Press Conference: NRL Round 7
An ongoing issue with inconsistencies in the 80 minutes was the core problem in tonight's loss to Newcastle, according to Wests Tigers co-captain Benji Marshall.
After storming back in the second half to lead the Knights 18-10 with 20 minutes remaining, Marshall said that a negative attitude in the ball in hand allowed the visitors to come back in to the contest — highlighting problems that he believes have affected the side recently despite the team's winning run.
"Although we lost, I thought we learned another lesson tonight," Marshall said post-match.
"We've probably been a little inconsistent in the 80 minutes over the last couple of weeks.
"We made a couple of errors and played a little bit negative in the last 20 and they capitalised.
We've done that to a couple of teams this year to come home in the last minute and score to win, so we know what that feels like and I thought Newcastle played really well to win that one tonight."
Head Coach Ivan Cleary said that while the side certainly lifted in attitude, there were marked improvements needed to get the job done against a Parramatta side they have already beaten once in 2018.
"We were off the pace in that one," Cleary said.
"Especially in that first half, so I think to be only down by 10 at half-time was a good result.
"They were all over us in defence and we just couldn't quite get it going in those opportunities.
"I thought that 18-10 up we were probably entitled to go on and win the game, and just made some really bad errors and penalties and invited them in and we weren't good enough to hold them out.
"It's a great venue and the people of Tamworth should be congratulated for that — the field is unbelievable.
"It's a great crowd and a good couple of days we had here so really proud of that."
See what Coach Ivan Cleary and co-captain Benji Marshall had to say about the game in the video above!
