In one of the great grand final showdowns at Shark Park, the Cronulla Sharks triumphed over the Melbourne Storm. This victory confirmed their place in the NRL’s top four for the first time in 2025. Both teams played with tremendous heart and talent throughout the game. It concluded with a dramatic conclusion when Ryan Papenhuyzen’s late high shot that got him put on report sparked questions and anger.
The Sharks’ win moved them up to third rank overall. Most importantly, it pulled them even on points with Melbourne, establishing one of the most compelling races for playoff slots as the season continues. Cronulla’s football was electric, a combination of structured attack and sheer freakishness. Stars like Siosifa Talakai and Daniel Atkinson really put their hands up, both scoring twice in an exciting match.
Kennedy’s contributions were vital to the Sharks’ successful run. His composure in difficult situations was on display, most notably during this sequence when dealing with pressure and high balls. His participation made all the difference. He even supplied the perfectly timed bat-on pass for a Ronaldo Mulitalo try, too. Mulitalo’s input was important in many phases of the game, as he showed strong hands to help close out the contest in style.
True to their namesake, the Storm refused to go quietly, clawing back with tenacity to remain in the playoff picture. Xavier Coates was the standout performer, bagging a hat-trick to keep Melbourne in the contest. The Storm kept surging and narrowed the gap to 25-22 by the 46th minute. Coates and Nick Meaney both got across the line to score some impressive long range tries. Despite scoring both by air and on land, the Cowboys’ attempts fell short against a stark Sharks defensive performance.
Defensively, Seumanutafa, Talakai and Atkinson were instrumental in forcing the Storm’s banging attack to splurge into harmful territory. As Melbourne pressed, they continued to show poise under siege. The Sharks faced their share of obstacles throughout the game. Jesse Ramien left with an eye injury, while Samuel Stonestreet suffered an ankle injury that could keep them out of this week’s game.
Tempers flared in the match after Sharks’ Siosifa Talakai put in a heavy shot on Storm’s Ryan Papenhuyzen. Due to this, the Storm were given a penalty shot. This incident drew attention as it unfolded alongside Nicho Hynes’ missed penalty goal, which could have extended Cronulla’s lead to 11 points.
Jayden Brailey’s game was really impressive, he made strong choices to run plays from dummy-half. This brought a new dimension to Cronulla’s attacking structure. His ability to create opportunities was evident throughout the match and will be critical as the Sharks aim to maintain their momentum in upcoming fixtures.
