Summary
Well, they may have broken the defensive line on six, seven, maybe even eight occasions, but Cronulla with no way past a powerful, well-organised and incredibly disciplined Melbourne outfit.
Cronk and Smith as always marshalling their troops with metronomic precision. An impressive brace of tries from Cheyse Blair – not the first name that springs to mind when you’re pondering potential Storm matchwinners, in fairness.
But Koroibete – what a beast of a bloke. His tackle in the shadow of half-time a massive, massive turning point in this match. If Cronulla go in, it’s 10-6 or 10-8; but with an early try just minutes in the second half, the Storm were more or less thereafter almost always in control.
Gallen huffed and puffed and racked up almost 40 tackles. Maloney had some moments, but their execution, and occasionally, their handling let them down at key points.
No fairytale for the men from Cronulla therefore, as a grinning Cameron Smith poses with NRL CEO Todd Greenberg as he receives the J. J. Giltinan shield.
They’ve earned four of these previously, the Storm, but three were taken off them for salary cap infringements. You can’t see anybody taking this one away from them though.
Too good across all 26 games of the season. The Melbourne Storm go into the finals as the minor premiers and well and truly the team to beat.
Full-time: Melbourne 26-6 Cronulla
And that’s it – Melbourne Storm are the minor premiers!
A bit of aggro at the death, Fifita the target, but nothing too bad natured. Some smiles break out, as Storm players congratulate each other.
79 min: Smith takes it up, he’s in no hurry as the Storm start to wind it down.
And out of nowhere the heavens have opened up. It’s suddenly belting down now. Hello, Melbourne weather! The crowd start the countdown, and there’s a bit of a scuffle between some of the players.
Try! Melbourne 26-6 Cronulla (Bromwich)
77 min: Great work from Smith, he darts at the line, draws the attention of several defenders then pops one off to a charging Jesse Bromwich, who miraculously appears at his shoulder. Too big, too strong – you do not stop a player like this from that distance!
No mistake with the conversion, the two extras are added.
76 min: The Sharks chance it, but it’s gone to ground again.
I’ve just heard the stat that the Storm have completed 30/33 sets. They haven’t always been adventurous, but they’ve been consistent, and their defence has been, at times, immense.
They’re with it now, as Green almost busts through off a Proctor offload. Two to play, about 15m out.
75 min: Not many metres carried, the kick goes deep, but it’s just wave after wave of Cronulla at this stage.
They try to keep the pressure on here, but Gallen has stayed down after a heavy tackle. He’s clutching his ear, but the bunker reviews it.
No foul play, we’re back on, but you’d imagine that break in play only helps the Storm set their defensive line.
73 min: Careless from the Storm though. As they bring it out they chance a pass, reckless in the context, and the Sharks are back with it!
This is just breakneck pace this. The Sharks go to the grubber again, oh deary me, the veteran Ennis has come up with another dud kick; and the Storm grab at it greedily, about 2m out.
71 min: Okay, what can the Sharks muster. Is ten minutes enough?
They probe, and Melbourne are penalised, again, inside the ten. Bird takes the tap quickly, they’re about 20m out, Cronulla.
Five down, it goes to the veteran Ennis, and he tries the grubber again. It strikes a Storm player though; not played at! And who else, Cameron Smith flops on it.
How important was that!
Try! Melbourne 20-6 Cronulla (Beale)
69 min: Cronulla fling it wide again, and this time Beale finds a hole!
It’s a difficult one for Maloney, but he needs to hit this to put the Sharks just two converted tries out.
He hits it sweetly, it looks good, but then fades badly and just misses the right upright!
Ooh, that’s got to hurt, for Sharks fans.
67 min: Cronulla fling the passes wide once more, it’s a bit scrappy, but Cronk gets hold of Barba.
Ennis tries a grubber, it comes back of a Storm player’s legs, but it’s deemed played at; six more!
A penalty for inside the ten. Cronulla take another tap. An absolute mountain of defensive work being done here by the Storm. Surely they can’t keep scrambling like this?
65 min: Cronulla go side to side but not enough pace in the move. It’s Graham with the unlikely kick, his grubber looks heavy, but Munster takes no chances and bats dead.
