The biggest compliment paid to the team he currently plays for - "grinding" - is a backhanded one. Even Cronulla's biggest name, Paul Gallen, doesn't get as many autograph requests these days.

And yet this ragtag bunch who finished the home and away season stone, motherless LAST last season, is closing in on the unlikeliest of top-four finishes.

Once again this was Valentine's Day. With the teams locked at 28-all, it was Valentine Holmes who again separated them with a field goal. Michael Ennis ensured there wouldn't be another Parramatta comeback when he scored late. But the bigger comeback is the one the Sharks produced after a horror start to the season.

At one point, coach Shane Flanagan admitted that, after his side lost its opening four games, he may not last the season. Now they are a chance of finishing it deep in September. Maybe even October.

In order to get there, you need to win games like the Saturday afternoon encounter against Parramatta. The Eels had long bombed out of the finals race but had just dented the aspirations of another finals contender.

The stakes were high for both sides - given for altogether different  reasons. The more immediate prize was the Jon Mannah Cup, named after a man who had touched both teams. For proof, look to brother Tim Mannah. The Parramatta captain and prop hadn't trained until the captain's run but somehow managed to push through the opening 35 minutes unchanged in the game's toughest position.

The Sharks have more attacking flair than they are given credit for. For proof, look at their second try, an exquisite interchange of passes akin to the Maroons at their best. They needed several such moments to overcome the plucky Eels.

"We hung in there and we've got that belief there at the moment," Flanagan said.
"[Valentine Holmes] just loves that stuff. He just gets himself into position and just wants to do it.
"He demands the ball. Gal [Gallen] got a really good play-the-ball for him and away we went."

Parramatta remained in touch despite losing Manu Ma'u (shoulder) 10 minutes into proceedings, while Tepai Moeroa and Ricky Leutele knocked each other unconscious and out of the game early in the second half.

Parramatta have left their run too late to join the finals party but almost became spoilers again.

"We got taught another tough lesson. We can't keep saying 'the effort is there', because it is," Arthur said. "We've got to learn how to win a game. We were in front by six with about 10 minutes to go and go into a negative mindset.

"We've got to learn [to manage games] and we've got to learn fast."

That sound echoing around Pirtek Stadium, we can exclusively reveal, is the Fijian party classic Waidebala.

The Black Rose tune is played each time crowd favourite Semi Radradra crosses for a try on home turf. With all the royalties the Eels are paying the band, it's little wonder Parramatta officials are struggling to pay coach Brad Arthur all they had promised him.

Radradra, at the time of writing, is the NRL's top try scorer with 22. If he can hold the position for another round it will be the second successive season he's finished top of the pops. Not a bad effort for a bloke who missed six matches with injury.

Of course, not even Semi could do it all on his own. To come back from a 12-point deficit in the first half, and then a 10-point margin in the second, requires inspired play. Like Daniel Alvaro, the no-frills albino prop, making a mockery of the number on his back by running 25 metres to glory. Or Isaac De Gois barging over against his former club.

But in the end it wasn't enough against a Cronulla team that isn't looking back after last year's wooden spoon.

"We don't have to go back to last year. We've had a lot of things going on the past couple of years but it's done now," Gallen said.

"Last year was a different team and it's gone. We started the year slow but we always had belief in ourselves that we're a good enough side to make the top four.

"I just think we're getting to where we should be."