], [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]], and
* 1 at [[Hindmarsh Stadium]] in [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia]].

In May 2009, an [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]] [[Four Corners (Australian TV program)|Four Corners]] investigation revealed the Sharks players involvement in a group sex scandal on a pre-season tour in 2002.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/495981/woman-tells-of-matthew-johns-incident/|title=Woman tells of Matthew Johns incident|date=2009-05-08|work=Newcastle Herald|access-date=2018-07-26|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Code of Silence |date=2009-05-20 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/code-of-silence/8953012 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |language=en-AU |access-date=2022-06-05}}</ref> The club further slid into crisis when it also emerged that CEO Tony Zappia had allegedly punched a female staff member and joked about it. Zappia and Coach Ricky Stuart also then attempted to bully the female staff member into retracting her complaint.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/stuart-faces-claims-as-zappia-stands-down-20090609-gdtkw8.html|title=Stuart faces claims as Zappia stands down|last=Magnay|first=Jacquelin|date=2009-06-09|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2018-07-26}}</ref>

Zappia and Stuart were also investigated for their role around unusual financial transactions with Clint Elford, a fan who falsely claimed to be terminally ill, and who had sent money to Zappia and Stuart to spend on the Sharks .<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/mystery-cronulla-donor-revealed/news-story/07bec36980afc9c84d4d00eae80fd842?sv=70bc29dc81b2b75bfd115c386721e0|title=Mystery Cronulla Donor}}</ref> Elford was subsequently found guilty of fraud and Stuart refused to answer questions when the NRL launched an investigation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/man-who-donated-money-to-sharks-arrested-over-alleged-insurance-fraud/news-story/51408e3a5328be7add3942611b0b2d00?sv=a9c3a96e3ec6ee535053306f0f111e53|title=Donor Arrested}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/elford-plot-thickens-parents-of-sharks-benefactor-charged-20090620-gdtlk2.html|title=Parents charged|date=20 June 2009 }}</ref> CEO Tony Zappia was investigated and subsequently sacked for his role.

On 26 May 2009 businessman [[Damian Irvine]], together with a fresh board of directors, took over control of the club as the St George bank were threatening to foreclose.

They recorded 9 straight losses after a win in Round 1 in 2009 and despite a midseason revival with four straight wins, the Cronulla side slipped to ten straight defeats to equal the club's worst losing streak. One of these losses caused great controversy as the Sharks, playing against Manly, were forced to field just 12 men for most of the game after Luke Douglas was sent off by referee Phil Haines for a careless high tackle. The Sharks managed to avoid the wooden spoon in 2009 when the Roosters were soundly beaten by the Cowboys in the final round, resulting in a lower overall standing than the Sharks. Avoiding last position was a rare positive in a horror season for the Cronulla club.