Repeat six, what can the Sharks come up with?
63 min: And if you thought the Sharks captain was working hard tonight, I’ve just heard this – 36 tackles so far from Cameron Smith. Great stuff from the Storm skipper.
Cronulla chance their arm again out wide, but it’s gone to ground and Koroibete swoops. It’s a footrace and he’s charged 50-60m. He can’t evade them all, but Cronulla face a real job to defend here.
Two tackles to come, but the Storm go to the air. Feki marks in goal. 20m restart.
60 min: A grim-faced Paul Gallen on the Sharks bench. He’s given absolutely everything tonight, but they’ve just not quite managed to get it happening, the Sharks.
Munster skips and hops sideways across the line. Melbourne spread it wide, they’re about 40m out on the last tackle. Smith kicks to the sideline, we’ll have a scrum about 10m out, Cronulla with the feed.
Updated
Try! Melbourne 20-2 Cronulla (Vunivalu)
56 min: After several slowmos it’s adjudged to have gone backwards off a Cronulla player, and Vunivalu reacts the quickest.
Can you believe this – 22 tries in a debut season! He’s just passed Israel Folau’s marker. Not too shabby, eh.
Smith misses with the conversion, can’t get ‘em all, I suppose.
This has to be it – start sharpening the stylus, the name Melbourne Storm is about to be engraved on the J. J. Giltinan shield.
Updated
56 min: A penalty now to the Storm, they elect to go to the tap. Surely this would be goodnight, and hello silverware if they cross. About 20m out, with a full set.
Green probes, Bromwich charges. Cronk goes to the sky on the last, Vunivalu flies high, the ball spills, and the Fijian grounds it.
Is it another try for this prolific youngster? We go upstairs.
54 min: Hard luck on the young winger. In the wars earlier, but he’s passed the concussion test and is back out there. He was millimetres away from grounding there, but as he rolled over to ground, the ball squirmed free.
No it’s Feki working hard on his own line, and chasing three tries quickly the Sharks force the agenda out wide. They chance their arm, but the ball runs free.
In to touch, and the Storm will get a good look at the Cronulla defence.
53 min: Cronulla go the other side, Maloney tries a cutout pass to Feki, and the winger crosses the line under plenty of attention – has he grounded it?
We go upstairs; the wise men of the bunker deliberate..
No try! Ball spills loose, great defensive work from Chambers.
51 min: Penalty to Cronulla, not too sure there was too much bubbling there but Fifita has absolutely blown up – he’s thrown the ball and is engaging in verbals with several players.
The referee calls in the captains; do we need this? Not huge niggle around tonight.
Cronulla probe and look to go in here, but as they attack the Storm left-edge defence, a deflection/knockdown off the shoulder of Blair means six more.
What can they muster?
49 min: Barba does well to intercept, and he’s beaten his first chaser.
Gallen goes strongly up the centre, offloads brilliantly and now Holmes has found a hole. He beats one, ducks, weaves, beats another – only Munster in front of him – but the fullback does well.
Maloney puts on the toe, and they force a restart. Good pick up by Vunivalu under pressure.
47 min: Melbourne probe left but Ennis is there. Cronk tries a darting run on the sixth, but the gap closes. Handover.
Gallen charges centrally, before Beale looks to get round the outside.
Munster defuses the bomb, great take by the youngster and now Smith attempts a 40-20.
45 min: Gallen thumps up the guts before Maloney kicks. It’s not the best, and Melbourne start their set already about 40m out.
A penalty to the Storm now; Maloney done for not rolling away, but half a shout that he was pinned and unable to do so.
Here’s more pressure for the Sharks.
Try! Melbourne 16-2 Cronulla (Blair)
42 min: McLean with a good run, and suddenly the Storm are knocking at the door. They spread it left and it’s Blair again lining up Barba. He’s a tall man, and no fancy footwork, he runs straight at Barba, and goes straight over him.
How bout this for a start to the second half!
No mistake from Smith, the conversion successful from near the touchline. It will take something very special now from the Sharks to turn this around, you’d imagine.
Updated
Second-half: Melbourne 10-2 Cronulla
40 min: Melbourne receive about 5m out and the Sharks players race to meet them. A few one-out runs, before a lazy kick from Green is charged down by Ennis!
