An injury-hit Sharks side dug deep to secure a stirring 31-26 win over the Storm in a fiery contest on Saturday night.
Returning to Sharks Stadium for the first time since Round 4, Cronulla overcame adversity after losing centre Jesse Ramien (eye poke) and winger Sam Stonestreet (ankle injury) in the first half, prompting a backline reshuffle.
Siosifa Talakai was outstanding in his comeback from concussion protocols, stepping into Ramien's role and producing two try assists and 113 metres.
Daniel Atkinson – who also came off the interchange to play on the right flank – was the beneficiary of Talakai's guile, collecting a crucial double including what proved to be the match-sealer.
Winger Ronaldo Mulitalo was at his combative best, scoring the Sharks' first try of the evening and displaying the unbridled passion that has endeared him to the Cronulla faithful.
Prop Addin Fonua-Blake also crashed over in the first half, while centre KL Iro touched down to make it seven tries in as many starts this season.
The Sharks were under the pump early, with the Storm – fresh off a 64-0 mauling of the Wests Tigers – drawing first blood through Grant Anderson four minutes in.
Up for the fight, Cronulla responded quickly as Mulitalo steamrolled his direct opponent Sua Fa'alogo to complete a slick shift in the left corner. Halfback Nicho Hynes nailed the conversion to lock the scores in a frenetic start.
Despite being without Ramien and Stonestreet, Cronulla surged to the front when Fonua-Blake skittled the Storm defence in the 21st minute.
Makeshift flanker Atkinson added Cronulla's third try in the 26th minute, but Xavier Coates pulled one back for the Storm shortly after.
As half-time approached, the Sharks regained their 12-point lead after forcing an error from Ryan Papenhuyzen with a towering bomb. A simple scrum move resulted in the elusive Iro crossing to continue his try-scoring streak.
Pivot Braydon Trindall nailed a field goal on the final play of the half to stretch the score to 25-12, eliciting loud cheers as the Sharks went into the sheds.
The Storm awoke from their slumber when play restarted, rocketing into the contest with tries to Coates (44th minute) and centre Nick Meaney (46th), the latter after a rare error from Sharks fullback Will Kennedy in allowing a kick to bounce.
Once more, Cronulla rallied under pressure. The fill-in edge combination of Talakai and Atkinson came up trumps again as the winger bagged his second.
Melbourne's Coates flew high to snaffle a cross-field kick and nab a hat-trick in the 67th minute, setting up an enthralling finish between two great rivals.
But the Sharks proved too strong, repeatedly turning the Storm away and forcing mistakes with the boisterous crowd riding every moment.
Cronulla now sit in fourth place, pending other results, ahead of next Saturday's match against the Roosters at Industree Group Stadium in Gosford.
