Cronulla 14-12 Melbourne: Sharks edge Storm to win first NRL title
By AFP
Last Updated: 02/10/16 1:54pm
The Cronulla Sharks held off a furious finish from Melbourne Storm to end their 49-year title hunt with a gripping 14-12 win in the NRL Grand Final in Sydney.
The Sharks, playing in their fourth premiership decider, led 8-0 at half-time but fell behind to trail Storm 12-8 with 15 minutes left.
But prop Andrew Fifita crashed over for the winning converted try to lead by two points with 11 minutes left.
Cronulla withstood a storming finish from Melbourne to defend their try-line in a pulsating finish to send the Sharks fans wild in the near 84,000 capacity crowd.
It capped an emotional victory for the Sharks, who were wooden spooners in 2014, the same year in which 10 past and present players from the club served 12-month doping bans over a supplements scandal.
Cronulla back-rower Luke Lewis was named the player of the Grand Final, winning the Clive Churchill Medal.
Based in Sydney's south, Cronulla suffered grand final heartbreak in losing the 1973 and 1978 deciders to Manly and missing out to the Brisbane Broncos in the 1997 final of the breakaway Super League, which merged into the current NRL.
The Sharks bossed the opening 40 minutes with a lively attack and swarming defence.
They grabbed the only try of the rugged opening half with a slick move off a scrum win with Gallen turning the ball inside to full-back Ben Barba to scamper through.
James Maloney kicked the conversion and a penalty goal to give the Sharks an 8-0 lead at half-time.
There were some explosive moments with Sharks hooker Ennis taking Jordan McLean high and Storm winger Marika Koroibete stunning Chad Townsend with a high hit and going on referee's report.
The Sharks knocked the normally-efficient Storm out of their customary playing rhythm with their enthusiastic play.
But the Storm fought with converted tries to prop Jesse Bromwich and Will Chambers to hit the front only for interchange forward Christian Welch to concede a penalty for a high tackle to give the Sharks a set of six tackles deep in Storm territory.
Cronulla made Melbourne pay with Fifita carrying three defenders over the try-line and wrestling his arm clear to claim the winning try.
Storm threw everything at Cronulla in the final frenetic moments and almost pulled off a winning try, but the Sharks held on.