LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Sharks have been knocked out of the finals race by the Storm, with Harry Grant scoring a hat-trick to mark his 100th NRL appearance in style.
The Melbourne team dominated Cronulla with a 37-10 victory at AAMI Park, piling on six tries and shutting out their opponents in the second half.
Cronulla now face a tough task to break a seven-match losing streak in finals as they prepare to host the winner of the Cowboys-Knights elimination final at Allianz Stadium.
Meanwhile, Melbourne is just one win away from the grand final and will enjoy a week off before facing either the Roosters or the winner of the Bulldogs-Sea Eagles clash.
Grant, the hooker for the Storm, Queensland Maroons, and Australian Kangaroos, will celebrate his milestone match in the preliminary final, hoping to lead his team to a premiership the following week.
Alongside his hat-trick, winger Will Warbrick scored two tries and Cameron Munster opened the scoring with a try just three tackles into the game.
It was a rough start for the Sharks as fullback Will Kennedy's error led to an early Storm try, setting the tone for the rest of the match.
Despite the disappointing result, Cronulla will now regroup and push for success in their next challenge on the road to redemption.