Somehow, in the space of two years, the Sharks have turned their fortunes around and are now flying high on top of the ladder.

The crowds at Pepper Stadium are used to cheering for Panthers, but a real black cat stole the show on Sunday afternoon.

The Cronulla Sharks cruised to their 13th consecutive win of the season to put the minor premiership firmly in their sights after cruising to a 16-point win over a hapless Penrith Panthers.

His 80-minute performance at prop for NSW in game two in 2011 is viewed with suspicion. It sums up the conundrum of Paul Gallen.

With his side decimated by the representative period talent drain, Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan is expected to hand Ben Barba his creative licence against Penrith this weekend.

The Sharks have now set a new club record for consecutive victories, rallying from 18-0 down to score an impressive 34-24 win over Parramatta.

It's on the brink of becoming a mathematical impossibility, but Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has refused to concede the Eels' finals hopes are over.

This should be Shane Flanagan's moment to walk in, shoulders back, chest out and explain how a club the butt of many jokes is on the cusp of achieving something it's never done in 50 years of trying. But then there is Parramatta.

Andrew Fifita has thrown his support behind Semi Radradra – and wants to have a look at his own rugby union options at the end of his contract with the Sharks.

​NSW skipper Paul Gallen concedes he's no certainty to receive a State of Origin farewell and will seek out Phil Gould privately to bury the hatchet.

Ladder leaders Cronulla have equalled their club's all-time winning streak with a controversial 19-18 golden-point NRL win over the Warriors at Shark Park.

​Phil Gould's criticism of NSW State of Origin captain Paul Gallen has become personal, according to Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan.

Michael Ennis thinks Wade Graham's reaction to being rubbed out of last night's second State of Origin is evidence as to why he could be a potential leader of Cronulla and NSW.

Jack Bird will be laughing all the way to the bank after he triggers a $100,000 payday when he makes his State of Origin debut on Wednesday night.

Warriors coach Andrew McFadden will be sweating on the fitness of Thomas Leuluai ahead of Saturday's match against the top-of-the-table Sharks.

The NSW Blues medical staff have been urgently trying to gain a prescription for the drug required to treat Jack Bird's rheumatoid arthritis and ensure he is fit to make his Origin debut on Wednesday night.

"Dad, I don't care about football. I just want this pain to go. I just want to live a normal life". And with those words, Mick Bird's world crumbled around him.

Andrew Fifita admits there was a time in NSW camp when he didn't fit in because his relaxed attitude and larger than life personality rubbed his teammates up the wrong way.

Tyson Frizell left Cronulla to step out of Wade Graham's shadow, and now the spotlight is firmly his.