Sharks Vs Hurricanes: Whose Fans Will Be More Let Down If They Don't Finally Break Their Long Title Drought This Season?

Two footy teams whose fans have been waiting a very long time to win a title are well-poised to break their respective droughts this year. Jamie Wall compares the tortured histories of Super Rugby’s Hurricanes and the NRL’s Sharks.

If there’s two sets of fans that may be feeling rather nervous at the rarefied air their teams are currently inhabiting, it’s the Hurricanes of Super Rugby and the Sharks of the NRL.

They’ve both been here before, seemingly waltzing their way to glory. Yet, following these two sides over the years has been an exercise in despair when it gets near the time to start spraying each other with champagne and engraving a new name onto a trophy.

The Hurricanes have been around for 20 years; the Sharks, 49. The total number of titles between them: 0.

So let’s weigh up the factors and determine whose fans will face the biggest let down if they come up short again in the 2016 postseason.

History
Hurricanes: They haven’t been around as long, but they’ve been stacked with enough All Blacks to win the damn thing a few times. Total grand final appearances: 2
Sharks: A sprinkling of good seasons separated by long stretches of of mediocrity in between. Total grand final appearances: 3
Verdict: Sharks. The Canes finally reached a final in 2006, but thick fog made it impossible to tell what was going on, but the Sharks managed to disappoint their fans in a completely separate competition in 1997.

Fanbase
Hurricanes: Represent most of the lower North Island of NZ, including eight provincial unions. That’s around 400,000 people who have lived without a title.
Sharks: Represents the Cronulla-Sutherland Shire of Sydney, with a population of 210,00.
Verdict: Hurricanes. The simple fact is the Canes have let more people down on an annual basis, plus it’s easier to move from Cronulla to Bondi or Kogarah if you really want to support an historically successful team.

Greatest player never to win a title
Hurricanes: Tana Umaga (122 games)
Sharks: Andrew ‘E.T.’ Ettinghausen (328 games)
Verdict: Sharks. Both did everything BUT win a title, but Tana may yet achieve the feat as a coach. E.T. will not as the host of a fishing show.

2016 season so far
Hurricanes: Started off with a horrible loss to the Brumbies, but clawed their way back into contention via a stunning end of season run.
Sharks: Lost two of their first three, won their next 15. Could potentially go unbeaten for the rest of the regular season.
Verdict: Hurricanes. The NRL is looking decidedly top-heavy this season, so the Sharks have had more than a few gimme games. In contrast the Canes managed to top the Battle Royale that was the New Zealand Super Rugby conference.

Off-field drama redemption factor
Hurricanes: Alienated a great deal of their fanbase when former coach Mark Hammett showed All Blacks Ma’a Nonu and Andrew Hore the door.
Sharks: Had nine players banned for taking banned supplements. CEO quit in disgrace. Salary cap breaches. Todd Carney.
Verdict: Sharks. By a mile.

Final verdict
The evidence stacks up pretty firmly in favour of Sharks fans as the greater candidates heartbreak if their team fails to bring home a trophy. Of course, that’ll be little consolation to Hurricanes fans, considering they went through all of this last season.