There's no doubting their effort but, sadly for Cronulla and their embattled coach Ricky Stuart, effort alone doesn't guarantee NRL wins.

The Sharks slumped to their seventh straight loss with a 19-12 defeat to the Sydney Roosters at Toyota Park on Saturday night, pre-season talk of finals football replaced by contingency plans to avoid the wooden spoon.

Based on the performance against the Roosters - unless those plans include the recruitment of an experienced No.7 - last place is looking more and more likely.

Oh how the Sharks are missing dumped halfback Brett Kimmorley, who is in career-best form with the Bulldogs after being told midway through last season he was no longer required at Cronulla despite being under contract.

Current No.7 Brett Seymour simply hasn't been able to get the Sharks going and, while five-eighth Trent Barrett is doing his best to impose himself on games, the lack of a genuine organiser on his inside is hurting the Sharks.

As they have all season, the Sharks tried hard against the Roosters, coach Stuart indicating they may be trying too hard in a bid to break the losing run.

"I never, never knock the effort of these boys, they're giving it their all," Stuart said.

"I feel for them because I know how much effort is there, I know how much it's hurting all of us.

"These tough times are always difficult to handle but it's a way of trying to build some character."

While the Sharks are trying to build character, the Roosters are working on confidence after snapping a three-game losing streak with the seven-point win.

They still looked a long way short of the side which made last year's finals but, for coach Brad Fittler, the win was a step in the right direction.

Fittler pointed to prop Nate Myles' grubber kick - which set up Sam Perrett's second-half try, as an example of the the greater belief within his squad.

"We wouldn't have done that the last few weeks we haven't been testing ourselves through the middle and baking ourselves,' Fittler said.

"That's the big thing we're trying to ask our players - they've all been playing footy since they've been really young and we've just got to keep backing our footy.

"Sometimes when you lose you hide that a lot and we've just got to keep trying to grow on that."

Barrett was cleared of any long-term injury concern after failing to return for the second half, the veteran pivot knocked unconscious late in the first half.

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