History of dirty tactics set to ignite Cronulla-Melbourne grand final

THEY may have been all smiles at the grand final media day, but we can reveal why there is a bitterness that bubbles beneath the surface between Cronulla and Melbourne.

Cameron Munster cops a high shot from Michael Ennis. Picture: Colleen Petch.

THEY may have been all smiles at the grand final media day, but there is no masking the bitterness that bubbles just beneath the surface between Cronulla and Melbourne.

While the one-punch rule has eradicated the biff, The Daily Telegraph has uncovered a series of grubby tactics, stray forearms and questionable tackles from the sides’ two previous encounters this season that threatens to turn Sunday’s grand final into one of the most spiteful clashes in recent history.

There were the Storm players who rushed in to rub controversial Cronulla prop Andrew Fifita on the head when he spilt the ball late in their round 26 victory over the Sharks.

That came after Will Chambers and Chad Townsend went to square up after clashing.

And Sharks captain Paul Gallen complained of a stiff neck after being wrestled in a tackle by Storm enforcers Jesse Bromwich and Tim Glasby.

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Storm players give Andrew Fifita a friendly reminder he made a mistake. Picture: Colleen Petch

The bitter rivalry reared its head in round four when Fifita made a point of getting in the face of Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk from the opening set.

When asked later that night if he expected such niggle when playing against Cronulla, an agitated Smith said: “Yep.’’

Another juicy subplot involves Valentine Holmes and Cameron Munster. The Cronulla flyer was penalised for rubbing his elbow across the face of his rival late in that game. That bad blood has even continued this week with the Storm fullback reopened old wounds regarding their 12-month Origin bans stemming from indiscretions at the Emerging Maroons camp in January.

Munster is filthy at being made the “scapegoat” and privately blames Holmes for dobbing him in after a group of players missed curfew.

Valentine Holmes is penalised for an elbow to the head of Cameron Munster. Picture: Fox Sports

If it’s not the two grand finalists firing shots at each other, it’s rival teams.

Midway through the finals North Queensland complained to the NRL about Melbourne’s wrestling tactics after a spinal injury to Ethan Lowe. The NRL later cleared the Storm.

Canberra coach Ricky Stuart also took a swipe at Cronulla’s tactics, and said they had showed the way to beat his side by “standing offside and playing from eight metres’’.

“Jump early at the play-the-ball and then let them scrag us all over the ground,’ Stuart said.

Unlike last year’s all-Queensland decider that provided arguably the best grand final ever, fans are bracing for an arm wrestle down the middle. The 83,000 fans who will pack ANZ Stadium can expect a hatred normally only witnessed during an Origin game.

Kenny Bromwich cops a crusher tackle from Mick Ennis. Picture: Colleen Petch

“Come Sunday, we’ll be taking the gloves off, that’s for sure,” Flanagan warned.

There was even tension brewing last year after the Storm gave Cronulla a wrestling masterclass, which prompted Gallen to concede afterwards, “we can take a leaf out of their book and wrestle the way they do’’.

The Storm arrived almost 30 minutes late for the grand final media conference at the Sydney Opera House. It’s believed they played even more mind games when they informed the Sharks they wouldn’t be wearing ties to the event but when they finally arrived, they were in full uniform.

The players, however, did their best yesterday to exchange pleasantries.

Smith and Sharks’ No.9 Mick Ennis are two of the most divisive players in the game, and sure to get under each other’s skin.

Paul Gallen receives some treatment from the trainer and Melbourne players.

Ennis came under fire for patting the head of Smith while playing for Canterbury during a finals game in 2014, which was later slammed as “disrespectful’’ to the Australian captain.

“That’s just Micky,’’ Smith said yesterday.

“I get along with him quite well off the footy field.

“That’s part of the role he plays and the teams he plays for.

“I’ve played many games against Mick, he’s a competitor and out there to try and do the best for his team, and that’s to win. We’re all the same.’’

Smith denied Ennis had ever rattled him, but added “he might try to do it again on Sunday’’.

Originally published as History of dirty tactics set to ignite Cronulla-Melbourne grand final