We all remember that Sunday in October like it was yesterday, when in front of 83,625 fans the porch light finally went out and the Sharks lay to rest a 50-year premiership hoodoo.
Following some brutal early exchanges and a penalty goal to James Maloney, it was the Cronulla side who came out on top with an inside ball from Paul Gallen off the back of a scrum putting Ben Barba over for the opening try.
Sharks fans started to dream, the side sizzling in attack with Luke Lewis and Andrew Fifita in particular finding space through Melbourne’s left edge.
In the forwards, Michael Ennis led from the front, a genuine nuisance throughout the game and huge reason for the quiet performance from Cronk. Matt Prior was rampaging and Gallen was, well, Gallen.
Maloney pulled off some big shots and controlled the game brilliantly in the halves, with Chad Townsend’s kicking game rock solid.
Valentine Holmes set the tone early for the backs with some big runs, ending the game with nearly 200 running metres. Jack Bird battling on through injury to bend the Storm’s defence on a number of occasions, just one of the efforts that showed the Sharks never say die attitude that night.
But who could forget the moment that will go down in grand final folklore, Andrew Fifita’s barnstorming match-winning try - a deserved prize for a night where he truly dominated his opposition. Charging at the line and a number of Storm defenders he drew on whatever reserves he had left in the tank and wriggled through the smallest of gaps to slam the ball down.
But just as the Sharks fans rose to their feet to celebrate, Melbourne chanced their arm, the crowd pleading for a tackle and it came. Ricky Leutele halting the Melbourne attack and the porch light would finally be switched off.
You’ve watched the replay (not that you would’ve needed to) and now it’s time to vote.
Who was your best on field in the 2016 Grand Final?
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