A stunning 90-metre solo try by rookie Sharks fullbback Nathan Gardner has proven the highlight in Cronulla's richly-deserved 42-18 pounding of the Sydney Roosters at a slippery Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.

The Sharks, searching for their first win at the SFS since 2004 and a rare one over the Roosters in modern times, completed 17 of 19 first-half sets in the wet conditions to set up a commanding 22-6 lead at the break.

They were faced with a resurgent Chooks' side upon the resumption and Gardner could have been forgiven for losing the plot after producing the error that resulted in a 44th minute Shaun Kenny-Dowall try.

But instead, the 20-year-old, in just his fourth first-grade game, provided the 7,934 crowd a moment to remember in the 53rd minute when he fielded a towering bomb in his own 10m zone then proceeded to use a mixture of footwork, pace and determination to cover the remainder of the territory in a try worthy of countless replays.

Any thought of a Roosters' comeback was put to bed from that point on as the confident and enterprising Sharks posted a further three tries to power home to a victory that keeps them in touch with the top-eight.

Experienced Sharks duo Trent Barrett and Paul Gallen both had strong games to push their NSW Origin claims for Game II in Brisbane on June 16.

A scuffle between Gallen and Roosters prop Frank Paul Nuuausaia at the play-the-ball resulted in a Sharks' penalty and opening points to Gardner who slotted the simple ninth minute penalty goal from in front.

The Sharks skipped out to a handy 8-0 lead in the slippery conditions courtesy of second-rower Grant Millington's seventh career try in the 13th minute after he followed through a clever John Morris grubber.

Half-back Tim Smith bounced back from his indifferent performance against the Broncos' last week in the 16th minute, producing a towering bomb, spilt by Roosters' full-back Todd Carney for Gallen to scoop the ball up and score.

A 25th-minute penalty goal to Gardner pushed the Sharks out to a 16-0 lead.

Roosters half-back Mitchell Pearce confused the Sharks' left-edge defenders with a superb dash and pass to send centre Phil Graham in for the visitors' first try.

Carney slotted the sideline conversion, but an elementary error from the re-start by Roosters replacement forward Mose Masoe provided the Sharks with an ideal opportunity to re-gain their 16-point advantage.

And they did exactly that through interchange player Siosaia Vave who burrowed his way through some soft Chooks' defence to nail Cronulla's third try of the evening.

The Roosters came out firing in the second half, posting a much-needed four-pointer in the 44th minute when Gardner fumbled a deft Pearce grubber for Kenny-Dowall to pick up and score.

Hooker John Morris followed Gardner's 53rd minute heroics up with a far less spectacular, but equally as effective four-pointer on the hour when he fought his way over from dummy-half to secure the Sharks an unassailable 32-12 lead.

Further tries to centre Taulima Tautai (66th minute) and five-eighth Trent Barrett on full-time ensured the Sharks' first win since learning of coach Ricky Stuart's departure at the end of the season would be a sizeable one.

Cronulla Sharks 42
Tries: Millington, Gallen, Vave, Gardner, Morris, Tautai, Barrett
Conversions: Gardner 5
Penalty goals: Gardner 2

Sydney Roosters 18
Tries: Graham, Kenny-Dowall, Carney
Conversions: Carney 3