Hughes responds to Cleary’s five-star return with masterclass of his own

AAMI Park: Hold up, Nathan. Jahrome Hughes might have something to say about being the best halfback in the game.

Less than 24 hours after Nathan Cleary produced a superstar return for the Panthers, Hughes was at his lethal best as the Melbourne Storm blew away Cronulla 37-10.

The Storm are 80 minutes away from another grand final.

Harry Grant bagged his first hat-trick, while coach Craig Bellamy quipped Cam Munster must have downed his share of “Red Bulls” before kick-off given the way he kept running.

But Hughes called the shots and appeared to get better the longer the game went in front of a week-one AAMI Park record crowd of 26,326 fans.

Hughes will win the Dally M Medal – and deserves to be right in the conversation with Cleary when it comes to the premier No.7 in rugby league.

His kick for Will Warbrick’s second try was outstanding, and the way he pin-balled his way through the Sharks’ defence midway through the second half allowed the Storm to pin their opposition deep in their own end before the inevitable onslaught began.

Jahrome Hughes (right) celebrates a Storm try with teammates.Credit: Getty Images

Hughes was almost embarrassed by the Cleary comparisons, and told this masthead: “Nathan is a special player. I didn’t see him Friday night, I was watching the Hawthorn [AFL] game, but Penrith had a good win, and I’m sure Nathan was in the thick of it.

“I’m just happy with my consistency. It was something I wanted to work on, but it’s no use doing that during the year if you can’t do it in the big games at the end of the year.”

Hughes finished with a stiff neck, but welcomed the week off to recover.

Cronulla’s own No.7 Nicho Hynes was always going to struggle to influence the game when Melbourne had about 60 per cent of the possession. Few players polarise fans like Hynes does.

He did throw a lovely flat pass that led to the Sharks’ first try, but then failed to find touch with a penalty kick.

Cronulla only trailed 14-10 at half-time when Braydon Trindall sent Briton Nikora on his way.

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said: “To go in as close at half-time, I thought, ‘we might make a contest of it’. Then we came out ... gave away a penalty on the fifth tackle on the first set after half-time, and I’m not sure we got back off our try line again.

“We were starved of field position, and they had an energy about them where they looked like they were running down hill. They played really well.”

Like all good teams do, the Storm punished Cronulla every time they made an error. Points came off Hynes’ failure to find touch, while Cam Munster scored in the opening minutes after Will Kennedy watched the kick-off sail over his head before bouncing over the deadball line.

The Sharks are hopeful of having centre Jesse Ramien back from an ankle injury for their semi-final on Friday. Sione Katoa sent a scare through the camp before half-time, but was able to play through the pain of a hip injury.

Toby Rudolf was placed on report for a high shot on Papenhuyzen, but will escape with a fine.

Cronulla’s Sifa Talakai started in the centres and produced some excellent shots in defence, including one on Shawn Blore approaching the half hour.

The Storm simply wanted the win more in the second half, with Eli Katoa’s desperation under the high ball paving the way for a couple of Melbourne tries.

Melbourne were far from perfect, but still managed to post nearly 40 points. The week off will do them wonders. The Storm finished the year the best team, and all indications are they will meet the Panthers in the decider. Hughes versus Cleary. How good.

A question of respect

Cronulla have now lost seven straight finals matches, including their last four under coach Craig Fitzgibbon.

Fitzgibbon suggested last week that the Sharks were yet to receive external respect, despite finishing in the top four.

When asked about the heavy loss doing little to convince neutral fans the Shire club can progress beyond week two, Fitzgibbon said: “I said [last week], ‘Respect is earned, nobody gives it you’.

“I said, ‘All we’ve earned is an opportunity to be in the top four’. That’s the only respect we’ve earned.

“I also said, ‘We have to earn it on this stage’.

“The most disappointing thing [about Saturday] was I thought we were getting back into it, and we were really starting to go for it.

“It was always going to be a challenge coming here against them, and the way they’re playing ... we made it a little bit harder than it had to be.”

NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now