CRONULLA SHARKS 20 MELBOURNE STORM 24
CHRIS JONES, Ocean Protect Stadium, Saturday

MELBOURNE moved up to tenth place in the NRL standings with a thrilling try under the posts in the last seconds of the game by Trent Loiero.

They kept the ball alive with numerous passes as the final hooter loomed, before Harry Grant was finally able to give the assist that put Loiero in for the score.

The result made no difference to the fact that the Sharks will finish in fifth place and will host North Queensland in an elimination game in the first week of the play-offs.

Because of that the Sharks were missing several players, including halfbacks Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes.

The game started badly for them with two sinbinnings – Michael Gabrael and Ronaldo Mulitalo – in the first ten minutes, giving the Storm the opportunity to register the opening score through Hugo Peel when their opponents were down to eleven men.

And the Sharks were still down to ten men when Sualauvi Faalogo followed up a Grant kick to touch down just inside the dead-ball line.

But in the final ten minutes of the first half the tables were dramatically turned as Cronulla scored three well-worked tries through Sione Katoa, Riley Jones and Billy Burns to give them a six-point lead.

Melbourne equalised, however, when big backrower Alec MacDonald burst over the line.

The Sharks then took a two-point lead on 61 minutes when Niwhai Puru kicked his fourth goal with a penalty for offside.

And with just over a minute remaining the Sharks forced a goal-line drop-out but they were unable to take possession, allowing the Storm to work their way downfield for Loiero’s score.

SHARKS: 1 Will Kennedy, 2 Sione Katoa, 3 Riley Jones, 4 Michael Gabrael, 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6 Riley Pollard, 7 Niwhai Puru, 8 Addin Fonua-Blake, 9 Hohepa Puru, 15 Toby Rudolf, 11 Briton Nikora, 12 Billy Burns, 13 Cameron McInnes. Subs: 10 Jesse Colquhoun (not used), 14 Siosifa Talakai, 16 Oregon Kaufusi, 17 Braden Uele, 21 Samuel Stonestreet (not used) 22 KL Iro (not used)

Tries: Katoa (32), Jones (35), Burns (40); Goals: Puru 4/4; Sin bin: Gabriel (6) – dangerous tackle; Mulitalo (10) – running in

STORM: 1 Sualauvi Faalogo, 2 Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown, 3 Tyran Wishart, 4 Nick Meaney, 5 Moses Leo, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Jahrome Hughes, 8 Stefano Utoikamanu, 9 Harry Grant, 10 Josh King, 11 Shawn Blore, 12 Oryn Keeley, 13 Trent Loiero. Subs: 14 Trent Toelau, 15 Cooper Clarke, 16 Jack Hetherington (not used), 17 Alec MacDonald, 18 Angus Hinchley, 19 Hugo Peel

Tries: Peel (12), Faalogo (19), MacDonald (47), Loiero (80); Goals: Meaney 4/4

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 6-12, 12-12, 18-12; 18-18, 20-18, 20-24

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Sharks: Addin Fonua-Blake; Storm: Tyran Wishart

Penalty count: 8-5; Half-time: 18-12; Referee: Todd Smith; Attendance: 12,184