Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon said it would be "unfair" to place the full extent of blame for their loss to the Dolphins on Nicho Hynes after halfback failed to send the game into extra time with a missed conversion attempt on the final siren.
Following an 80th minute try to bring the Sharks within two points at the close, the Dolphins were handed the 30-28 win when Hynes' kick sailed wide of the right goal post.
After a strong year with the tee, the error plunged Cronulla to their fourth loss of the season and second at home.
Speaking post-match, Fitzgibbon pointed much of the finger at a 22 point deficit conceded by the 25th minute.
The Dolphins ran in for three tries before the home side responded with their first points 11 minutes out from the break.
"(We) just looked numb in defence there to start the game, and then got ourselves to a point where it was looking awful, and then did something about it," the Sharks coach said.
A second Sharks try cut the margin to 10 points by halftime, before Will Kennedy got his side's noses in front to cap off a stronger start to the second half.
"I was really pleased with the second half. And then we just had one moment with Hammer, game over," Fitzgibbon said.
Queensland Origin star Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow pinched the lead back with a 95-metre try of the year contender beating nine defenders after swallowing a high-ball from Hynes mid-way through the half.
The Hammer scores one of the tries of the season! 🔨#NRLSharksDolphins pic.twitter.com/RKxMSZMw7J
— NRL (@NRL) June 13, 2024
"We obviously prepare for players like Hammer and such a job you need to do on it, in broken field, etc. We paid the price for that last kick to the middle, broken line chase, and opened it up," Fitzgibbon said.
"I thought Brayden (Trindall) could have made a play and gone and got him, but if you don't get him, that's what happens. There was plenty of other players coming behind that could have got him as well," he later added.
It left the Sharks with eight points to claw back in the final 20 minutes of play.
Hynes' kicking error confirmed the after the clock ticked down to zero.
The Origin half was already under pressure to retain his spot after an ordinary in-play kicking performance in the series opener a week earlier.
"It'll get exacerbated, because it's him," Fitzgibbon said of Hynes after a strong start to the year with the boot.
"He prides himself (on it), he's been working really hard on it….and his numbers have been terrific all year.
"I think it's unfair to put it on a goal kick when we give up 22 points in the first half. The answer is probably lying in our defensive line in the first half.
"He's like everyone else is just just as disappointed…he has to wear it because he's the kicker, but I think he'll be okay."
