Melbourne scored a last-second winner to beat the Cronulla-Sutherland 24-20, with Harry Grant’s miraculous reverse pass assist the difference maker at Shark Park.
The thrilling finish belied a disjointed all round display in which the teams combined to make 25 errors, gave away a total of 13 penalties and had four players placed on report.
The Sharks were down to 11 men early after Michael Gabrael was sin binned for a high shot that saw Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown stretchered off and taken to hospital, before Ronaldo Mulitalo punched Grant in a melee.
Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown was stretchered off and taken to hospital. (Getty Images: Jason McCawley)
The Sharks bemoaned a clear forward pass that was missed for the Storm’s first try, and a controversial call to allow a Sua Fa’alogo score when the ball may have touched the dead-ball line as it was grounded.
Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbons said he wasn’t “sooking” about the calls, but was confused about them.
“I don’t want to challenge the integrity of the game, but I would like to see the integrity of the game remain what it should be,” he said.
“A forward pass is a forward pass, and if you’re going to back the referee, back the referee. Don’t back him some weeks and then the week after, don’t do it.”
There can be no arguments over the thrilling finish, with Grant’s wonderful pass the perfect antidote to such a shoddy performance.
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However, even in defeat the Sharks did enough to ensure they will host the Cowboys in Sydney next weekend, with the Cronulla staff hopeful of playing the game at Shark Park.
Earlier, the Warriors won a thriller in Auckland and the Raiders smashed the Cowboys 50-30 in Townsville.
North Queensland will be sweating on the judiciary after Reuben Cotter was sin binned and placed on report for a high shot on Josh Papali’i in the opening tackle of the game.
Reuben Cotter of the Cowboys is sent to the sin bin during the round 27 NRL match between North Queensland Cowboys and Canberra Raiders at Townsville Stadium, on September 05, 2026, in Townsville, Australia. (Getty Images: Ian Hitchcock)
Cotter has been charged twice already this season and could face a ban that would rule him out of the first week of the finals at least.
“It doesn’t help getting sin-binned, but I thought it was head-on-head and I didn’t feel like there was much in that,” Cotter said of the incident.
Helped by the sin binning, the Raiders ended their season on a high, with debutant Coby Black scoring a record 26 points and Papali’i scoring a rare try in his 342nd and final NRL game.
“I’m not stupid, I know we’ve got to clean some stuff up,” Warriors coach Adam Webster said.
“But I know what sort of week we had this week, I know how much better we’re going to be for the run, I know we’re going to build some confidence from it.
“We’re in a good spot.”
The 30-31 victory means that Penrith only needs to beat Wests Tigers by more than 2 points on Sunday to claim the NRL’s minor premiership.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Saturday’s NRL results
Here’s today’s NRL results in full.
See you all tomorrow
Thanks for a solid day of blogging Simon, it started well enough with an entertaining game between the Warriors and Manly, slipped a bit in Townsville then finished with a nail biting mess in Cronulla. Ahh, the life of of a blog-master – you’re living the dream…. See you tomorrow 🙂
– Mike
One day, it will be the other way round and we’ll end with a thriller.
Perhaps it will be tomorrow?
We’ll see you then to find out.
Today’s NRLW results
Here are today’s NRLW results.
Storm a chance to play finals in 2027?
Are storm at the start of a rebuild, or could they be playing finals football again next year
– Phil
It’s incredibly hard to say – the Storm are undoubtedly going through a transition period at the moment and with the players that are leaving, they do look a little light in terms of real quality.
But would you rule them out? I’m not sure I would.
That being said, it’s far too early to be thinking about that.
FT: Storm stun to beat Sharks 24-20 with wild, last-second try
The Sharks have locked in a finals match at home against the Cowboys, but lost a wild match at home against the Storm 24-20.
Trent Loiero scored in the final seconds of the game after a wild passage of play to end a disjointed and, at times, tempestuous game at Shark Park.
In the opening 10 minutes of the game the Storm had Michael Gabrael and Ronaldo Mulitalo both sin binned, the first for a high shot that saw Storm winger Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown carried off the field on a stretcher, the second for a silly slap on Harry Grant.
Hugo Peel and Sua Fa’alogo scored to put the Storm 12-0 up, before Sione Katoa, Riley Jones and Billy Burns all scored in the 10 minutes before half time to take the lead.
Alec MacDonald’s try soon after the break levelled the scores, before a penalty from the impressive Niwhai Puru edged the Sharks back ahead.
The error-strewn game seemed destined to end that way until some deceptive running from Fa’alogo and a magical reverse pass from Harry Grant gave the Storm the win to end their season on a high.
