Sharks fall to Storm in qualifying final

A Harry Grant hat-trick helped ensured that the Storm captain's 100th NRL appearance would be in a grand final qualifier after demolishing Cronulla 37-10 at AAMI Park.

The Storm piled on six tries and produced a second half shutout to leave Cronulla seeking to end a seven-match losing streak in finals when they host the winner of tonight's Cowboys-Knights elimination final at Allianz Stadium. 

Melbourne are now one win away from a grand final and will have a week off before taking on the winner of next weekend's clash between Sydney Roosters and the winner of Sunday's Bulldogs-Sea Eagles match at AAMI Park.

Grant, the Storm, Maroons and Kangaroos hooker, will celebrate his 100th match in the preliminary final and is hoping to lead the club to a premiership a week later.

Grant scored three tries, while winger Will Warbrick finished with two and five-eighth Cameron Munster crossed for the opening try.

The Sharks got off to the worst possible start after fullback Will Kennedy fumbled the kick-off in his own in-goal and Munster scored for the Storm on just the third tackle of the game.

However, Cronulla hit back in the 13th minute after Nicho Hynes combined with Siosifa Talakai, who stood in the tackle of Munster and Xavier Coates, and threw an underarm pass for winger Sione Katoa to score in the corner. 

Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes was caught in possession on the last tackle inside his own half and Will Warbrick scored a 27th minute try from a Nick Meaney flick pass in the ensuing set after the handover.

A Meaney penalty goal extended Melbourne's lead to 14-4 in the 30th minute but Cronulla playmaker Braydon Trindall gave his side a boost when he put strike second-rower Briton Nikora over for a try on the last tackle of the first half.

The Storm extended their lead to 10 points again when Harry Grant passed to prop Josh King near the Cronulla line and ran behind him to receive an offload and score in the 52nd minute.

A perfectly placed Jahrome Hughes cross-field kick for Warbrick delivered the former New Zealand Rugby 7s star's second try in the 63rd minute and the Kiwis playmaker laid on another try with his boot to ensure a week off for the Storm.

On this occasion, Melbourne second-rower Elisia Katoa caught the kick by Hughes and passed to Grant who strolled over for his second try to book a preliminary finals berth in two weeks.

Grant capped the win with his third try in the 78th minute and Ryan Papenhuyzen added a final nail in the coffin for the Sharks with a long-range field goal to complete a 25-0 scoreline in the second half.