NRL: Gold Coast blow minor premiership

Luke Covell of the Sharks is congratulated after scoring a try. Photo / Getty Images

Gold Coast have lost their chance of taking out the NRL minor premiership after being rolled 30-16 by Cronulla at Toyota Stadium tonight.

A win would have given the Titans some chance of edging St George Illawarra out for first place, but the JJ Giltinan Shield will now be claimed by either the Dragons or Wests Tigers.

The Sharks produced one of their best performances for the season to farewell retiring veterans Trent Barrett and Luke Covell from their home ground with a memorable victory.

Cronulla played skillful and tough football all night and have now all but avoided the humiliation of finishing last with North Queensland and the Melbourne Storm - who aren't competing for competition points, below them on the ladder.

The Sharks led 18-6 at halftime and were never headed, closing out the match with two late tries and some committed goal-line defence.

There was also attention on the video referee's box, with Bill Harrigan making his comeback match after being sacked for an incorrect decision two weeks ago.

However Harrigan didn't have to adjudicate a single try ruling all match.

Former Shark Greg Bird was strong for the Titans in his first match back in the shire, but Gold Coast halfback Scott Prince had an unusually off night, coming up with some loose passing and kicking options as his side's five match winning streak came to an end.

Cronulla halfback Tim Smith put his side in the box seat in the 57th minute when he put a kick through for himself and stretched the lead to 12 points.

Prop Luke Douglas then crashed over with 11 minutes remaining to put the result beyond doubt.

Prince threw a poor ball in just the seventh minute of the match which winger Covell took on the bounce, dashing 45 metres and fending off Prince to open the scoring - before fullback Nathan Gardner and Gallen also touched down.

Titans interchange Bodene Thompson scored two tries off kicks and his second in the 49th minute will go down as one of the team efforts of the season - with two kicks and seven sets of hands involved.

Jordan Atkins scored a late consolation try for the Titans and Covell kicked five from five for the Sharks.

CRONULLA 30 (L Covell L Douglas P Gallen N Gardner T Smith tries L Covell 5 goals) bt GOLD COAST 16 (B Thompson 2 J Atkins tries S Prince 2 goals) at Toyota Stadium. Referee: Chris James, Jason Robinson. Crowd: 10,116.

- AAP