Coach Craig Fitzgibbon has delivered Cronulla an almighty spray after watching his side's top-two finals hopes suffer a huge setback in a shock 24-16 loss to St George Illawarra.
Fitzgibbon was at a loss to explain how the Sharks' five-match winning streak could come to a shuddering end at the hands of the NRL's wooden spoon-bound cellar dwellers on Sunday.
"We just got out-performed, out-worked and it was more important to them today than us - and that hurts," Fitzgibbon said.
"That hurts as like the fabric of a man and as a club, it hurts. Really hurts.
"So we need to do something about it. Maybe it's time to wake up as well, I don't know."
With 11 wins from their previous 12 derby encounters, the Sharks had been odds-on to edge to within two competition points of table-topping Penrith and the second-placed Sydney Roosters.
Instead, the Dragons pulled off the ultimate ambush at Kogarah and consigned Cronulla to a horror afternoon.
Sharks enforcer Addin Fonua-Blake faces a possible suspension four weeks out from the finals after being placed on report for a suspected shoulder charge on forward Hamish Stewart, while classy centre Jesse Ramien suffered a potentially serious pectoral injury.
Nicho Hynes' quest to eclipse Hazem El Masri with the most consecutive goals also went up in smoke.
There was no sign of a Dragons upset early.
Hynes set up the opening try but may have sabotaged himself in the process, his long ball putting Sione Katoa over only metres inside the right touch line.
The Sharks No.7 hooked his conversion attempt, leaving him having to settle with a share of the equal-second longest goalkicking streak alongside fellow former Dally M Medallist Nathan Cleary.
The record opportunity lost, there was a noticeable disappointment amongst Cronulla fans and the lull spread to the players as the Dragons proceeded to dominate much of the first half.
Tries to Valentine Holmes and Stewart had the home team up 12-4 before the Sharks replied with a much-needed second four-pointer before halftime to back-rower Billy Burns.
Cronulla piled on 28 unanswered second-half points after trailing the Dragons 12-6 in round 14.
But they did it much tougher this time around, with fleet-footed Tyrell Sloan crossing first in the second half on Sunday to leave the visitors chasing the game.
The Sharks eventually levelled through Ramien, only for the centre to concede a soft penalty to allow St George Illawarra to regain a two-point buffer with 18 minutes remaining.
Cronulla's chances nosedived when Fonua-Blake's sin-binning left them a man down for 10 of the last 13 minutes.
Setu Tu sealed victory with the Dragons' fourth try four minutes from fulltime, leaving the Sharks needing to win their remaining four games and hope the Panthers, Roosters and Warriors all stumble to have any hope of hosting a first-week final.
But Fitzgibbon at least found one silver lining ahead of next Saturday's hosting of the Raiders.
"Next week will be easier than if we'd have won today," he said.
"Next week will be a different challenge because Canberra are playing really well. They're a good side with plenty of talent, but the damage that today did will make next week easier than if we won.
"That's all I say."
