Straight away, Tigers coach Benji Marshall is asked about his first win as coach and he deflects: "It's not about me, it's about the team."

He says this game was a more accurate reflection of what he saw in preseason.

"It's special; in front of our home fans, in our first home game. It's all credit to the boys."

And special praise has to go to Api Koroisau, who had a player-of-the-match performance off his sick bed before going off with severe cramps once the win was secured.

"[Koroisau] was battling heavy gastro before the game and could hardly walk and had no energy," Marshall says.

"To punch out what he did in the game … that's why he's the skipper."

Koroisau, meanwhile, says he would "100 per cent" like to play more matches at Leichhardt, as there's talks they may ditch it in coming years.

"It's incredible to hear them get on our backs … just hearing the roar, that energy you get. It's hard to put into words."

Former Wests Tigers star Dene Halatau says on ABC Sport that suburban grounds like Leichhardt Oval absolutely have a place in the game.

"It's a place I debuted at and it's a place I played my last game at," Halatau says.

"When a fan comes to Leichhardt they overlook a lot of the rest of that stuff."

Yes it's a far cry from the likes of the new Sydney Football Stadium, Western Sydney Stadium, Lang Park, or even Allegiant Stadium, but it has its own charm to see a town completely engulfed by a game and a team.

"All those places are phenomenal, but a fan comes here knowing what they're getting.

"In terms of facilities there's work that could be done, [but] the players have got everything they need [even if] it's not modern, it hasn't got all the trimmings."

That's two straight wins for the Tigers at Leichhardt Oval, but more impressively for the back-to-back wooden spooners, they've out-scored their opponents 98-24 in those two games at their spiritual home.

Must be something about the place.

"It's awesome," Aidan Sezer, who's played plenty of games here as an away player, tells ABC Sport.

"To wear this jersey and play in front of this crowd, in this arena, it's one I'll remember for a long time."

Isaiah Papali'i says it's extra special doing it in front of these fans.

"They deserve a win," he says.

The joy in the stands is replicated tenfold on the field as the Tigers celebrate this 32-6 demolition of Cronulla.

The first victory of the Benji Marshall era fittingly comes at Leichhardt Oval, the spiritual home of this proud club, with Robbie Farah and Simon Dwyer up in the box with Benji.

David Klemmer says it's a "special" victory.

"Last week was a punch in the face for us," he tells ABC Sport of last week's season-opening 20-point loss to Canberra.

And Klemmer reserves some special praise for his captain Api Koroisau.

"Skipper was unreal," he says.

"He showed up for us, he's a big-time player. We're lucky to have him. He was outstanding."

Ronaldo Mulitalo breaks down the left and kicks in-field for Will Kennedy, but Junior Tupou arrives from the opposite wing to save the day and kick it dead.

He throws an intercept, caught in two minds as to how long he wanted to throw his pass out to the right. Just brutal.

After a wretched night, there's something for Hynes to hang his hat on. Although it appeared he had to remind the referee of where he'd kicked from.

Toby Rudolf is in a moonboot, so he joins Dale Finucane and Royce Hunt as the injured Sharks from this game.

The Sharks knock-on coming off their line and Samuela Fainu goes close.

But it's Jahream Bula on the left side, who sums it up and steps inside a flying Will Kennedy to go over and salute the Leichhardt Oval fans.

The Tigers number nine is hobbling badly after a 40-metre run off a knock-on, but it's just cramp.

He leaves the field and the Leichhardt crowd applauds him with full voice. A complete captain's knock today.

Sifa Talakai was on the charge and flicked the offload out the back, and Nicho Hynes knocks on again. It was too close to be flicking the ball like that, but was still catchable.

Royce Hunt did his calf while warming up to come off the bench, Dale Finucane is off after that head knock and won't come back, and now Toby Rudolf is grimacing with an ankle injury on the sidelines.

It's not the world's deepest bench right now.

Aidan Sezer chips over the top and it looks like Braydon Trindall has it completely in hand, only to fumble and go over the top of the ball and allow Jahream Bula to touch down in the aftermath.

Koroisau kicks them to a 26-6 lead in the 54th minute.

A couples of offloads and hot-stepping from Solomona Faataape put Charlie Staines alone on the left wing, but he couldn't handle Faataape's flick pass.

It was a bit low, but really should be caught in those circumstances. And likely would've been a try if he'd handled cleanly.

Alex Seyfarth was getting up to play the ball and Ramien just shoved him, giving away a penalty.

Silly stuff from the Sharks centre.

Jahream Bula went up at Aidan Sezer's bomb and Ronald Mulitalo had an air-swing, but it looked like he was playing the role of a trademark disruptor.

Fortunately for the referees, they don't have to rule on that, because Mulitalo knocked on and Bula did too.

Referee Chris Butler says Bula was "close enough to the drop zone" to constitute a genuine attempt to catch the ball.

So Tigers keep possession.

Cronulla forward Dale Finucane was bleeding from his head after and earlier head clash, and now the blood is flowing like the Euphrates after knocking heads with Fonua Pole.

Finucane is off.

Toby Rudolf flies off the back fence for the Sharks and Fonua Pole awkwardly rolls away. Looks to me like he's trying to hide some concussion symptoms, but who knows?

Two try assists don't do it justice — Api Koroisau has been in everything in that first half. He's showed the skill and the heart to inspire his team to this lead, and it's exactly why they bought him.

The Sharks, meanwhile, have fallen off along with Nicho Hynes, who's been worse than ordinary since the midway point of that half. The two consecutive kicks out on the full, some bad defence and the lack of urgency to dive on that loose ball in the last minute of the half. It's been a horror half for him.

And the Leichhardt faithful are loving it.