Round 17: Storm v Sharks preview
Storm and Sharks reignite rivalry in crunch time!
The two combatants of the 2016 Grand Final go head-to-head in a critical match for both the Melbourne Storm and Cronulla Sharks at AAMI Park this Sunday afternoon.
The Storm return home after a tough trip to Accor Stadium fresh from Origin II, where several stars backed up less than 72 hours after the tough duel in Perth. Despite this, the Storm looked strong in the first half. Still, it was uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball in the second half. This gave South Sydney an edge before some individual magic from Ryan Papenhuyzen and Sua Fa'alogo got the Storm across the line in the first period of Golden Point.
Revenge will be at the front of mind for the Storm in this one after their seven-point defeat to the Sharks last month. That was a game they should've won following a plethora of outside backs going down for the Sharks, but they will have to win the middle to have a chance in this one. Addin Fonua-Blake rode roughshod over the Storm pack in that game and will need to be kept in check, a task easier said than done.
Onto team news, Xavier Coates returns after being rested last week so Grant Anderson shifts to the centres and Jack Howarth is out. Blues prop Stefano Utoikamanu and Maroons back-rower Trent Loiero will return to the starting side after coming from the bench last Saturday against the Rabbitohs.
The Sharks are one of the most frustrating sides to watch in the NRL. On occasion, they show us their premiership muscle under all sorts of adversity. But, over the past month, they have shown their cracks with thrashings at the hands of an understrength Roosters side, the Warriors and their second-half collapse at the hands of the Broncos.
It's not unfair to say that the Sharks were disappointing, but they were disappointing due to their own coaches malpractice. For a side to run small-ball (three small middles) against a Broncos pack of Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan, it's little wonder why the Sharks collapsed as hard as they did in the second half. To beat Melbourne, they need to copy/paste the script from their last meeting, dominate the middle and let the halves dictate terms off the back of it.
Onto team news, and if you know the Sharks this season, there is very little to report despite their poor second-half fadeout. Oregon Kaufusi returns after being a late out last week with a hamstring injury so Braden Hamlin-Uele goes back to the bench and Hohepa Puru drops out.
Last meeting: Round 11 2025 - Sharks 31 Storm 26
Who to watch: After being dominated by Keaon Kolomatangi last week, Stefano Utoikamanu needs a big game to retain his NSW jersey, you suspect today. He has averaged over 100 metres a game this season on top of 13 offloads and a tackle efficiency of 98% this season. He just needs a statement game against AFB to prove he is ready to reclaim his Origin jersey.
Looking at the Sharks and the focus is on Will Kennedy. The Sharks need to find a spark in their attack and it has to come from the back. After a strong start to the season, Kennedy's form has tapered from the lofty standards set at the beginning of the campaign and if the Sharks are to experience some renewal in the second half of the season it has to come from the back.
Favourite: Melbourne is the overwhelming favourite with the bookies. Cronulla did win at AAMI Park under adversity last season in a famous victory, with much-maligned Dan Atkinson turning the saviour.
My tip: It is hard to go past the Storm but the Sharks have an incredible knack of pulling victories out of their backside. Melbourne will be once again searching for an 80-minute performance after their second-half fade-out against South Sydney, and if they do that here, it will be a tough afternoon for the boys from the Shire. Storm by 8.
