Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor is adamant his team is on the improve despite failing to score a point in their 8-0 defeat to North Queensland.
The loss means Taylor's men have only recorded one win in their past six games and remain in the bottom half of the NRL ladder.
However the Tigers coach says Saturday night's result proves the team is slowly changing the points-first culture that once defined the club.
"At the moment we're putting so much energy into what we're trying to do defensively that we haven't got enough left for our attack," Taylor said post game.
"But we can't go the other way around either.
"We can't say, `Let's throw the ball around and hope to get some points and we know that when we tire we'll let some in but hopefully we've scored enough'.
"That's been the motto at Wests Tigers for a long time, they're the facts.
"But it hasn't worked since 2005 and we're about changing that.
"We are heading down the path of changing and regardless of the team we played, we conceded one try and our defence was probably the best it's been all season."
The Tigers conceded the most points of any team in the NRL last season and missed the finals by four points.
However heading into this weekend, the Tigers are now ranked ninth in total points allowed.
And while the former Roosters assistant admitted he was unsure whether they would compete for a finals spot this year, he was steadfast in his belief that they were on the right track.
"We have come from so far behind, we were dead last in defence and the only reason we weren't bottom of the ladder overall was because there is some attacking ability in this team," he said.
"But in the NRL you don't compete if you can't defend.
"You can't come last in defence and be anywhere near the top eight.
"And while the game out there would've been ugly to watch and Wests Tigers supporters would be feeling `That was pretty crap', we're on the path to changing the way we play.
"We're on the path to competing with the best teams in the competition.
"Is that going to happen this year where we can get ourselves into the top eight? I'm not sure but we're on that path and the plan is to stick to it."
The club will be sweating on scans for centre Tim Simona, who re-aggravated an ankle injury in the first half and failed to come out of the sheds after the break.
"We were hopeful he'd come back out after halftime but he didn't," Taylor said.
"He obviously had an ankle injury recently, it's the same ankle and a similar injury but not exactly the same in that his ankle twisted the other way."
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