The Sharks overcame history and the loss of star playmaker Nicho Hynes to break a six-year drought at Melbourne's AAMI Park with a 25-18 win over the Storm on Saturday night.
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The Storms loss ended a 14-game winning streak at AAMI Park.
After Hynes withdrew on game day with calf tightness, Daniel Atkinson and Blayke Brailey stepped up to guide the Sharks to an eighth win of the season.
The Sharks have now won six in a row and sit alone at the top of the Telstra Premiership heading into this weekends Magic Round clash against the Roosters who are also in top form.
It was Daniel Atkinson's field goal in the 74th minute that broke an 18-18 deadlock before a runaway try to Siosifa Talakai from the kick-off sealed the win.
Talakai was huge off the bench for the Sharks with 181 run metres in 32 minutes of game time.
Atkinson's calmly taken one-pointer put the Sharks back in front before Talakai scored straight from the restart after Ronaldo Mulitalo caught the kick-off and made 30 metres before putting the ball on a platter for Talakai to race away.
Atkinson converted to make it 25-18 and the hoodoo was broken even though the Storm had one last roll of the dice with three minutes to play when a high kick went up but the Storm winger couldn't control the catch and the Sharks hung on for their first win at AAMI Park since Round 22, 2018.
Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said it was a pleasing win.
"I thought they were on top of us in the first half so to hang in there and get close and keep it like that at half-time, then I thought we hit the ground running in the second half so it was really pleasing.
I thought we hit the ground running in the second half so it was really pleasing
- Coach Craig Fitzgibbon
"It was the stuff dreams are made of for Atko [Daniel Atkinson], he is everything as a team-mate you want.
"Turns up every day with a big smile on his face, the boys are so happy for him.
"To show the poise he did, to kick the ball the way he did, defend the way he did, take his chances and kick that field goal, that was a real big night for him."
Storm coach Craig Bellamy said at different stages it looked like the game was more important to the Sharks than it was to them.
"And usually when that happens you get away with the win, which they did."
The Sharks play the middle game of Saturday's triple-header against the Roosters in Brisbane.
John Veage
Thirty five year photographer for Fairfax -former NSW Chief Photographer for FCN and now Photo Journalist for the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader in southern Sydney.Official photographer for Cycling Australia (20 years) Official photographer for Surf Life Saving Australia (30 years) Founding Life Member of Cronulla Boardriders Club and Life Member of Surfing Sutherland Shire among other things.
Thirty five year photographer for Fairfax -former NSW Chief Photographer for FCN and now Photo Journalist for the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader in southern Sydney.Official photographer for Cycling Australia (20 years) Official photographer for Surf Life Saving Australia (30 years) Founding Life Member of Cronulla Boardriders Club and Life Member of Surfing Sutherland Shire among other things.
