Bazzinator
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The Wests Tigers have begun a month-long grind-fest as the solution to regaining their NRL form.
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Gone are the flick passes, long-range attacking raids and even the Footy Show appearances as the Tigers put their shoulders to the wheel to reverse a slump that only began turning around with last week's win over Newcastle.
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Before that it was four straight losses after a bright opening to the season, hitting a low point in the 50-10 flogging by South Sydney two weeks ago.
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They face a test against the Warriors at Campbelltown Stadium on Friday night after the Aucklanders accounted for the Rabbitohs 26-24 last weekend.
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"When you're out of form that's the only way to win your games," assistant coach Royce Simmons told AAP on Thursday.
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"You're not going to win your games by moving the ball and being flashy and expansive, you've got to get back to the grind and you gradually find form over about a month.
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"We're going to have to play that way again, we're going to have to grind out a win and gradually each week we get a bit better and a bit better and find our form again.
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"It's very hard to find form in one game, you find form in a period of about a month."
>
In rediscovering their inner grind, the Tigers have virtually disappeared off the NRL landscape.
>
They decamped to Newcastle last week and their usually busy media schedule was again nowhere to be seen this week.
>
"With all the State of Origin press around, it's been a good week again just to concentrate on your own performances," Simmons said.
>
"Instead of having your mind on a lot of things last week and this week it was just a good chance to concentrate on your football instead of always being on footy shows and talking to media and doing promotions and all that sort of stuff.
>
"Sometimes when you hit rock bottom it's a big wake-up call.
>
"Last week the first half wasn't great, the second half was really good so we've just got to make sure we take up where we left off last week."
>
The Warriors have defied expectations and a big injury list to sit in seventh place with a 5-5 record, the same as the Tigers'.
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They have lost Sam Rapira (knee), James Maloney (back) and Micheal Luck (hand) for this match but have won six of the last seven games between the clubs.
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Ian Henderson replaces Luck, Joel Moon comes in for Maloney and Jesse Royal starts at prop with Sione Lousi and Jeremy Latimore added to the bench.
>
Meanwhile, former Warrior Wade McKinnon will need to overcome a hamstring injury before debuting for new club the Tigers.
>
Simmons said McKinnon was likely to be two weeks away from NRL action.
Some interesting news there. McKinnon won't play against the dogs then the bye so thats 3 weeks really hopefully he can settle in
>
Gone are the flick passes, long-range attacking raids and even the Footy Show appearances as the Tigers put their shoulders to the wheel to reverse a slump that only began turning around with last week's win over Newcastle.
>
Before that it was four straight losses after a bright opening to the season, hitting a low point in the 50-10 flogging by South Sydney two weeks ago.
>
They face a test against the Warriors at Campbelltown Stadium on Friday night after the Aucklanders accounted for the Rabbitohs 26-24 last weekend.
>
"When you're out of form that's the only way to win your games," assistant coach Royce Simmons told AAP on Thursday.
>
"You're not going to win your games by moving the ball and being flashy and expansive, you've got to get back to the grind and you gradually find form over about a month.
>
"We're going to have to play that way again, we're going to have to grind out a win and gradually each week we get a bit better and a bit better and find our form again.
>
"It's very hard to find form in one game, you find form in a period of about a month."
>
In rediscovering their inner grind, the Tigers have virtually disappeared off the NRL landscape.
>
They decamped to Newcastle last week and their usually busy media schedule was again nowhere to be seen this week.
>
"With all the State of Origin press around, it's been a good week again just to concentrate on your own performances," Simmons said.
>
"Instead of having your mind on a lot of things last week and this week it was just a good chance to concentrate on your football instead of always being on footy shows and talking to media and doing promotions and all that sort of stuff.
>
"Sometimes when you hit rock bottom it's a big wake-up call.
>
"Last week the first half wasn't great, the second half was really good so we've just got to make sure we take up where we left off last week."
>
The Warriors have defied expectations and a big injury list to sit in seventh place with a 5-5 record, the same as the Tigers'.
>
They have lost Sam Rapira (knee), James Maloney (back) and Micheal Luck (hand) for this match but have won six of the last seven games between the clubs.
>
Ian Henderson replaces Luck, Joel Moon comes in for Maloney and Jesse Royal starts at prop with Sione Lousi and Jeremy Latimore added to the bench.
>
Meanwhile, former Warrior Wade McKinnon will need to overcome a hamstring injury before debuting for new club the Tigers.
>
Simmons said McKinnon was likely to be two weeks away from NRL action.
Some interesting news there. McKinnon won't play against the dogs then the bye so thats 3 weeks really hopefully he can settle in