The Cronulla Sharks are set to miss the NRL finals according to Fox Sports stats

CRONULLA are set to pay the ultimate price for their recent poor form and spectacularly crash out of finals contention. Top eight predictor

CRONULLA are set to pay the ultimate price for their recent poor form and spectacularly crash out of finals contention.

And to add further insult, the Sharks' fiercest rivals St George Illawarra are waiting to pounce on their neighbours' misery by leap-frogging them into the top eight and stealing their spot in the finals.

That's according to Fox Sports Stats, which has processed statistics from every game this year to analyse each team's run home and predict the final make-up of the ladder.

After meticulous research, Fox Sports Stats has the Sharks finishing ninth on 27 competition points - one point behind the resurgent Newcastle and three points behind the Dragons.

"It doesn't worry me at all," Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan said.

"We have some troops coming back this weekend.

"Some stats people had the Sharks coming last this year. (Bookies) tipped I would be first coach sacked too. I'm not too worried."

Fox Sports Stats also made these predictions:

* IN his first year at Newcastle, coach Wayne Bennett will guide the Knights into the finals;

* PRE-SEASON heavyweights the Wests Tigers will finish a lowly 12th on 26 competition points;

* LAST year's runners-up New Zealand will suffer for their indifferent form and miss the play-offs;

* CANTERBURY will be crowned minor premiers; and

* SOUTH Sydney will finish in the top four.

"It has been a long time for Souths fans," said Rabbitohs hooker Nathan Peats, who scored two tries in his side's 32-6 win over the Tigers on Sunday. "We've had the team over the past few years but haven't delivered."

Fox Sports head of statistics Ian Collis outlined how his company had compiled its final table.

"The results of the final five rounds were based on various criteria, including current form for both teams and individuals, teams' history in their run to the finals and home-and-away record," Collis said.

"We also took into account the fact some teams have difficulty at getting a result in certain geographical areas, all attack and defence stats indicators, injuries and suspensions to key players and the likelihood of resting key players on the eve of the finals," Collis said.

The Tigers look destined to be the highest-profile casualties after being a gross disappointment this season.

Some bookmakers had the Tigers as pre-season favourites but they have fallen away in recent weeks.

Fox Sports Stats has the Tigers winning just two of their remaining five games, over the lowly Eels and Sydney Roosters.

The Warriors have also failed to meet expectations this season after surging into last year's grand final against Manly.

They are two points outside the top eight after giving up big leads against the Knights (ahead 18-0 before losing 24-19) and the Sea Eagles (ahead 16-0 before losing 24-22) in the past fortnight.

Bennett will be a Knights hero if he can guide Newcastle, who have won four of their past five games, into the finals after enduring a horror start to the season.

"I reckon the finals make-up will ultimately come down to for and against," ex-Test skipper Laurie Daley said. "It's that tight.

"There have been so many upsets in recent weeks that it is so difficult predicting any match with confidence.

"I think the table will chop and change right down until round 26.

"I think though you can pencil in Canterbury, Melbourne and Souths as being the top three finishing teams."

It's bad news for Eels fans, with Fox Sports Stats predicting Parramatta to finish with the wooden spoon on 14 competition points, three adrift of the Sydney Roosters.