Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon vented his frustrations by punching a computer monitor in his box as poor results from the past month bubbled over during the team's match at CommBank Stadium yesterday.
Fitzgibbon has admitted Cronulla are "waiting for the semis" and playing "uptight" after a shock 38-18 loss to Parramatta ended their hopes of a top-four finish.
Making matters worse, the faltering Sharks risk losing Tom Hazelton (hip-drop tackle) and Mawene Hiroti (rib injury) with the finals less than a fortnight away.
Fitzbibbon, usually mild-mannered, was apologetic about his rogue behaviour.
"When everyone's livelihood's on the line and you're down 7-1 on penalties, yeah, you get frustrated. But I shouldn't have done it, to be fair," he said.
Cronulla sat a win clear inside the top four after round 22, but losses to St George Illawarra, Canberra and the Eels have now consigned them to finish the regular season either fifth or sixth, missing the double chance in the finals.
Fitzgibbon said the Sharks' recent struggles had "definitely" been mental, as the perennial contenders scramble to make the most of their potential at the business end.
"Let's be blunt, we're waiting for the semis and we're not playing what's in front of us," Fitzgibbon said.
"We're uptight because we're playing teams that have got nothing to lose and we've got everything on the line and we don't want to get it wrong.
"It creates an energy that we've got to address and we've been trying to, but we just haven't gotten over the top of that."
The Sharks will now be left to defy 30 years of history in pursuit of a second premiership. No team has won the grand final from lower than fourth since 1995.
Sunday's result confirms Penrith, the Warriors, Dolphins and Sydney Roosters as the top four for 2026, though the exact order will not be determined until next weekend.
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