80′ THE STORM WIN THE GAME IN THE FINAL SECOND!
An extraordinary way for an extraordinary game to end.
Sualauvi Fa’alogo was darting around like he was playing tag in the middle of the field.
The Storm were going nowhere.
Absolutely nowhere.
Stefano Utoikamanu suddenly put the foot down.
He offloads to Harry Grant, who passes out the back with an outrageous flick pass to Trent Loiero.
He stops, starts again, and dives over the line.
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Wild finish.
The kick is good and the Storm win it. Wild.
76′ Cam Munster loses the ball
Oh, the 10th error by the Storm for the match, 20th in total.
Cam Munster looked to offload the ball in the tackle in midfield and drops it cold.
It’s been that sort of game.
70′ Penalty Storm, Addin Fonua-Blake on report
Addin Fonua-Blake is on report for a hip drop on Cooper Clarke.
The Storm have a chance to get back ahead with a promising position inside their attacking third of the field.
67′ Storm challenge a knock on
The Storm think there was ruck interference here.
There were a lot of Sharks there around the tackle, but that one play sums up this game perfectly – it’s just been a mess, a dogs breakfast of a contest.
The Sharks lose their challenge and Harry Grant, despite still arguing, has given away the ball.
60′ Penalty Sharks
This game has not been a classic.
The number of errors from both teams is more appropriate to a kids game than an NRL clash.
There is an offside call though as the Storm leap to catch a Sharks bomb over on their left side and the ball is knocked forward into the arms of a teammate
The Sharks are going to kick for goal, Niwhai Puru is going to have a kick at goal.
The Sharks hit the front – a great kick from the left side of the field by the left-footer.
The Sharks lead 20-18.
56′ Penalty Storm
Niwhai Puru gathers a goal line drop out by the Storm, but he was actually in front of Ronaldo Mulitalo, who batted it forward.
It’s offside and the Sharks can’t challenge even if they wanted to – which would have been a bad idea because despite Ronaldo Mulitalo’s vehement protestations, he was offside.
54′ Penalty Sharks
Stefano Utoikamanu comes within a centimetre of the line, but then tries to promote it to the line while on the ground.
Todd Smith is on the spot though and spies that movement and it’s a penalty to the Sharks.
Big let off for the hosts.
53′ The Sharks challenge
Will Kennedy loses the ball as he plays it. The Sharks challenge straight away, but the onus is on the ball carrier to get up properly.
Kennedy loses the ball.
Alex MacDonald was there, but he did nothing to stop Kennedy from playing the ball – he planted the ball on the ground.
Meanwhile, Hugo Peel is getting a bit of treatment after being caught in a Shark sandwich a couple of moments ago.
The Sharks lose their challenge and the Storm have the ball just outside the 10.
50′ Penalty Storm
A lovely kick from Trent Toelau.
Will Kennedy came across to block off Hugo Peel as he tried to get to the flight of the ball, which was caught by Ronaldo Mulitalo.
The move came via a 25-metre dummy half run from Harry Grant, who is electric when he’s in this sort of mood.
47′ Try Storm!
Lovely set from the Storm to work their way up field.
Harry Grant passed the ball to Trent Toelau, who nicely passed inside to Alec MacDonald, who stumbled his way towards the line ducking under the arms of Will Kennedy to score.
The kick is good and we’re all level again at 18-18.
45′ ANOTHER MELEE! Pollard on report
A massive shot from Riley Pollard, who is on report for a shoulder charge.
He belted Tyran Wishart, as did Hohepa Puru down low.
There was nothing wrong with the Puru shot, but the shoulder charge from Pollard was not great.
42′ Sharks and Storm exchange errors
Nick Meaney loses the ball and gives the Sharks a real opportunity early.
Meaney with the loose carry as he exited his own 10 metre zone.
Great chance for a great start to the half for the finals-bound Sharks.
But they can’t take it, a pathetic attempt at a play the ball by Braden Uele and the Storm will now have a scrum in the same place, 10 metres out, in front of the posts.
41′ We’re back underway
Ronaldo Mulitalo underwent an HIA during half time, which he passed.
But because the assessment started during half time, he still has time to serve off the field before he’s allowed to return, so he’s off the field for the next minute or so.
Indeed
It was a stormy night in Cronulla – but it seems to have passed…
– Mike
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Kinda looks that way
Are storm playing with a “were not in the finals, but we’ll do all we can to make your finals a difficult one”
– Phil
Or at least it did.
They have seemingly dropped their intensity a little bit.
dan