The Newcastle Knights did the NZ Warriors a massive favour by pummeling the eighth-placed Cronulla Sharks 38-10 on Friday night.
The loss means the Warriors now have the chance to get within two points of the NRL playoffs positions if they can beat the Parramatta Eels on Sunday, with three rounds remaining ahead of the finals.
The Warriors then face the Sharks in a blockbuster clash on September 13, and the winner of that match will be the favourite to claim the final playoffs spot, although Cronulla have a superior points differential in their favour.
And the Sharks could be without some big names for the highly-anticipated clash against the Warriors after Chad Townsend was sent off for a shoulder charge on Kalyn Ponga, while Wade Graham, Toby Rudolf and Braden Hamlin-Uele were put on report for lifting tackles.
The Sharks were no match for the rampant Knights - who suffered their biggest defeat of the season last weekend to the Warriors - as Ponga scored three of Newcastle's seven tries.
Sharks coach John Morris acknowledges his side will need to be better if they're going to beat the resurgent Warriors next weekend.
"I didn't think I'd be in the position to apologise to our fans but I have to after that," he said after their loss to the Knights.
"It was so far outside the standards of what we set ourselves at the club.
"We've been known for gritty and tough performances and we just didn't turn up tonight with the right attitude and we absolutely got our pants pulled down.
"We're still in the eight but certainly after that games like that, we don't deserve to be. Blokes have got to have a real good hard look at themselves."
The Sharks then face crucial encounters with last year's grand finalists the Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders to round out their run home, while the Warriors have the Raiders and the Manly Sea Eagles.
Meanwhile, the Melbourne Storm confirmed their sport in the NRL finals after a come-from-behind 22-16 win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
The Bunnies led 14-6 in the first half, but a second-half surge from the Storm saw them stamp their mark on second place in the standings.
Join us for live updates of the Warriors v Eels NRL clash from Sunday 6pm
