[Source: NRL]

The Sharks overcame the absence of star playmaker Nicho Hynes to break a six-year drought at AAMI Park with a 25-18 win over the Storm on Saturday night.

After Hynes withdrew on game day with calf tightness, Daniel Atkinson and Blayke Brailey stepped up to guide the Sharks to an eighth win of the season.

It was Atkinson’s field goal in the 74th minute that broke an 18-18 deadlock before a runaway try to Siosifa Talakai from the kick-off sealed the win.

On the back of a Harry Grant 40-20 kick in the 10th minute the Storm had a great chance to open the scoring but the final pass from Reimis Smith to Grant Anderson travelled forward.

The Storm took the lead after 15 minutes when Sharks fullback Will Kennedy was pinged for ruck interference and Nick Meaney knocked over the easy penalty shot.

Three minutes later the lead was out to 6-0 when Eli Katoa got into dummy half 10 metres out and carried two Sharks defenders over the line for the game’s opening try.

The Sharks hit back in the 24th minute when late inclusion Tuku Hau Tapuha powered over from close range after a couple of six-again calls heaped pressure on the Storm defence.

With eight minutes remaining in the half Cameron Munster put his mark on the game with a superb pass to put Smith into a gaping hole for the Storm’s second try. Meaney converted for a 12-6 lead.

The Storm lost skipper Harry Grant to the sin bin in the 36th minute after he made late contact with Atkinson’s legs after he had kicked the ball and the Sharks cashed in immediately when Oregon Kaufusi crashed over under the sticks.

A mistake by Nelson Asofa-Solomona coming out of his own end invited Cronulla into the red zone before a clever grubber by Atkinson earned the visitors a repeat set and Ramien dived over in the right hand corner to put the Sharks up 18-12.

An intercept and long charge by Kaufusi put the Sharks on the attack and looking for a killer blow but Xavier Coates soared high to defuse a bomb and the Storm came away.

With 11 minutes to play it was Melbourne’s fill-in halfback Tyran Wishart cutting the Sharks open from close range to make it 18-16 and Meaney converted to tie things up at 18-18.

Atkinson’s calmly taken one-pointer in the 74th minute put the Sharks back in front before Talakai scored straight from the restart after Ronaldo Mulitalo caught the kick-off and made 30 metres before putting the ball on a platter for Talakai to race away. Atkinson converted to make it 25-18.

The Storm had one last roll of the dice with three minutes to play when a high kick went up for Will Warbrick to chase but the winger couldn’t control the catch and the Sharks hung on for their first win at AAMI Park since Round 22, 2018.

The Sharks have now won six on the trot and sit alone at the top of the Telstra Premiership ladder heading into a Magic Round clash against the Roosters.