Sharks bring their fans back to earth

It was an inspirational performance by Tigers captain Api Koroisau who helped deliver the first win under new coach Benji Marshall, producing two try assists and five tackle breaks, while running 106 metres from dummy half and making 42 tackles before coming from the field early.

The Sharks meanwhile face a nervous wait ahead of Round 4 this weekend after three key middle forwards suffered injuries in the heavy loss to the Wests Tigers.

Prop Royce Hunt didn't even get on the field after injuring his calf while warming up on the sideline, while Dale Finucane suffered a significant head wound and was unable to return. Prop Toby Rudolf was in a moonboot after injuring his ankle and also failed to finish.

Cronulla captain Cameron McInnes was also placed on report for a high tackle.

Cheered on by a crowd of 15,990, the Tigers scored 32 unanswered points to deliver Cronulla's first loss of the season in a triumph built on scrambling defence and relentless offloading in attack.

The Sharks finished the match with just one player on the interchange but they were unable to match the enthusiasm and desperation of the young Tigers, led by fullback Jahream Bula and five-eighth Lachlan Galvin.

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said the Sharks got out enthused,

"They were great and we were not.

"They just kept a real simple style. That's what we've been doing to teams the last couple of weeks and we lost that battle," he said

"I was pretty pleased with how we got into the game at the start but when two teams are just going head to head you can't be the one that keeps turning the ball over and searching for points and searching for a feeling.

"We just had to knuckle down and we didn't do that."

The Sharks now face the Raiders at home on Sunday night at 6.15- both teams have had two wins and a loss but the Raiders sit in third and the Sharks in tenth position on the NRL ladder.

Meanwhile the juniors are getting to the end of their season with varying fortunes.

While Cronulla's Lisa Fiaola and Tarsha Gale women's teams were beaten by the Knights, the Harold Matthews and SG Ball Sharks enjoyed Round 8 success with a win and remarkable draw against the Warriors in NZ.

The Harold Matthews piled on seven tries in a 40-10 victory that has likely sealed a finals spot heading into the last round and the SG Ball are sitting in eighth - the under-19 men can still qualify for the playoffs if they beat the table-topping Roosters this weekend and other results go their way.

Lisa Fiaola coach Robbie Taylor lamented his team's error count but, but commended their progress this season and Tarsha Gale coach Isaac Michael pinpointed a slow start to the second half as the downfall for his under-19 team. It's an area they'll need to address quickly having already booked a spot in the finals.