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The Wests Tigers have clawed their way to a second NRLW win, shocking the Sharks at home and leaving Cronulla reeling in their own waters
Cronulla's NRLW finals hopes are sinking fast after a shock 12-10 loss to the Wests Tigers at Shark Park.
Sharks coach Tony Herman said it's not the position he wanted to be in.
"We're in this position because we put ourselves there," he said.
"We have just got to dust ourselves off and see how the weekend unfolds."
Cronulla are still sitting in third despite the loss but will be keeping a close eye on the Eels and the Knights who both have a chance of knocking the Sharks out of the finals altogether.
It was a dramatic opening to the final round of the NRLW with Cronulla playing 20 minutes of the match with a player down after two sin-bins for dangerous contact.
Sharks prop Holli Wheeler was sent packing in the first 10 minutes after a shoulder charge on prop Sarah Togatuki, booking a date with the judiciary and the possibility of a one-match suspension.
The Tigers scored off the back of Wheeler's sin bin with winger Claudia Nielsen going over out wide, with a Losana Latu conversion putting the visitors in front 6-0.
Tigers coach Brett Kimmorley credits the win to the club's strong start.
"They worked really hard, got a performance and got a victory," he said.
"An amazing victory and I am really proud of the ladies."
Cronulla were not without their chances but a rush to get under the sticks cost them, with both Emma Tonegato and Brooke Anderson failing to ground the ball properly in goal.
But it was Sharks hooker Quincy Dodd who caught the Tigers' defence on the back foot, scoring off her own line break for Cronulla's first points, with a Tayla Preston coversion locking it up 6-6 at halftime.
The home side came out firing after the break but a dangerous high tackle on halfback Losana Lutu saw Talei Holmes the next Shark binned and placed on report.
Cronulla captain Tiana Penitani said a lack of discipline led to their downfall.
"We put ourselves on the back foot, discipline really got away from us," she said.
"We were frantic in defence and we weren't able to keep the pressure on."
Despite being a player down, a line break down the left saw Penitani score in the corner and give Cronulla the lead for the first time.
But the Tigers managed to claw their way back, taking advantage of three back-to-back penalties as second-rower Brooke Talataina crossed from close range and Pauline Piliae-Rasabale converted for a 12-10 advantage.
Kimmorley said he was proud of his squad despite finishing last on the table.
"It's nice to have gotten the reward, get some good things at the end of the year," he said.
"Finish the break now and have an off season and just work really hard."
Despite winning their last two games, the Wests Tigers are still expected to pick up the wooden spoon unless the Broncos demolish St George on Saturday.
It will be a long weekend for Cronulla who will be watching the rest of the round closely, hoping that the Roosters can keep the Eels out of the top four and North Queensland can cause an upset against Newcastle.
