Super League premiers Leeds have admitted they will have to fight just to stay in the top division for next year after another defeat put paid to their hopes of making the finals.
And another competition heavyweight - St Helens - suffered the embarrassment of being booed off by their home fans after they lost 26-4 to Warrington, continuing their poor season.
But it is Leeds coach Brian McDermott who is feeling the most pressure after the Rhinos went down 24-12 to Catalans on Friday.
Leeds are now eight points adrift of eighth-placed Widnes, and McDermott has admitted his side's finals hopes are all but over.
"We all make plans at the start of the year and some of these plans are dashed. When you talk about what might happen I don't think anyone envisaged this, in anyone's wildest dreams," McDermott said.
"But you hope you're going to get something from it."
In the Super League, teams who miss the finals must enter a round-robin style playoff competition with the top four teams from the second-tier Championship league to determine who will play in the Super League next season.
St Helens are unlikely to miss the finals but their form will have to improve greatly from Friday's loss to Warrington if they hope to have a shot at the premiership.
Coach Keiron Cunningham has pledged to turn around the club's fortunes after being booed off by the home fans.
"It's disappointing but the fans pay their money and they are entitled to their opinion," Cunningham said. "They are just desperate for the team to do well.
"They've got to vent their frustrations somewhere but I don't take it personally, even though they are shouting about me.
"I understand where they are coming from. I am fighting as hard as they want us to fight and we will get there."
In Friday's other results, Castleford beat Huddersfield 30-22, Hull thrashed Widnes 30-10 and Wigan pipped Salford 23-20.
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