It falls to another Storm player and it’s six again. What can they make of this good fortune?
So, take a breather now that you can. I’m off to soak my typing fingers in some kind of dencorub bath, because there were no dull moments in that first opening forty.
What did you make of that? 10-2 a fair reflection of the play?
Cronulla with four line breaks, but only Blair managed to cross the try-line. Some monstrous hits from the big boys up front, and from Koroibete as well. Hasn’t he been everywhere tonight.
Half-time: Melbourne 10-2 Cronulla
That’s all we’ve got time for – a frenetic end to an already busy half. Would you expect any less in a minor premiership decider?
Some of these players look shattered already as they make their way to the sheds. 10-6 or 10-8 would give this game an entirely different complexion, and if they end up winning here, the Storm, you’d imagine they’ll be buying their flying Fijian a few blue powerades tonight. Wonderful rugby league!
39 min: Phenomenal passage of play that! Barba beats the line but Munster covers – but on the last the fullback throws a hail mary over his head for a teammate. Maloney spreads wide, they’ve got numbers – surely they’ll cross here – but no! Koroibete has come flying from nowhere to crunch Holmes across the sideline!
He’s put some hits on tonight, but that was a flying try-saver. Shades of that tackle from George Gregan, what, a decade ago?
His teammates congratulate him, a massive moment that.
Updated
36 min: It’s all happening here – Melbourne lose the ball straight from the restart; careless stuff from the home side – and in backplay Paulo’s slumped to the ground.
He’s up the tunnel, that’s three players injured so far for the Sharks – how much will this come to hurt them later in the game?
Cronulla force a restart as Vunivalu is caught in goal. Smith sends it deep, but they’re about 10m out of the fourth. What can Maloney muster?
34 min: Maloney goes high, and Holmes collects right on the sideline, and bats it back to Lewis! Ominous for the Storm, but they scramble to round up the veteran.
Melbourne with a regulation set of six, which ends with the crowd howling for a knock on as Holmes tries to pick it up.
Not given – Maloney bursts through a gap, but he can’t pick out a teammate! It ends up in the arms of Koroibete, and oh dear. Now Paulo is on the ground clutching at his right knee. He’s been pinned between bodies, let’s hope that’s not too serious.
32 min: No dice. The Melbourne defence stands strong and they bring it out comfortably.
Yikes. An awful high tackle from Blake Green – he’s collected his opponent round the eyes, or even higher! Penalty to the Sharks, as they look to build some pressure.
30 min: Heavy fall from Heighington, and he’s heading down the tunnel. Not good news for the Sharks, they’ve already lost Feki and now their veteran backrower has left the field.
Cronulla defuse another bomb, the action has all been down their end for most of the last 10-20 minutes.
A good break down Melbourne’s left though as Bird et co. gain some great metres. They’re about 10m out and Ennis tries another grubber!
Penalty! Melbourne 10-2 Cronulla (Smith)
29 min: No mistake from the skipper – incidentally he’s having his own personal battle with the Cowboy’s Johnathan Thurston in the all-time points scoring list. Set to move to fifth overall if a few more of these sail over tonight.
28 min: Prior pinned for inside the ten – a penalty right under the sticks, and Smith points to the tee.
Has it taken me this long to notice Cameron Smith is left-footed? Criminal.
26 min: Blair with good metres once more, Cronk whirls and twirls but it’s Green who tries to put the grubber through. Well weighted and he’s earned his side a repeat six.
Cronulla with dropout, and Chambers and Munster get it straight to within about 20m.
24 min: With Feki staggering off we have the unusual (at least for about a decade) sight of Luke Lewis on the wing for the Sharks. Interesting reshuffle.
Bird pulls down a great bombed kick, but then can’t get the pass away. Penalty to Melbourne, a nice pressure release there.
22 min: Prior meets Bromwich in a heavy tackle – it’s been full blooded, high octane stuff so far. No holds barred, no quarter given.
Ennis tries a cheeky little grubber but it doesn’t come off. Storm to bring out from about 25m out.
