The honours were split in Saturday's Junior Representative matches between the Sharks and Storm in Victoria.
Cronulla recorded impressive wins in the Harold Matthews and Tarsha Gale games, but Melbourne's SG Ball and Lisa Fiaola teams proved stronger.
All four Sharks teams will head into a bye this weekend.
See a snapshot of the results and point-scorers below.
Harold Matthews Cup
Sharks 24 (Jayden Best, Ethan Mullins, Haiden Wooldridge, Eparame Neemia tries; Cooper Shepherd four goals) def Storm 10
Chalking up their second win of the season, the Sharks kept their finals hopes mathematically alive in a gritty performance. The Storm struck shortly after half-time to close the gap to 18-10, but Cronulla returned serve and defended grimly to come away with a confidence-boosting victory in enemy territory.
SG Ball Cup
Sharks 6 (Brock Prideaux try; Callum Grantham goal) def by Storm 50
Not much went to plan for the Under 19 Sharks boys, who were on the back foot from the outset and went into half-time trailing 28-0. A try to winger Brock Prideaux late in the second half was the only consolation for the visiting team, with the defeat extinguishing any faint hopes of qualifying for the finals.
Lisa Fiaola Cup
Sharks 0 def by Storm 48
A three-match win streak came to an abrupt halt for the Under 17 Sharks girls, who were outmuscled by a powerful Storm side at Casey Fields. Cronulla still sit in seventh spot and will pick up two valuable points with the bye this weekend.
Tarsha Gale Cup
Sharks 46 (Ella Ropata three, Makayla Vakauta two, Sophia Brightwell, Julliana Kolio, Ayva Papalii tries; Ella Ropata six goals, one penalty goal) def Storm 6
Having now won four games on the trot, the Andrew Fifita-coached Under 19 Cronulla girls are peaking at the right time. Five-eighth Ella Ropata shredded Melbourne with a 24-point haul, crossing for a hat-trick in a stellar performance. Centre Makayla Vakauta also bagged a double. Sitting in third position but equal on 10 points with the ladder-leading Indigenous Academy Roosters and second-placed Bulldogs, the Sharks remain firmly in minor premiership contention.
