The critics may be taking aim at James Tedesco, but teammates insist no one is harder on the Sydney Roosters and NSW State of Origin captain than the man himself.
The Roosters' 2023 season has been plagued by injuries and disappointing performances which have sent the one-time premiership favourites tumbling down the ladder to 12th with the NRL's worst attacking record.
Tedesco's particularly galling showing against Canberra triggered an upswell in criticism and a period of reflection for the fullback.
"We know we're not where we want to be," Roosters half Luke Keary said on Tuesday.
"Teddy was obviously a bit disappointed on the weekend - I wouldn't expect him to not be.
"But Teddy will be fine. We all know the type of player he is, the type of competitive person he is, but we're all in the same boat here we just want to get back and work hard and turn this thing around."
Despite a lacklustre year, the Tricolours still have the potential to play in the finals if they can recreate their 2022 late-season form.
Trent Robinson's team will head into round 18 with nine losses and seven wins, sustaining just one extra defeat compared to the same period in 2022 when they finished sixth after surging up the ranks with an eight-game winning streak.
"We're in a pretty similar spot to where we were last year. We've had some good wins, had some really, really disappointing losses," Keary said.
"I believe in these players, I believe in the coaching staff, I believe in the club so there's not one part of me that doesn't believe that we'll start to turn the ship around and play the footy that we know how to play.
"We're letting ourselves down in some areas that we need to improve (on) really quickly. But there's nothing else you can do you just go back and work and keep working harder."
The Roosters are just one win out of the eight and Keary believes the team could find the form to complete a late charge with Brandon Smith, Sam Walker and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii returning in coming weeks.
The eastern suburbs outfit may also look to young gun Siua Wong later in the season.
Saturday's game against Manly could pose a challenge with the similarly understrength Sea Eagles also desperate to climb the ladder.
But Keary understands the result could be out of their hands.
"(We) can't really control that outcome," he said.
"I've seen it a few times - you can turn this stuff around pretty quickly, and you do the wrong stuff it can go south pretty quickly too."
