Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall is refusing to push the panic buttons despite his team's shock loss to NRL basement club St George Illawarra.
The 24-10 defeat last week put a big dent in the Tigers' finals hopes after an encouraging 5-2 start with several pundits now believing they won't make it past the regular season.
But Marshall isn't convinced.
As his side prepares to welcome second-placed Warriors to Campbelltown on Friday, the coach is adamant consistency can return the team to their winning ways, whether that puts them in the top eight or not.
"We're not even talking about finals to be honest," he said on Wednesday.
"At the moment we're very inconsistent: playing well for 20, then not playing well for 20.
"We've got to get an 80-minute performance this week."
The Tigers have lost seven of their nine games since captain Jarome Luai announced his intention to quit the club at the end of next season to join the PNG Chiefs.
Now in 12th and two games outside a rapidly solidifying top eight, a loss to the rampaging Warriors - while not mathematically fatal - would be a further blow to the team's post-season chances.
It's a far cry from their positive start to the season, but Marshall said the early successes remain in their heads.
"Confidence comes from doing the hard parts of the game well, and we know we can do it because we've seen it.
"It takes one game to find confidence, it takes one play to find confidence."
There was still hope despite the string of defeats, argued Marshall.
"Amongst those losses that, especially the last three with 10 minutes to go in every game, we were a chance of either winning it or winning it, and we actually lost it," he said.
"The games were in our hands and we weren't good enough to take advantage.
After a brief reunion in late June, the Tigers' star-studded backbone comprising Jarome Luai, Adam Doueihi, Jahream Bula and Api Koroisau will again be one member short, as co-captain Koroisau on Saturday became the latest in a slew of casualties (pectoral) to batter the club.
He will be replaced by Josese Lanyon, who will play only his fourth game of first-grade footy.
"He just doesn't over complicate the game," Marshall said of Lanyon.
"When it's time to run, he'll run. Good service and just tackles well."
In a reprieve, second-rower Samuela Fainu will start against the Warriors after nursing a foot injury sustained in round nine.
Campbelltown has become a tricky home venue for the Tigers, delivering them just three victories from their last 20 encounters there since 2021.
"It's been pretty tough," Bula said on Wednesday.
"We want to do a good job for our Campbelltown fans because they always show up.
"We believe that we can match anything because we've shown that at the start of the year."
