Will Kennedy remains atop the Dally M leaderboard after round 8 after earning points for a third straight match, and holding off pursuing Tiger Terrell May, in the Sharks' golden point loss at Leichhardt on Sunday.
Kennedy, 28, claimed three Dally M points after the extra-time heartbreak headlined by soon-to-go Wests half Lachlan Galvin's return to the home side's line up.
The Tigers claimed their fourth win of an increasingly positive season over a premiership fancy with a penalty goal in the 88th minute.
Sam Stonestreet only had to find the line on the right side from metres out to give the Sharks a buffer the 71st minute, before Indigenous All Star Brent Naden forced him into touch to keep the Tigers level at 18-all.
Nicho Hynes hit the upright after launching a drop goal from 48 metres in the 77th minute of play, before his second attempt in the opening exchanges of extra time was charged down within the long-list of Wests' game-saving moments in defence.
Cronulla half Braydon Trindall had two attempts in front of goal to get the visitors over the line, but couldn't close the match.
Despite his side falling short, Kennedy kept his hands on top spot on the Dally M leaderboard after scoring for the third consecutive week and running for a personal season-high 215 metres with five tackle busts in the 89-minute effort.
In some career-best form, Kennedy has polled in each bar two of the Sharks' opening eight games of the season.
He sat in third after earning six Dally M points in a 36-12 win over the Cowboys at Townsville in round two, before two more maximum collections in consecutive successes over Sea Eagles and Knights in recent weeks.
Kennedy jumped into lead position after an influential outing against Newcastle last weekend.
Ahead of the round seven match last week, Sharks teammates were keen to sing their praises for the fullback.
"It doesn't get lost on us big boys when we see our fullback catching the ball like that and racing up the field. He does the stuff no one really wants to do - those tough carries, he's, they're saving tries. He's definitely up there," front rower Addin Fonua-Blake told media last week.
Siosifa Talakai added Kennedy has grown to put his full potential on show.
"On any given day, Will, with his confidence at its utmost peak, I don't see any other fullback touching him," he said, "it's scary".
Tigers prop and Samoan international Terrell May took five points from Sunday's match to jump into second on the Dally M leaderboard and trail Kennedy by two points with 23 from his start to the season.
May, 25, registered points in each of the opening four rounds of the season before big hauls in rounds six and eight.
Polling goes behind closed doors from round 13 of the NRL season.
Kennedy's Cronulla open the NRL's Magic Round in Brisbane against the Eels on Friday night.
