A try to Cronulla five-eighth Adam Dykes in the dying minutes gave the Sharks a nail-biting 28-24 victory over the New Zealand Warriors in rugby league's return to Perth on Saturday night.

In the first competition NRL match in Western Australia since 1999, the Sharks scored five tries to four to seal the points in front of 13,293 fans at Members Equity Stadium.

The Sharks shifted their home game to make some extra money but the move appeared to have backfired when the Warriors led 24-22 with less than five minutes remaining.

A superb solo effort from Dykes, who beat two tackles from 20m out and scooted over the try line, gave Cronulla victory.

The Warriors received a massive blow prior to kick-off, with halfback Stacey Jones failing a fitness test on his injured hamstring, replaced by Lance Hohaia in the starting side with Evarn Tuimavave going onto the bench.

Sharks prop Jason Stevens and winger Luke Covell both made the trip west on Saturday after representing City and Country respectively in Lismore on Friday night.

Stevens started on the bench, 115kg prop Hutch Maiava elevated to the starting side after his impressive performance in last week's upset win over the Storm in Melbourne.

The Warriors who made the better start, nearly capitalising on a horrible handling error from Sharks fullback David Peachey deep in his own half, one of four he would make for the night in a game he'd rather forget.

Cronulla held on but after 15 minutes New Zealand was the first team to register a try after a superb break from Clinton Toopi.

The Warriors centre beat two tackles down the right-hand touch line and found Wairangi Koopu on his inside and the big lock scooted away to score under the posts.

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