A birthday to cherish for Sharks superfan Matty

Renowned for his cheerful greetings and unmatched passion for the Sharks, Matthew Nagele is a Sutherland Shire icon.

It's not uncommon to see Matty standing outside PointsBet Stadium more than eight hours before kick-off at a home game, waving happily to everyone who passes by.

To mark Matty's 50th birthday, the Sharks Have Heart community team organised a special surprise earlier this week in conjunction with Quest Apartment Hotels.

NRLW star Emma Tonegato, also the club's Equal Access Program Lead, greeted Matty at the stadium gates and presented him with a Quest-sponsored women's jersey.

Matty was then embraced by the whole NRL squad, with Nicho Hynes and Ronaldo Mulitalo among those leading the birthday celebrations as they gifted him a signed men's jersey, a heartfelt card and a cake.

Watch the video below for a full recap of another unforgettable Heartfelt Moment, which aim to lift the spirits of Sharks Members, supporters and those in the community facing adversity or deserving of recognition.

"Matty is a much-loved Member by all at our club and, more importantly, a valued member of our Shire community," Sharks Community Engagement Manager Luke Koutrodimos said.

"Putting on this surprise 50th birthday is a small way we as a club can say thank you to Matty for his endless dedication and devotion to the Sharks.

"Through our Sharks Have Heart Foundation, we are able to give back in ways like we did for Matty and I encourage everyone who can to make a tax-deductible donation to our foundation via the Australia Sports Foundation to help us help others in need."

CLICK HERE to donate to the Sharks Have Heart Foundation.