First after 15 rounds, the Sharks still sit fourth but require two wins from their last six games to wrap up a finals spot.
Theoretically, that should be done with five of their last six matches against teams currently outside of the top eight, starting with Saturday night against the Rabbitohs.
But still, McInnes admits the Sharks need to get their football back on track after a difficult two months.
Cronulla's loss to North Queensland on Saturday took their record since Magic Round to two wins from eight games.
That is the same run South Sydney went on through those rounds last year, amid their spectacular capitulation from first to ninth.
McInnes has also endured late-season difficulties before.
He was at St George Illawarra in 2017 when they sat first after round seven and fourth after round 13 before missing the finals entirely.
And he was there again the following year, when the Dragons topped the table in round 16 and faded late to finish seventh.
"It's a different club, different circumstances," McInnes said of his Dragons experience.
"I don't think (it's the same). But from an outside perspective looking in, it looks similar obviously.
"That's so long ago. But I know we're working hard here.
"The effort can't be faulted, but it's just that detail-smart footy, with the errors, that we're not handling as well as we want to.
"But we're not far away either, it's not doom and gloom. We just have to sort that out a little bit."
Working in Cronulla's favour is that unlike the aforementioned Dragons teams, they still have players to return from injury.
Nicho Hynes is due back before the finals from his fractured tibia and syndesmosis rupture.
And while winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has been ruled out for four weeks with a knee injury, he too will be back for September.
Statistically the Sharks have at least been better in the past month, turning the corner somewhat from the early days of their slump.
"You want to find your footy, find your game," McInnes said.
"Everyone is working hard. At some point you want to see the results of that.
"Wins and losses are obviously our business, but I more mean just putting the product on the field you are proud of and worked all week for.
"The effort and that is there, but the detail is not.
"We want to be putting our game on the field, and then when those guys come back, regardless of wins and losses, it means we're in a good place."
