In a special episode of the ET Stand, we sit down with the Dorrell family — Mike and Ben in the studio, with Lucas and Simon joining remotely — to hear the story behind one of the most extraordinary acts of support in Cronulla Sharks history.

Mike Dorrell and his family have committed more than $5 million to the Sharks over five years, but this episode is really about how a family becomes so connected to a football club in the first place.

The brothers take us back through their childhood, their very different paths into rugby league fandom, the heartbreak that came with following Cronulla through the years, and some typically competitive Dorrell family stories along the way.

We hear their very different memories of the 2016 Grand Final, including Mike waking up in New York at 3:30am despite promising himself he wouldn’t watch, and Lucas’ slightly more chaotic experience back home with family, a television, Roy Orbison CDs and plenty of grand final stress.

Mike also explains how the $5 million commitment actually began — starting with a message through the Sharks website that initially struggled to get a response, before eventually leading to meetings with Dino Mezzatesta and Steve Mace in New York and a growing relationship with the club.

There’s also plenty of fun as the brothers revisit their fiercely competitive sporting upbringing, their adventures playing touch football in the United States, meeting ET in Vegas, and argue their way through the ET Stand’s Greatest Shark Ever elimination game.

Plus, we discuss the future of the Sharks, the importance of keeping the club connected to the Shire, the return of the leagues club and why Cronulla remains such an important part of the Dorrell family story.

A funny, generous and very different ET Stand conversation with a family whose connection to the Sharks goes well beyond the scoreboard.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.