Jackson Hastings says the Wests Tigers are at times too reliant on structure and need to play with more freedom as they fight to avoid their worst start to a NRL season in 15 years.
Flogged 26-4 by Newcastle on Sunday, the lacklustre Tigers' week went from bad to worse on Monday with Hastings charged with a dangerous throw and facing at least a two-game ban.
It came after the five-eighth was the only real spark in the loss, which was described by club legend Benji Marshall as below first-grade standard.
Hastings admitted he could not argue Marshall's point, as the Tigers completed at just 66 per cent and got to their kick just 12 times.
Hastings at least broke the line once, and also touched the ball four times in the set as the Tigers went up field for their only try late in the match.
"The line break shifts, we've got footy in us," Hastings said.
"We've got people that can play football. I think sometimes we may rely on structure a bit too much.
"Where the game shifts that fast over the advantage line now, and using your eyes.
"So I mean, you can sit there and say, we didn't have a platform to play off, but sometimes you've got to take the game by the scruff off the neck and try and make things happen."
Coach Michael Maguire and halfback Luke Brooks also said after last week's fighting loss to Melbourne they wanted to play with more freedom this year.
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But after leading the Storm 14-4 at halftime in round one, the Tigers have since let in 48 points and scored just six.
The defeats leave them on the cusp of going 0-3 for just the second time in the joint-venture's history, and for the first time since 2007.
Sunday's poor showing has already put the spotlight back on Maguire, who survived an end-of-season review last year but remains one of the most under-pressure coaches in the NRL.
But Hastings said it could only be put on the players and their attitudes, and not coaches.
"Our discipline needs obviously working on," Hastings said.
"We give away too many penalties, offside, coming out of yardage, we put them in a corner and play-one offside, (piggyback) down and then errors in the ruck.
"It's hard to put your finger on one thing when it's happened for three halves of footy now in a row.
"The mood's disappointing and everyone needs to have a look at their own performances, not anyone else's."
Meanwhile he was adamant there was no malice in his lifting tackle on Tex Hoy, with the ban to go from two games to three if he challenges it and loses.
"It wasn't intentional," he said.
"Obviously he got put in a bit of an awkward situation at the top there, but I feel like he landed OK."
Jackson Hastings is facing a minimum two-game ban for a dangerous throw, but wants his struggling Wests Tigers to play with more freedom and less structure.
7news.com.au
