The 45-year-old Wallalong father of two becomes MC Hammerhead, the fearsome-looking Sharks mascot who cheers the team from the sidelines with his mate Reefy.

Wallalong, 20 kilometres northeast of Maitland, is three hours drive and a world away from Sunday’s NRL grand final at the ANZ Stadium between the Sharks and the Melbourne Storm.

“I’ve always been a mad Sharks fan from 1978 when I can remember watching them get beat in the grand final,” said Mr Ninness, a dairy industry breeding consultant who has lived in Wallalong all his life.

“I only started as MC Hammerhead last year. It’s only my second year. I’m quite green,” he said.

The idea to bring back MC Hammerhead came from a group of Cronulla fans eager to boost support in the wake of the 2013 drugs scandal, which saw the club sanctioned by the NRL after an ASADA investigation.

Mr Ninness, whose home is covered in framed jerseys, photographs and Sharks memorabilia, was the ideal choice to fill the suit – if they could find it.

“The club rang me one day and said: ‘There’s a bag just arrived here. You better come down and try on what’s inside on’,” he said.

“When I rocked up it was the MC Hammerhead suit.”

Mr Ninness travels the six-hour road trip to Cronulla home games once a fortnight and has gone to all the Sharks finals game during the past two years including flying to Townsville.

“It’s a love job,” said Mr Ninness, who funds his own travel costs.

He said his passion for football helped him and his children Hayley and Ryan deal with the sudden death of his wife Marie 13 years ago on October 6.

“It will be in the back of my mind this weekend. You never forget. It has been 13 years this weekend. Hayley was seven and Ryan had just turned four. Once we get the weekend over we will go over and visit her (at the cemetery).

“Football played a big part in my life when that happened. Ryan got involved in the junior footy at Morpeth and myself and Ryan are now junior life members of the Morpeth football club.

“This was the first year he hasn’t played. It was strange not going to junior footy on a Saturday morning.”

Mr Ninness said family support had been vital in taking on the role and his fiancee of three years, Michelle, had been very supportive from the start. 

“She is not a rugby league nut, but she knows I have a passion for the job and it’s something I enjoy and she fully supports me,” he said.

“I want to continue to do it as long as I can.”