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While the majority of Melbourne’s players were recruited from the defunct Western Reds and Hunter Mariners franchises, they were also boosted by several strategic signings, in particular Tawera Nikau, who had become a crowd favourite during his three years at Cronulla.
Sure enough, the Kiwi back-rower returned to Shark Park in round three of the 1998 season and helped the Storm to a 26-18 win in the first meeting between the two sides.
1999: Grand larceny
After waiting with their porch lights on for 32 years, Shire residents dared to dream of their first grand final triumph in 1999.
The Sharks finished the regular season with the minor premiership and then thrashed Brisbane in the opening round of the play-offs. All was looking good until they crashed out in the preliminary final with a shattering loss to St George Illawarra.
Melbourne, meanwhile, timed their run to perfection by beating the Dragons in the decider to win a premiership in their second season.
2002: Chris crosses over
After launching the Storm juggernaut and winning the title within two years, coach Chris Anderson appeared to have a job for life.
Cronulla coach Chris Anderson and halfback Brett Kimmorley.Credit: Craig Golding
But just seven games into the 2001 season, the veteran tactician resigned, citing “irreconcilable differences” with Melbourne’s management.
But the 49-year-old was far from done with coaching, and it didn’t take long for Cronulla to appoint him for the following season. One of the first moves Anderson made was to recruit Brett Kimmorley - the playmaker who won the Clive Churchill Medal for his grand final heroics with Melbourne in 1999.
Kimmorley steered the Sharks to a 30-24 victory against his former Storm teammates in round two, in what presumably was one of the sweeter wins of Anderson’s coaching career.
2003: Bellamy’s baptism of fire
When the Storm arrived at Shark Park for round one of the 2003 season, all eyes were on their new coach, Craig Bellamy.
It wasn’t looking good early for the former Brisbane assistant.
Craig Bellamy’s first game as Melbourne coach was against Cronulla.Credit: Ray Kennedy
“After 20 minutes we were down 22-0 ... I expected at half-time [Storm chief executive] John Ribot to have a one-way ticket back to Brisbane for me,” Bellamy recalled years later.
Fortunately for the rookie tactician, his team fought back to save his blushes, winning 36-32 after a try on debut from a young winger called Billy Slater.
2008: Double trouble
Pick on someone your own size. Sharks prop Ben Ross received that message loud and clear after collecting Storm halfback Cooper Cronk with a stray elbow to the head in a 2008 clash at Olympic Park.
Cronulla’s Ben Ross is sent off in 2008 for elbowing Cooper Cronk.Credit: Getty Images
Ross was immediately handed some rough justice after Storm prop Brett White knocked him out with a flurry of punches.
When Ross had regained his faculties, both players were sent off. Ross copped a seven-week suspension, White four games on the sidelines.
The Sharks won 17-16 after a Kimmorley field goal.
2016: Shire pandemonium
Melbourne lost only five games on their way to the 2016 minor premiership and advanced to the grand final withwins against North Queensland and Canberra.
Paul Gallen hoists the premiership trophy aloft in 2016.Credit: Getty Images
They were hot favourites to win the decider, having dominated rival teams all season.
But the Sharks had waited 49 years for their date with destiny, and warriors like Paul Gallen, Andrew Fifita, Luke Lewis and Michael Ennis gave them the capacity to match fire with fire.
A thrilling 14-12 victory delivered Cronulla’s first premiership trophy.
2017: Where there’s a Will
Will Chambers had a way of getting under the skin of his opponents.Credit: Getty Images
Will Chambers was one of rugby league’s most notorious trash-talkers, and he gave it to Cronulla with both barrels in their first meeting after the 2016 grand final.
The Queensland and Kangaroos centre allegedly sledged the Sharks for being “drug cheats”, in reference to the 2014 peptides scandal that resulted in a host of players accepting backdated suspensions.
Cronulla skipper Paul Gallen returned serve by labelling the Storm “salary cap cheats”, after the funding scandal that resulted in Melbourne being stripped of their 2007 and 2009 premierships.
2017: Mind your manners
Coaches Shane Flanagan (Cronulla) and Craig Bellamy (Melbourne) are renowned competitors, and eventually, tension started to overflow during their press conferences.
“They were at their best wrestle, Melbourne Storm today,” Flanagan said after an 18-13 loss at Shark Park.
Craig Bellamy bristles whenever Melbourne are accused of dubious tactics.Credit: Getty Images
“It was slow, it was frustrating. Referee [Cameron] Smith did a good job ... he knows how to flaunt the rules, push the referees or whatever it is. He’s the best at it, and he showed tonight he had one of those games.”
As far as Bellamy was concerned, the Sharks gave as good as they got.
“I think most other clubs in the competition would be sitting back laughing at that, saying that we’re the grubs, and we do this, and we do that,” Bellamy said.
“If they’re trying to make it that they’re holier-than-thou, the squeaky-clean Sharks, well then we all know better than that.”
2018: Not guilty as charged
It would have been a terrible way for an illustrious career to finish.
Billy Slater faces the media after the judiciary cleared him to play in the 2018 grand final.Credit: NRL Photos
After Melbourne beat Cronulla 22-6 in the preliminary final to qualify for the 2018 decider, champion Storm fullback Billy Slater was cited for an alleged shoulder charge on Sharks winger Sosaia Feki.
Sharks fans were shocked when Slater, who had already announced he was retiring at season’s end, was cleared at the judiciary hearing.
Melbourne were outgunned 21-6 by the Roosters in the grand final.
2022: Storm stars jump ship
Incoming Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon delivered two body blows to Melbourne leading into the 2022 season, signing veteran forward Dale Finucane and young playmaker Nicho Hynes.
Dale Finucane and Nicho Hynes were key signings for Cronulla.Credit: Getty Images
Finucane was a warhorse for the Sharks for the next two-and-a-bit seasons, before being forced to retire after a spate of concussions.
Hynes has since proven to be one of Cronulla’s best-ever signings, winning the Dally M gold medal in his first season and representing both NSW and Australia.
Hynes remains close to his former Melbourne teammates, but rhe will be ruthlessly plotting their downfall on Friday night, and vice versa.
