Cronulla have upset Melbourne 14-4 in one of the most dour affairs of the NRL season, marred by a massive penalty count.

The Sharks rattled the premiers from start to finish but the wash-up will centre on referees Matt Cecchin and Alan Shortall who blew 30 penalties.

On another three occasions Storm players were marched 10 metres for back-chat.

The game will place further scrutiny on NRL CEO Todd Greenberg and referees boss Bernie Sutton and their crackdown on infringements.

The game was a stop-start affair with the Storm failing to cross for a try despite the home side giving away 14 penalties.

Both sides were frustrated by persistent whistleblowing and referee Cecchin finally ran out of patience when he sin-binned Storm skipper Cameron Smith for dissent.

Smith was last year mockingly labelled “referee Cameron Smith” by Sharks coach Shane Flanagan and the 13,196-strong crowd was whipped into a frenzy when he was banished to the sheds for back chat.

Centre Will Chambers was also put on report for a grapple tackle late in the game.

The Sharks ran out winners after a try-less second half with three Chad Townsend penalty goals and a Joe Stimson penalty goal the only times the scoreboard attendant was bothered during the second stanza.

The Sharks went to half time up 8-2 despite having Luke Lewis sin-binned for 10 minutes midway through the first-half and being on the end of a 10-5 penalty count in the first 40.

The only try of the game came when Jesse Ramien showed incredible pace to get on the outside of Curtis Scott and Josh Addo-Carr and popped a flick pass for Edrick Lee.

The Sharks were without strike weapons Matt Moylan (knee) and Josh Dugan (leg) but showed strong defensive resolve to keep the Storm try-less and collect the win.