Newcastle have thrown themselves into the NRL finals mix with a scrappy 21-10 victory over Cronulla at EnergyAustralia Stadium but admit they must improve if they are to nail down a top-eight finish.

While they were far from polished, the Knights' third consecutive win saw them move to within two competition points of Brisbane and Manly, who sit in eighth and ninth spot respectively.

But mum's the word when it comes to finals football and Newcastle don't want to hear or speak of it until September is upon them.

"For me personally I don't think I've looked at the table this year unless it's flashed up on TV," said captain Kurt Gidley.

"I've only wanted to play each week as it's come.

"It wasn't our prettiest win, ball control was still an issue again today ... I'd like to see us hold the ball and then see what we can produce."

Coach Rick Stone said self-belief within the camp had risen with the hat-trick of wins, but said the need for improvement meant it was dangerous to start thinking of making the playoffs.

"There's been a good attitude shift I'd suggest in the last couple of weeks, but like Kurt I'm probably not a big believer in looking at the table at this particular stage," Stone said.

"We've still got to win probably five out of (our last) eight ... and that starts with tough away games to Canberra and North Queensland."

Cronulla's finals' aspirations were slim to begin with, but they virtually evaporated with another mistake-ridden performance.

With the Knights making 13 errors themselves, the Sharks weren't without hope, however their 19 mistakes and poor options in attack gave them little chance.

Trailing 12-6 leading into the second half, the Sharks got off to the worst possible start when Anthony Tupou knocked on in the opening set, before Paul Gallen gave away a stripping penalty.

Both errors led to powerful Knights' centre Junior Sau crushing three would-be defenders to score in the left corner and extend the margin to 10.

Although the Knights would be ruing the fact they couldn't score another try with the amount of chances they had, late penalty kicks to Gidley - again from Sharks' ill-discipline - and a Jarrod Mullen field goal sealed the result for the home side.

Sharks winger Luke Covell scored a late consolation try to complete a successful return to the field from revolutionary LARS knee surgery, but it did nothing to ease Ricky Stuart's disappointment post-match.

"We're not putting ourselves into any part of the set or the game to show composure ... we've got poor decisions from players with the footy, it's a never ending story," he lamented.

On the Sharks' ailing finals' dreams, Stuart said: "It makes it hard."

Cronulla opened the scoring in the first half through a strong-running Ben Pomeroy, but the Knights hit back with a fine solo effort by five-eighth Ben Rogers, and the try of the game in the 22nd minute - a movement started by an Adam MacDougall offload, and finished by Matt Hilder who accepted a pass from a dashing Zeb Taia.

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