Live: Melbourne marches into second straight NRL grand final with victory over Cronulla

The Melbourne Storm halfback, 22 days removed from breaking his left arm, is heading to another grand final.

“To the grand final we go. We’re gonna have to lift our game there.

“It means the world. We need to go one better than we did last year.”

Hughes was subbed off in the final minute or two but says he’s all good.

“Credit to my surgeon and our medical team.

“I thought I was gone for the year but they gave me a slight chance if I was able to tick the boxes.”

The clock runs out on this game and an entertaining Cronulla Sharks as the final whistle is blown to confirm Melbourne’s 22-14 victory.

After an electric five-try first half, that second was pure grind and the Storm showed they could hang on in the face of a really tough Sharks performance.

Cronulla’s defence was absolutely phenomenal tonight, but even they couldn’t handle this Storm side.

The Sharks fling the ball all over the place and eventually KL Iro manages to slide over after the siren sounds.

It’s actually a stunning try. But the ultimate consolation.

Cronulla tries the spiral bomb and Will Warbrick catches. That was the Sharks’ last roll of the dice.

No time left to score two tries now.

Nick Meaney misses another conversion from out wide, so the game is still on at just two converted tries.

The Sharks MUST regather this short kick-off … but Eli Katoa is too good in the air.

What a play by Harry Grant, who scoops the ball from dummy half on the last on halfway.

He sees the defence fall asleep through the middle and on the right, so he flies to the line and fires it out to the left. They find Shawn Blore, who unleashes Jack Howarth. The young centre perfectly holds up the pass and sends Xavier Coates over for another spectacular finish.

But what a play by Harry Grant.

Only on the last, but finally a kick that traps Cronulla on its 20m line.

ABC Sport expert and former Storm star Ryan Hoffman is calling on them to not go into their shells.

Referee Ashley Klein rules a knock-on by Addin Fonua-Blake as he drags four players to within a metre of the tryline.

Stefano Utoikamanu was absolutely hanging on to the ball to stop an offload or AFB reaching out to score, but he’s not stripping at it.

The bunker upholds the on-field call. And there goes Cronulla’s challenge.

Wishart is on the field, and again the Storm have to kick from deep within their own half.

Cronulla’s defence is doing a remarkable job.

The Storm look exhausted as they try to truck it off their line, and the Sharks’ defensive energy is keeping them pinned in their own 40m.

Could utility Tyran Wishart inject some much-needed energy?

Another long kick, but this time Sione Katoa makes a great return down the right wing to get back over halfway.

Once again the tackling and line speed is amazing from the Sky Blues and Jahrome Hughes kicks from about his 30m line.

Braydon Trindall blatantly rips the ball out of Eli Katoa’s in a two or three-man tackle and the Storm get a penalty.

Nick Meaney slots the penalty goal and the Storm lead 18-10 with 13 minutes left.

Briton Nikora takes a mammoth charge offloads. Will Kennedy can’t handle and Jack Howarth gets through to regather.

Ashley Klein rules a knock-on, but Howarth convinces Harry Grant to challenge.

And it’s successful! Despite, what must be said, not the clearest replay. But maybe it’s better in the bunker than on my home office monitor.

The tally is blowing out now as Billy Burns crowds Josh King’s play the ball and the touch-finder is a monster, sending the Storm deep into Cronulla’s half.

But against the Sharks aim up in defence to keep them out.

The Sharks get into the red zone with a couple of tackles up their sleeves, but Nicho Hynes drops it at first receiver on the fourth.

It was just a simple ball from dummy half and he took his eyes off it.

The Storm get up in his face to let him know. That’s a sin-bin in some parts of the country.

This one’s very dubious as Eli Katoa is pinged for a high shot on Will Kennedy, but I’m not convinced he actually made contact.

Wow. Cronulla is taking the shot at goal to get within a converted try.

What a fascinating decision. I understand the logic, but Melbourne’s goal-line defence hasn’t been the best all year, and the Sharks have all the momentum right now.

Still, Nicho Hynes converts and the Sharks trail 16-10 with 21 minutes left.

The Sharks look over for all money as Briton Nikora hits a ball at ferocious speed next to the posts, but Ryan Papenhuyzen and Cameron Munster manage to hold him up.

It’s going to be penalised by the bunker because he slipped up too high, but still a miraculous effort by Papenhuyzen.

This time it’s smack bang in the middle of the field, where Trent Loiero tries to get up to play it too quickly and can’t keep his feet.

Inexcusable mistake in the circumstances.

The Storm are peppering the defence in the middle but, as they spin it left, the charging Nicho Hynes forces the ball to ground and Sione Katoa forces the knock-on from Jack Howarth.

The entire defensive line is off side, just stressing how much of a crap shoot those offside calls are.