The Warriors have slumped to their third straight loss and are in real danger of missing out on the top eight yet again after going down 18-14 to the Sharks in Auckland on Saturday.

After leading 10-0 at halftime, the hosts allowed Cronulla to grasp the momentum over the second 40 minutes and ending up producing yet another disappointing performance in 2015.

It would be all too easy to blame the loss of halfback Shaun Johnson for the season with an ankle injury on this defeat, but the reality is that their problems lie far deeper.

Getty Images Warriors players look on after the final whistle is blown in their 18-14 loss to the Sharks at Mt Smart Stadium.

The forwards are unable to keep the opposition's defence under pressure, while there are still too many errors.

The Warriors have not reached the NRL playoffs since 2011, when they were beaten in the grand final.

It has been a season where they have showed much promise, but are so far failing to deliver at the pointy end of the year.

Yes, the loss of Johnson is significant, but so too have been injuries to Ryan Hoffman, Bodene Thompson, Ben Henry and Thomas Leuluai. Ultimately, that's what's costing them.

The Sharks are far from being the most exciting team to watch this season, but they have that knack of being able to turn games into gritty battles.

All the talk in the build up to this contest was about how Tuimoala Lolohea would cope filling Johnson's shoes, and he showed that he has all the credentials to excel at NRL level.

In the fifth minute, Chad Townsend put up a bomb towards the right edge, Manu Vatuvei flicked it back and Konrad Hurrell grounded the ball.

At the time it looked like this was going to be the beginning of a thrilling spectacle. It wasn't.

While that was a good start from Townsend, he threw a dreadful pass to his new halves partner in the 11th minute which ended a Warriors attack.

Eight minutes before the break winger Ken Maumalo thought he'd scored the Warriors' second try, but there was a knock on and it was ruled out.

However, five minutes later Simon Mannering registered his first try of the year and gave the Warriors the reward they deserved for dominating the half, stretching out to ground a grubber kick from Siliva Havili.

Early in the second half the Sharks finally got on the board, with Valentine Holmes scoring in the corner. The young winger received the final pass from Jack Bird after Sam Tagataese opened up the defence.

In the 49th minute, Lolohea's penalty gave the Warriors a 12-6 lead, but Holmes scored a sensational solo try in the 54th minute.

Vatuvei made a poor decision not covering Holmes when he was outside Gerard Beale and when the ball went to Holmes he chipped and gathered to score.

Another Lolohea penalty in the 68th minute made it a 14-12 game, but the Sharks hit the front for the first time when centre Ricky Leutele darted through a small gap on the right edge for his fifth try of the year.

The Warriors thought they had got out of jail in the last minute when Mannering made another burst through the line, but he lost the ball in the tackle.

AT A GLANCE

Sharks 18 (Valentine Holmes 2, Ricky Leutele tries; Michael Gordon 3 goals) Warriors 14 (Konrad Hurrell, Siliva Havili tries; Tuimoala Lolohea 3 goals). HT: 0-10.