Updated
Try! Melbourne 8-2 Cronulla (Blair)
20 min: Melbourne go left where they look to have a man spare. Great angled run from Blair to carve through like a hot knife through butter and they won’t stop him from this distance!
Concern in back play as Green is absolutely clattered. The crowd aren’t happy – they reckon that was a shoulder charge; you’d hope the veteran isn’t scrubbed from the finals when the video looks at this.
No mistake with the kick, and it’s a converted try the difference.
Updated
20 min: Fifita and Gallen continue to punch half-holes in the Storm defence, but Maloney fails to hold on to a tough pass. It goes to ground and Melbourne have a good opportunity here.
Big six this.
18 min: The Storm spread to the right, and of all people it’s Kevin Proctor charging through to chase a Cronk grubber. A very heavy collision as Feki literally throws his body at that to save a try. He’s come down and this will be a concussion concern – he’s saved a try, but will this be the end of the evening for the winger?
The crowd didn’t like it, but very brave stuff. It’s adjudged to have been knocked forward from Proctor so we restart with a Cronulla feed 20m out.
Feki limps to the sideline.
Updated
Penalty! Melbourne 2-2 Cronulla (Smith)
15 min: And we’re back level. Gallen penalised for offside, and no mistake made with the boot.
From the restart Cronulla under early pressure. Barber recovers well, but he’s absolutely nailed by Koroibete! Is he up for it tonight, or what?
A few nerves creeping in here, Townsend’s thrown a pass straight into touch! Put that down to the pressure on Barber, the crowd are up, and we’ve got a Storm scrum feed about 30m out.
13 min: We continue and it’s Cronk who goes to the skies to test the Cronulla defence. A swirling effort and with almost nobody challenging Holmes has dropped it cold about 5m out!
If this was at the MCG instead of AAMI you’d imagine the capacity crowd would all be shouting ‘Footsteps!’. That’s about all the AFL knowledge this NSW boy can muster.
12 min: First blood literally as well, as Gallen takes advantage of the break to receive some attention on a cut ear.
Fifita is in some trouble here, a very strong diving tackle from Koroibete, angling for the ankles of Fifita like a stealth jet, and he’s hurt the Cronulla front rower.
Penalty goal! Melbourne 0-2 Cronulla (Maloney)
10 min: Glasby hangs on a little too long in the tackle and it’s a penalty to Cronulla. Given what’s at stake tonight, no surprise Maloney calls for the tee.
No mistake, and first blood to the Sharks.
8 min: Lovely darting run from Townsend, Cronulla about 20m out on the fourth. They spread to test Melbourne’s right edge defence as Barba joins the line.
Maloney goes to the sky and with Sharks swarming Blair bats the bomb into touch. Line drop out, and the first repeat six of the evening.
Updated
6 min: Some good metres again from Gallen, he’s certainly looking to drive his chargers on. Koribete rushes out of the line to absolutely nail Bird, but he still gets the pass away.
Jesse Bromwich with a strong run of his own, and now it’s the Storm with half a sniff. The crowd are right into this already, Munster in some space and their fans roar him on.
Good scrambling grab by Fififa and the sequence peters out.
4 min: Cronk attempts a 40-20 but Barba is aware to the danger, and in any case it dribbles a bit long.
Gallen with a late offload, it bounces of the legs of Ennis before Bird makes a promising burst out wide. First time it’s opened up here, and Cronulla are about 15m out with one to come.
Disappointing kick though, and Vunivalu deals comfortably.
2 min: Similar stuff from the Storm, with some no-frills one out runs. Barba defuses the first high ball and Cronulla try to make their way out of their own 30m.
Ennis picks out the youngster Munster with his kick and a wall of light blue meets him with a crunch.
Kick off!
1 min: And we’re away! Storm kick off and Fifita with the first carry. Boos echo round the stadium as Gallen follows in a standard bash and carry set of six. Maloney goes to the sky and Vunivalu does well hanging on to a swirling kick.
The players are just going through their last minute warm up exercises, on a relatively balmy night in Melbourne. Capacity crowd expected, we’ll see how many Sharks fans made it down, but you’d expect it to be pretty parochial.
Who do you fancy to be the X-factor tonight? As a lapsed Bulldogs fan I can’t take my eye of Ben Barba, great to see him back to his best this season.
