Cronulla cemented their place in the NRL top four on Friday night with a 26-12 win over the Warriors, while the Auckland-based side's slim hopes of qualifying for their first finals since 2011 took a further hit.
As has been customary for much of 2017, repeated knock-ons and other errors brought the Warriors undone.
The Warriors outran the Sharks with the ball up front, but the defending premiers scored four tries to two to stay in the top four with five regular-season games remaining.
The Warriors will have to win their last five including tough matches against Canberra and Manly to have any chance of a top-eight finish.
Coach Stephen Kearney backed his process-driven approach, post-game, saying finals qualification was secondary to week-by-week improvement.
Yet his frustration with the side's simple errors was clear.
"The light's getting dimmer and dimmer, there's no doubt about that. But it's never been about that," Kearney said.
"It's been about improving from week to week, and the point I made to the group in the sheds afterwards is that's the most important part.
"We've got five games left. That's my focus for the players, my tip for them - to attach themselves to that process."
In a mostly tight first half, Ken Maumalo failed to judge a Sharks grubber kick and gave Kurt Capewell the easiest of tries after four minutes, before Mason Lino's 32nd-minute knock-on allowed Fa'amanu Brown to score.
The Sharks' first two tries - both against the run of play - sandwiched a juggling Solomone Kata intercept try in the 29th minute.
There was a brief Warriors second-half rally, with Lino putting Bodene Thompson over to get his side back to within two points.
Former Warrior Sosaia Feki went over in the 62nd minute, restoring the Sharks' eight-point buffer, before Jayson Bukuya capitalised on a Matt Prior line break to score the Sharks' fourth.
Both teams have injury concerns, with Thompson suffering a suspected torn pectoral and Brown taken off on a medicab after being knocked unconscious by a Sam Lisone high knee.
Lisone was placed on report.
"There's no doubt we're lacking a bit of confidence at the minute. I've got no doubt that's playing a bit of a part, a bit of anxiety," Kearney said.
"I've got to keep persevering and showing them the way, what's required."
Share
