Finals heat ramps up on Sharks after Storm damage

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Finals heat ramps up on Sharks after Storm damage

Cronulla captain Cam McInnes insists the Sharks will not be disheartened by a qualifying final smashing as the spotlight intensifies on their poor finals record.

Since winning the 2016 premiership, Cronulla have won just one finals game – back in 2018 – despite missing the post-season just once in that *******.

A 37-10 mauling at the hands of minor premiers Melbourne on Saturday was the Sharks’ seventh-straight defeat in finals.

Cronulla will host the winner of the North Queensland-Newcastle elimination final next week, trying to avoid a straight-sets exit for the second time in three seasons.

“Not hard at all,” McInnes said when asked if it would be hard to back up after the thumping from the Storm.

“There’s a massive opportunity ahead of us.

“Obviously you want to win (week one) and go the shorter route there (to a preliminary final)

“(Other) teams would ***** to be here so there’s no complacency or no negative energy.”

After beating Melbourne at AAMI Park in round 10 this year, Cronulla gave themselves a shot at another upset at the same ground when they went into halftime down only 14-10.

But the Storm ran riot after that, putting behind them a horror end to the first-half by stacking on 23 unanswered points to advance to a preliminary final.

Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon conceded the performance would do little to quieten external noise around the club.

“Respect’s earnt. It’s not a gift. No one gives it to you,” Fitzgibbon said.

“All we’ve earnt was an opportunity to be in the top four. That’s the only respect we’ve earned.

“The most disappointing thing was I thought we were getting back into (the match), I thought we really starting to go for it and little details come apart.

“It was always going to be a challenge coming here against them and the way they’re playing, and the situation we’re in … we made it probably a little bit ******* than it needed to be.”

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