NRL: Smith stars as Sharks down Storm

Todd Carney, Andrew Fifita of the Sharks and team mates celebrate winning the round 10 NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Melbourne Storm. Photo / Getty Images.

Cronulla's stand-in captain Jeremy Smith was the hero as Melbourne suffered their first loss of the NRL season in a dramatic 12-10 Sharks' victory today.

In an incredibly tense match Melbourne star Billy Slater was sent to the sin bin in the 55th minute for a professional foul similar to the incident that put him in the bin while playing for Australia recently.

He was ruled to have taken out Sharks halfback Jeff Robson in the in-goal as the No.7 chased his own kick.

The Sharks were unable to capitalise on their advantage before Smith sent the home crowd into a frenzy soon after Slater's return to the field.

Trailing 10-6 with nine minutes remaining, Smith went from dummy-half on the last tackle and barged over to score out wide with Todd Carney converting to put the Sharks in front for the first time in the match.

As expected captain Paul Gallen didn't take his place in the side due to the knee injury he suffered in last weekend's loss to South Sydney.

The Sharks were boosted by having coach Shane Flanagan back in the box just five days after his operation for a twisted bowel.

Cronulla did well to go into the break 10-6 down when they repelled Melbourne time and again late in the opening 40 minutes.

Melbourne opened the scoring in the 13th minute through centre Dane Nielsen when he pounced on a dropped ball from winger Isaac Gordon, who spilled a towering Cooper Cronk bomb.

Gordon went from villain to hero within three minutes when he crashed over in the right corner after a neat backline move, with Carney bringing in fullback Matthew Wright who stretched the Storm defence before finding his winger.

The Storm hit the lead for the second time when winger Matt Duffie dived over in the left corner after a well-worked backline move.

-AAP