Manly's worst defensive month in 12 years is only papering over a bigger issue of attacking discipline at the club, according to captain Daly Cherry-Evans.
The Sea Eagles have conceded a concerning 140 points in the past four matches - the most in the club's history since the end of the 2005 NRL season.
The form slump has seen them drop from third to seventh on the ladder, with a 50-point worse defensive record than any other team in the top eight.
But Cherry-Evans said there was a bigger issue at play, with half of the 24 tries conceded in the past month having come in the direct aftermath of their own incomplete sets.
"It's really quite that simple," Cherry-Evans said.
"When you're dropping the ball you're obviously defending more.
"The more you are defending and if you're under fatigue that's when the poor decisions come.
"Rugby league can be quite a simple game at times and we've just made it quite hard for ourselves in some games this year."
It's a fact the Sea Eagles have addressed this week, as they desperately try and turn their form around against Canterbury at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
Manly were the first team to heap pressure on Des Hasler's Bulldogs earlier this year, when they demolished them 36-0 in round four.
On that occasion, the Sea Eagles completed at 82 per cent with limited handling errors - and it's to that structure they must return on Sunday, according to centre Dylan Walker.
"That's probably what we've based ourselves around," Walker said.
"Defending down their end and then you've got Tommy Turbo (Trbojevic) bringing the ball back to the 50m line."
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