Ryan Papenhuyzen is on report for late contact, but the game is over. Cronulla win! Finally!
MULITALO TAKES THE HIGH BALL, BUT THERE'S NOW MORE AFTERS! High contact? Let's see...
35m out, one play. Melbourne...
Penalty for Melbourne with some late contact by Talakai. Melbourne with ONE last chance!
There's a bit of afters and we're waiting to see if there's any outcome...
Storm error and it's all over! Cronulla hold on in an epic!
Sharks held on the last tackle 42 seconds left. Storm have a play the ball 3m from their own line. All to do.
Papenhuyzen turns it left as they go wide early but it's a dropped ball from Coates 25m from his own line. Sharks just about home you'd think!
Cronulla 15m out on the last. They swing it left then grubber but Hughes plucks it out, juggles it and holds it. They have it 2 minutes left.
Storm error on halfway and the hearts of the visitors sink. Cronulla could seal the game on the next set.
Cronulla's last tackle option of a cross-field kick is knocked on by the Sharks chasers so it's a handover. Huge set for Melbourne coming up.
Jahrome Hughes on report for a high tackle and a Sharks penalty helps them up field.
Hughes with a poor last tackle option and the Sharks come away with it.
Melbourne have a scrum 10m out, but Cronulla are challenging the call of knock on alleging high contact. The challenge is unsuccessful say the Bunker, and Cronulla lose their challenge.
Papenhuyzen can't convert from out wide. Margin is five.
COATES HAT TRICK - he rises above and pulls it down from the sky. Incredible jump!
Hynes misses a penalty goal, and from the ensuing 20m drop out the Storm get the ball back and surge up field.
Now Melbourne lose it mid field. Just keep heaping pressure on themselves.
...Talakai loses it on the first. Storm with it come from their own end.
Oop, never mind - Melbourne lose it. Sharks scrum 10m out. They score and the game is effecitvely over here...
Billy Burns comes within a metre of scoring but Melbourne's last-ditch defence prevents calamity.
Penalty on the fifth, Melbourne will get another shot at... nope. Errant pass goes to Cronulla.
Mulitalo penalised for passing off the ground after being called held. Melbourne now with a set starting near halfway.
Hynes converts from out wide for a nine-point lead.
Atkinson helps the momentum swing back the other way off another impressive shift right from the home team, Talakai again providing for the makeshift winger.
Cronulla penalty helps them out of their own end and the pressure is off the hosts for a little bit.
Bunker for a Storm no try. Coates has gone up for a high ball, and Katoa grounds it but the analysis says Coates knocks it into a Sharks' player's hand. 20m restart for the hosts and relief for the home fans.
Kennedy with another error, on his own 10m, off a high Storm kick. Melbourne to attack again.
Ryan Papenhuyzen nails it from in front and we have a contest once more!
Meaney has the Storm's second soon after the break, the fourth of the game for the visitors after Kennedy loses a bouncing bomb, Meaney takes it cleanly instead and twirls over despite attention.
Papenhuyzen's conversion hits the post.
Numbers to the left and Coates has a double.
Melbourne force an error from the Sharks and now have some attacking footy.
Melbourne are first with the ball after the break
Trindall slots a drop-goal on the halftime siren. 13-point lead for the hosts at the change of ends.
Hynes adds the extras to put the lead back out to 12.
KL Iro has the Sharks' fourth try, the hosts spinning it wide off the scrum and the centre steps Sualauvi Faalogo to dot down.
Papenhuyzen spills a bomb and the Sharks have a scrum 10m out...
Paps makes no mistake and it's back to a six-point margin.
After a few stabs at the line from close range, they spin it left and Coates has the numbers on the left edge.
NAS is on for the Storm and they already look more impactful. Big attacking set here... a couple of tackles 1m out but no penetration yet...
Hynes converts the Atkinson try!
FLICK PASS EXTRAORDINAIRE! Siosifa Talakai with an incredible no-look flick pass finding Daniel Atkinson out on the right wing for the Sharks' third try.
Both sides coming up with errors, Melbourne's most recent from Tui Kamikamica inside his own half about 25m from his own line. Huge chance for Cronulla to stamp their authority on the game...
Hynes hammers the conversion over for a six-point lead.
AFB crashes over with a superb charge at the line, planting it under the sticks.
Cronulla's last tackle kick is taken 1m out by Nick Meaney and he somehow stays in the field of play. Willing contest so far.
Munster hoists it high on the last but Kennedy has it safely. Reports from the broadcasters suggest Ramien copped a stray finger in the eye so he'll have that assessed as well as the HIA.
....then Cronulla lose it with Trindall delivering a hospital pass to Briton Nikora. Melbourne off the hook.
Melbourne's drop-out doesn't go the ten and bounces out. Sharks ball 10m out.
The Sharks work through the next set and force a drop-out. Meanwhile, Jesse Ramien is off for a HIA.
Melbourne with a set inside Cronulla's half - Hughes' last tackle kick is well fielded by Mulitalo mid field just in front of the posts. The Sharks get a penalty from the next play with the Storm offside.
Hynes pilots that one over nice and easy to level the scores.
Cronulla's first attacking foray results in points down the left edge with Ronaldo Mulitalo forcing his way to the tryline!
Paps with his famous golf-swing preparation and he guides it through.
Anderson goes through a yawning gap on the left edge to open the scoring!
Melbourne with a second penalty with the Sharks offside at the end of the Storm set.
HUGE FLASHPOINT EARLY! Sualauvi Faalogo is taken high and the players are all into each other, jumper grabbing and all. Melbourne had gotten away down the left edge before a Hughes last-tackle kick finds the Storm winger who's clipped by Ronaldo Mulitalo. Storm penalty.
KICKOFF | Cronulla first use. Both sides in home outfits today, Cronulla in the sky blue with a black-trimmed white hoop around the chest, Melbourne mostly navy with a purple chevron up top trimmed in yellow.
Grant and Asofa-Solomona are IN for the visitors, Garlick drops to 18th player, Alec McDonald is OUT after injury in the warm-up. Cronulla are 1-17.
Big game at Sharks Stadium tonight. Premiership heavyweights Cronulla and Melbourne facing off!
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Adam Gee
Touch Judges: Drew Oultram, David Munro
Video Referee: Chris Butler
CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (31)
Tries: Ronaldo Mulitalo, Addin Fonua-Blake, Daniel Atkinson (2), KL Iro
Field Goals: Braydon Trindall (1/1)
Conversions: Nicho Hynes (5/5)
Penalty Goals: Nicho Hynes (0/1)
MELBOURNE STORM (26)
Tries: Grant Anderson, Xavier Coates (3), Nick Meaney
Conversions: Ryan Papenhuyzen (3/5)