Nathan Gardner

After Albert Kelly's poor form[12] and a knee injury to Nathan Stapleton, Gardner became the club's second debutant of the season after he played in his first first-grade match in round 10 against the Penrith Panthers at Toyota Stadium on 16 May.[13] Despite eventually losing the game 34 points to 14, Gardner scored a try to help level the scores at 6-all after being set up by Tim Smith.[14] Gardner credited Kade Snowden with getting him physically prepared for first-grade football and Trent Barrett and Paul Gallen for mentally preparing him.[15] In the following game against his former club, the Parramatta Eels, Gardner kicked all three of his attempted conversions in a 22 points to 18 victory.[16]

In round 13, Gardner inspired the club to a 42 points to 18 upset win against the Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Football Stadium. He kicked a total of 7 goals from 9 attempts and although it was his error that led to a try for Shaun Kenny-Dowall just after the interval, he atoned for the error just under eight minutes later when he scored what many were already tipping as one of the tries of the season.[17][18][19] After catching a Braith Anasta bomb just under ten metres out from his own try line, Gardner sidestepped an oncoming player and then sprinted down the left-hand sideline before running across field to score in the corner of the opposite side of the field.[20] Gardner was awarded the man of the match for his performance after notching an 18 point tally.[17] Despite his impressive performance against the Roosters, coach Ricky Stuart suggested that he was planning on giving Gardner a break from first-grade football at some stage during the season.[21]

Gardner kept up his impressive form after scoring a try and kicking 1 goal from 3 attempts in the 20 points to 19 victory over the North Queensland Cowboys in round 16.[22] He also scored a try in round 19 in the 48 points to 18 loss against the Manly Sea Eagles[23] and followed that up two games later with a try in the controversial 24 points to 22 loss against the Wests Tigers.[24] Two rounds later, in the round 23 match against the Sydney Roosters, Gardner scored the match winning try which sealed an 18 points to 12 victory at Toyota Stadium. During the match he was hit high by Frank-Paul Nu'uausala and then taken out in mid air by Braith Anasta. Both players were placed on report following the incidents.[25] After the match, Sharks coach Shane Flanagan tipped Gardner as a long term fullback for the club despite believing just six months earlier that he was too small to make an impact in first grade due to his small stature.[9] Flanagan praised his bravery by stating "he is one of the toughest players for his size I have ever seen."[9] He scored another try two games later, in a 30 points to 16 victory over the Gold Coast Titans, in the club's last home game of the season.[26] In the final game of the season against the Penrith Panthers, Gardner scored another brilliant individual try again after catching a bomb just ten metres out from his own try line and running almost the length of the field to score. However, it was no more than a consolation try in a game that the Sharks would go on to lose 50 points to 12.[27]

Despite playing just 16 first-grade clubs in his debut season, Gardner finished as the club's top try scorer with eight tries. He also kicked 11 goals from 17 attempts making him joint leading point scorer for the club with Luke Covell after finishing with a total of 54 points. He also racked up five assists for the season which put him second at the club behind Trent Barrett.

At the 2010 Dally M Awards, Gardner was nominated for the 'Rookie of the Year' but lost out to Matt Gillett of the Brisbane Broncos.[28] He was also nominated for the 'Peter Frilingos Headline Moment of the Year' for his try against the Roosters in round 13[28] but lost out to Jarryd Hayne who won the award for his try against the Penrith Panthers.[29] He also polled seven points towards the Dally M Medal.[30] In an official NRL online poll Gardner's try against the Roosters in round 13 was voted, by fans, as try of the year.[31] At the club's end of season awards Gardner was awarded the Steve Rogers Rookie of the Year award.[32]

Gardner has earned a reputation as one of the quickest players in the competition and was invited to race in the first ever Gatorade Bolt event which aimed to find the quickest athlete out of all the football codes in Australia. Gardner finished fourth in the race.[33]

Nathan was playing like his first season by scoring 4 tries in 7 games. However, in Round 7, Gardner struck down injured with an ankle sprain while making his well-known kick returns and being tackled and fell awkwardly. He was meant to miss out for 2 weeks but he returned in the next game against the Rabbitohs . But, he re-injured himself and missed out of 5 weeks. He returned in Round 13 against the Broncos. But, they lost 36-16. In Round 15, he scored a try and a try assist against the Bulldogs. They won that game 26-10. In Round 16, he scored two tries against the Titans. They won that game 36 - 12. In Round 17, he almost made another try from his well-known kick returns but couldn't go all the way. It didn't matter cause the Sharks won that game 26 - 4. Since then, he has been in good form. During the 2011 NRL finals series, Gardner was required surgery on his ankle that he injured in round 7.

In August 2014, Gardner was one of the Sharks players who accepted reduced bans from ASADA under the Sport Minister Peter Dutton for his part in the club's 2011 supplements scandal.[34]

In 2015, Gardner spent the season playing for Newtown in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW.[35]

On 19 November 2015 it was announced that Gardner had signed with NSW Cup team Wentworthville Magpies for the 2016 season.