A Warriors team that keeps on finding ways to lose travels to Sydney to meet a Sharks team that also had a day to forget last weekend.
The Warriors led by 12 with 10 minutes remaining but couldn't hang on against the Dragons while the Sharks' recent run of form ended with a shock loss against Brisbane.
Despite their troubles in turning late leads into wins, the Warriors are still just two points adrift of the eighth-placed Sharks.
They won't want to be four behind heading into round 18.
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The rundown
Team news
Sharks: Siosifa Talakai will start in the second row after a late swap which sees Briton Nikora drop back to the interchange. Luke Metcalf has been named 18th man and Andrew Fifita is the final omission an hour before kick-off.
Will Chambers is out of Cronulla's side to face the Warriors on Sunday as he needs to quarantine after a trip to Victoria for the birth of his third child.
Connor Tracey switches to centre with Braydon Trindall coming into the starting side at five-eighth and winger Mawene Hiroti promoted to the interchange. Billy Magoulias joined Chambers in dropping out of the squad on Saturday.
Five-eighth Matt Moylan remains sidelined by a calf injury after missing the Brisbane loss on Sunday.
The Sharks have won seven of their past eight games against the Warriors.
Warriors: Prop Kane Evans has been omitted from the final 17 with Jack Murchie taking the prop's place on the interchange. Adam Pompey is the 18th man.
Taniela Otukolo and Edward Kosi were the first cuts from the 21-man squad on Saturday.
Reece Walsh (hamstring) and Matt Lodge headline a raft of changes with the rookie No.1 again pushing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to the wing.
Walsh and Kodi Nikorima both got through a full training session on Wednesday and are good to go for Sunday.
Jazz Tevaga has been promoted from the bench to replace lock Tohu Harris (shoulder) while fellow benchie Bayley Sironen swaps places with back-rower Ben Murdoch-Masila. Eliesa Katoa (shoulder/ankle) has been named in the second row despite failing to finish the loss to the Dragons.
Chad Townsend (shoulder) is out but Nikorima returns from an ankle injury and Sean O'Sullivan shifts into the No.7.
Rocco Berry has replaced Adam Pompey in the centres.
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Key match-up
Ronaldo Mulitalo v Dallin Watene-Zelezniak: If Mulitalo had things go his way, he'd be spending this week preparing for the final match of the Origin series.
Instead, he is readying himself for a date with the Warriors. DWZ looked pretty good in his Warriors debut last week.
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Stat attack
Of the Warriors' 10 losses this year, six have been by six points or less. If they'd gone 3-3 in those fixtures they'd be comfortably in the top eight.
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