Nicho Hynes believes Cronulla are good enough to make the NRL top four as the race heats up in the final weeks of the season.
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See subscription optionsThe depleted Warriors' loss to struggling Gold Coast last week raised alarm bells for the Kiwi side, who could drop from fourth spot with two losses across their final six games of the regular season.
Four-time reigning premiers Penrith and sixth-placed Brisbane are both poised for a late charge, but the seventh-placed Sharks may be better-placed for the potential vacancy.
Across the final six weeks of the campaign, Cronulla play only one team that are currently in the top eight: a Canterbury (34 points) side that may rest players in the final round before finals.
The Panthers (27) are one competition point ahead of the Sharks, but need to play three of the current top four, while the Broncos, on level points with Cronulla, twice face premiership favourites Melbourne (32).
Craig Fitzgibbon's men are the only side of that trio that have a bye in the final six weeks and also do not need to leave Sydney, with three of their final five games to be played at Sharks Stadium.
Ahead of Sunday's clash with 11th-placed North Queensland, halfback Hynes said Cronulla were capable of snatching a top-four berth at the 11th hour.
"We set out a goal at the beginning of the season about top four and I feel like we are a top-four team when we're at our best. That's always in our sights," he said.
"(But) we're not looking any further than the Cowboys this weekend, they're playing for their season.
"They're going to be hungry and they're going to come down here with a bit of a revenge energy after we beat them up there earlier in the year."
The Sharks are on a three-game winning streak but raised eyebrows by only squeaking out a two-point victory over struggling South Sydney last week.
Hynes found positives in the 14-12 grind.
"Anyone can win in this competition and it's really important to win in every kind of way you can," he said.
"You need to keep turning up for each other and we did that."
Cronulla were joined at training on Thursday by Australian basketballer Tyrese Proctor, who was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Draft last month.
Raised in the Sutherland Shire, Proctor is a life-long Sharks fan and swapped stories with the players after their wet field session.
"To go onto the biggest stage in his chosen area is huge," Hynes said of Proctor.
"It's starting to show that Australia's here and we're serious about our sport."
Australian Associated Press
