''I'm just happy to get a result,'' Henjak said after the scrappy match.

With Cronulla fighting to avoid the wooden spoon and fielding a patched-up team there was little to gloat about but after seven losses from their past eight games the Broncos have at least stopped the rot and kept themselves in finals contention.

''We weren't great,'' Henjak said despite Brisbane's five tries and highest points tally since putting 32 on the Titans in round 10. ''We've got something to work on.''

Brisbane led 12-4 at half-time but the decisive moment came when 115kg prop Dave Taylor powered on to a sweet short ball from skipper Darren Lockyer in the 46th minute.

Taylor had played more of a traditional prop's role in defence and hit-ups before shifting wide in attack.

''He likes parking himself out there opposite the little fellows,'' Henjak said. ''He carted it up the middle for us, he's quite damaging wherever he runs.''

Lockyer, who served up the perfect pass to Taylor, said the recently turned 21-year-old had matured this season.

''Dave's a real handful and he's got speed and footwork too,'' Lockyer said.

Lockyer said the players had worked for each other defensively and would take a lot of confidence from the win into Sunday's clash with Penrith at Suncorp Stadium.

''We were never going to go from rock bottom [54-0 last week] to perfect tonight,'' Lockyer said. ''It wasn't pretty, but there were a lot of positives to take out of the game.''

An ordinary night for the Sharks was capped by Jack Afamasaga and Grant Millington both being placed on report, adding to coach Ricky Stuart's woes as the club battles to avoid finishing last.

An upset Stuart blasted the players who had put the club in its current predicament because of their off-field behaviour which had led to their sackings.

''All those blokes that put the club into a position this year where they played up socially and the club had to sack them and do the right thing by the game ... I hope they're watching the game,'' Stuart said. ''I hope they're reading about the position and predicament these blokes are in because they left them stranded.'' AAP