A free-wheeling attacking performance paved the way for the Sharks to record an enthralling 36-22 victory over the gallant Warriors at Ocean Protect Stadium on Easter Sunday.
Headlined by a dashing first-half double to fullback Will Kennedy, Cronulla crossed the line six times to surge back into the top eight with their third win of the year.
Flying winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak bagged a hat-trick after opening the scoring for the visitors, who led 6-0 after eight minutes but were quickly overrun.
The Sharks notched up nine line breaks to three and 45 tackle busts to 31 in a demonstration of their dominance with ball in hand.
Centre KL Iro was among the headline acts, posting 163 running metres, a try and eight tackle breaks. Save for Jesse Ramien, who left the field in the 59th minute with a leg injury, Cronulla's back five all passed 150 metres.
It was the dangerous Kennedy who danced through the defence for the home side's first try in the 13th minute. Moments later, the in-form custodian made it a double from a well-worked scrum move to put the Sharks ahead.
Cronulla's lethal left edge served up the next try as winger Sam Stonestreet flew down the touchline before finding Iro on his inside. The Cook Islands international shrugged off the chasers, bouncing up from the turf with momentum to score.
The one-way traffic was halted when Watene-Zelezniak intercepted a Trindall pass and dashed away for a 90-metre try, just outlasting the desperate Kennedy.
Cronulla had a 33rd-minute try disallowed after five-eighth Braydon Trindall bobbled the ball, but they weren't to be denied a few sets down the track. Hynes put back-rower Billy Burns through a yawning gap next to the posts before steering the Steeden through the posts to create a 14-point gap at half-time.
The break rejuvenated the Warriors, who came out firing in the second stanza with Watene-Zelezniak notching up his third try with a leaping effort in the 42nd minute.
Second-rower Teig Wilton propelled the Sharks one step closer to victory when he pounced on a grubber from hooker Blayke Brailey with half an hour remaining.
Interchange weapon Sifa Talakai, replacing the injured Ramien in the centres, iced an emphatic win with a blockbusting effort in the 63rd minute.
Erin Clark nabbed a late try for the Warriors to reduce the margin, but the Sharks came off the field to a rousing reception from more than 13,000 supporters.
Cronulla will chase a third straight win against the Roosters in Perth on Saturday.