Kevin Proctor has overcome an injury concern to front for the Storm and Tohu Harris makes his 100th appearance tonight. No Billy Slater obviously, but the dual old heads of Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith will no doubt still comfortably steer this ol’ ship around the paddock.
Team news for tonight:
Cronulla Sharks:
Ben Barba, Sosaia Feki, Jack Bird, Gerard Beale, Valentine Holmes, James Maloney, Chad Townsend, Andrew Fifita, Michael Ennis, Matt Prior, Luke Lewis, Wade Graham, Paul Gallen (c)
Interchange: Joseph Paulo, Chris Heighington, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Jayson Bukuya
Melbourne Storm:
Cameron Munster, Suliasi Vunivalu, William Chambers, Cheyse Blair, Marika Koroibete, Blake Green, Cooper Cronk, Jesse Bromwich, Cameron Smith (c), Tim Glasby, Kevin Proctor, Tohu Harris, Dale Finucane
Interchange: Kenny Bromwich, Christian Welch, Jordan McLean, Ben Hampton
We’re not too far away from kickoff, and some interesting news from elsewhere. Jarryd Hayne’s Gold Coast Titans have fallen to the North Queensland Cowboys; meaning that should Wests Tigers upset Canberra tomorrow the former NFL superstar, okay, player will take no part in the finals series.
Bit of a mixed performance from the big-dollar last minute recruit by all reports on a night when Johnathan Thurston became the fifth highest all-time NRL pointscorer. Now that’s a kid who can play.
Hi there, Richard Parkin in the chair. It’s not quite an Origin, but in the calendar of Australian rugby league there are few clashes that matter as much as this one tonight. (Some minor series of games happening over the next few weeks withstanding).
As always, a train ride is much more fun with plenty of fellow commuters – quips, insights, corrections more than welcome – shoot me a line at richard.parkin.casual@theguardian.com or via twitter on @rrjparkin.
First up – your thoughts on Cronulla Sharks inspirational pre-game media?
In 2016, we're out to make history. #WhyNotUs #WeAreSharks pic.twitter.com/NqGhVxTGdC
— Cronulla Sharks FC (@Cronulla_Sharks) September 3, 2016
Your thoughts on #WhyNotUs ? A series of questions posed by Ricky Gervais starting with ‘why not’ springs to mind for me, but that’s by the by. Let’s hope this doesn’t end up like one of those government social media attempts to connect with ‘the young people’.
Preamble
With the Storm having won only one of their last three matches and the Sharks only one from four it hardly sounds like a top-of-the-table winner-takes-all encounter. But there is of course silverware, in the form of the minor premiership up for grabs; specifically the J. J. Giltinan shield.
I didn’t know James personally, but with a name like either a hollywood producer or a late 19th century railway tycoon, I imagine he was a pretty cool cat. Giltinan apparently played a pivotal role in the foundation of rugby league down under, so fair to say he’s probably earned the accolade.
And if a first minor premiership in the 21st Century wasn’t enough incentive for the Sharks, there’s also the tricky fact that should they lose, than Canberra will be licking their lips when they take the field agains the Tigers tomorrow with an eye on second spot and of course a home qualifying final.
There’s a sellout expected at AAMI Park in Melbourne tonight – with no AFL games taking place Storm captain Cameron Smith has been on a charm offensive trying to lure some Sherrin-lovers through the turnstiles. I wonder if any Melbourne Heart City fans will wander along as well?
Sharks’ veterans Paul Gallen and Michael Ennis, the latter set to play his last regulation season match before retirement, will be itching to get their hands on the shield for their side; remarkable when you think the only thing Cronulla were holding two years ago was the wooden spoon.
Storm captain Smith has a pretty good record at denying Gallen shields to hold though (see: every State of Origin forever) so don’t be surprised if the Kangaroos captain leads his side to their fifth, sorry, second, minor premiership.
Plenty to play for, and with plenty of niggle spirit no doubt – strap yourself in, this should be a cracker.
Richard will be here shortly, but to occupy your eyeballs in the interim, here’s the match report from last night’s Bunnies v Bulldogs clash:
