Melbourne Storm hands Cronulla Sharks their seventh-straight NRL finals loss

Cronulla has suffered its seventh consecutive NRL finals loss, with halfback Nicho Hynes again under the spotlight for his performance after succumbing to a rampaging Melbourne outfit.

Harry Grant. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Melbourne Storm is one step away from its first NRL grand final since 2020.

The minor premiers will take the express route to the preliminary final after a hat-trick of tries to captain Harry Grant inspired them to a runaway 37-10 win over an undisciplined Cronulla Sharks in the qualifying final in front of 26,326 fans at AAMI Park on Saturday.

Storm winger Will Warbrick was superb with two tries and a punishing 216 run metres, forwards Josh King and Trent Loiero were commanding with over 200 run metres apiece and five-eighth Cameron Munster produced a vintage display as the Storm’s grip on premiership favouritism significantly tightened.

The Storm were dominant in the first half, but only had a four-point advantage to show for it at halftime.

The home side exploded though in the second half, running in four tries to leave the Sharks in their wake and secure a home preliminary final.

The Sharks were desperate to get the finals monkey off their backs, but continuously shot themselves in the foot in key moments and returned home with a seventh consecutive finals defeat, dating back to 2018.

It was a nightmare start for the Sharks.

Straight from the kick off, the visitors ceded territory when Ryan Papenhuyzen’s kick off tipped off the fingers of Sharks full back Will Kennedy and over the dead ball line.

The Storm pounced on the short goal line drop out, scoring on the next play.

Nicho Hynes failed to fire at AAMI Park. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Munster faked out the Sharks defence, leaving Sharks captain Cameron McInnes on an island to defend Munster, who lapped up the room to crash over for the game’s first try.

The response was positive from the Sharks, who were kicking into a stiff breeze that afforded them no purchase on their kicks.

They were enterprising with their play and stretching the Storm defence.

The Sharks hit back after halfback Nicho Hynes produced an exquisite pass to Siosifa Talakai, who offloaded to Sione Katoa for a try in the corner.

With the game turning into an arm wrestle, the Sharks decided to chance their arm on a last play and failed miserably.

The Storm gleefully accepted the gift with speedy Warbrick touching down in the corner.

HYNES HICCUP

A dreadful Hynes attempt to find touch on a penalty was compounded when Briton Nikora tackled Munster without the ball, giving Nick Meaney a chance to put the Storm ahead 14-4.

In the shadows of halftime, Sharks five-eighth delved into his bag of tricks to flick back to Nikora, who touched down to trim the deficit to 14-10 at half time.

Suddenly it was game on.

ERROR-RIDDLED SHARKS

Much like the first half, the Sharks shot themselves in the foot with their discipline at the start of the second 40, giving up a last play penalty and Storm captain Harry Grant came within a whisker of making them pay, grounding the ball on the boot of an opposition defender.

Grant would eventually get his try from a nifty one-two with Josh King on the back of a careless tackle from Sione Katoa.

Jahrome Hughes showed why he is a Dally M fancy with the kick of the game, sending an inch perfect cross-field kick into Warbrick for his second try before Grant rubbed salt into the Sharks wounds with a third try.

Sharks players look on after another Storm try. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

CONFIDENT COATES

With just 52 minutes under his belt in his return from another hamstring injury, there was no hesitancy from Xavier Coates in the heat of the finals.

Coates ran with confidence in the first half, leading the game with 90 run metres at half time and finishing with 170.

RE-LIVE ALL THE ACTION FROM THE SECOND QUALIFYING FINAL BELOW