Wests Tigers co-captain James Tamou believes comparisons can be drawn between his struggling side, and the Penrith Panthers.
Tamou, who played for the Panthers between 2017 and 2020, saw the club finish in the top eight three times during his tenure, as well as land in the grand final during what was his final year for the club.
The prop, who has struggled to have the same impact that he did during his time at Penrith and lost the sole captaincy of the side this season, said that while the five losses made it easy to be down, he knew the club had a strong team and felt the club is in a similar position to what he faced at the Panthers.
Penrith, who sit top of the table as defending premiers, have made an outstanding start to the season, while the Tigers continue to hold off calls for Michael Maguire to face the sack.
“It’s five (losses) in a row and it’s easy to kick stones,” Tamou said.
“We’ve just got to keep going. We know we’ve got a strong team there, and it’s all the little things to put it together.
“Not so long ago I was in a similar position at Penrith. We had a strong group and look at Penrith now.
“You can’t give up and at times at Penrith it felt like that, but they didn’t. And I know that group in there (in the sheds), they’re in the same situation.
“They want to strive for success and they want to be better every week and I feel there are similarities (here to Penrith).
“These little things when you’re in the crossroads, they all add up to something, you take the good with the bad and if you keep striving to success, you’ll get there.”
It came as Maguire said his team hadn't gone backwards despite an abysmal performance on Sunday afternoon in the Shire.
For the second time this season, the Tigers only points came by way of a consolation try in the final minutes, with the club now having scored only four tries in their last three games, while their defensive efforts were also poor.
Tamou, who has played 289 NRL games, was a chief offender, missing four tackles in the middle third as the Sharks ran riot on their way to yet another victory.
Despite that, he said the club have a strong group.
“The level of pressure you put yourself under at training, that’s what to expect on game day.
“If we keep those standards and that process and the little things that come with it, and these are teaching things that come with a young group.
“I know we’ll be right, we’ve got a strong group.”
The Tigers will aim for their first win next weekend when they take on the Parramatta Eels on Easter Monday, before playing the South Sydney Rabbitohs during Round 7.