Cronulla are poised to start the NRL finals as the most in-form defensive team in 14 years, with their late-season resistance placing them firmly in the premiership zone.
The Sharks will enter the final round needing a win over Newcastle to wrap up a top-two spot and home final, their best finish since the 2016 premiership.
Much has been made over Cronulla's draw this year, with less matches against top-eight opponents than any other finalists.
But ultimately, their numbers and form stack up.
The Sharks have a 10-1 record since the halfway point of the season in round 12, well above any other team.
They have also conceded just 11.45 points per game in that time, conceding no more than 20 in one match.
That figure makes them the first side to concede less than 12 points a game over the second half of the regular season since Melbourne in 2008, while the Sharks are also well ahead of this year's rivals.
"People question you, have you played enough of the top eight teams? But for us it's irrelevant," retiring prop Aiden Tolman told AAP.
"The one thing that we have really focused on in the past three months is our defence.
"That's showed. The game on the weekend was scrappy, but we still kept the Bulldogs to zero.
"Across the last 15 years, the top defensive teams are the ones that win competitions. That's something that we're really focused on."
Cronulla's move towards defence is no surprise when considered that first-year coach Craig Fitzgibbon headed up the department at the Sydney Roosters in recent years.
And history also shows that the defensive category proves vital.
The last six premiers have all been in the top-two defensive teams over the second half of the season.
And in the last four years, the grand final has always been played between two of the top three defensive sides.
"Since day one of Fitzy getting here, defence has been the focus," lock Cameron McInnes said.
"It's just learning systems and trusting combinations, sometimes that can take a while.
"We demand it of each other as players and it's definitely come a long way this year."
Something that came as no surprise to Sharks players.
"Defence is probably the area he knows most," Tolman said.
"He took the Roosters from strength to strength and he's really bought that same here.
"He's instilled a great attitude here and a great commitment towards our defence.
"Over the last few months, I think defensively we've really turned a corner.
"Until then we were winning games but we were just out-scoring teams. Now we've got our style."
NRL CONTENDERS SINCE ROUND 13
Cronulla: Won 10, Lost 1, Scored 275, Conceded 126
Penrith: Won 9, Lost 2, Scored 284, Conceded 164
South Sydney: Won 8, Lost 3, Scored 308, Conceded 195
North Queensland: Won 8, Lost 3, Scored 308, Conceded 200
Canberra: Won 8, Lost 3, Scored 258, Conceded 200
Sydney Roosters: Won 7, Lost 4, Scored 340, Conceded 202
Parramatta: Won 7, Lost 4, Scored 277, Conceded 222
Melbourne: Won 6, Lost 5, Scored 268, Conceded 202
Brisbane: Won 5, Lost 6, Scored 234, Conceded 323
