Wests’ head coach Elwee Prinsloo is hoping mental resilience can help his side avoid three consecutive losses when they face Easts at Bottomley Park on Saturday.

“There’s 16 rounds, so yes we’ve lost a couple of close ones but there’s no panic,” Prinsloo told Rugby News.

“Our challenge is to mentally stay in the game week in, week out and that’s what we’ll be looking to do again this weekend.”

The Ben Mowen led Tigers pose threats right across the park this season according to Prinsloo.

“They are a well-rounded team that probably play a bit more football this year in terms of using the ball compared to the last two or three seasons.

“Benny Mowen is also a lineout specialist, so their lineouts have been strong as well as their scrums.

“They’re a different team from what they’ve been the last couple of years. They’ve now got some really good kicking threats at 9,10, 15 and their winger.

“You’ve got to cover backfield space more efficiently against Easts as opposed to the other teams who just like to attack through the advantage line.”

“We will have to be at our best to beat them.”

The Bulldogs opened their season with two tight losses against UQ and Brothers.

After trailing 24-7 at halftime, Wests fought their way back only to fall short of Brothers by 6 points in the dying moments.

“It was important coming into the Brothers game for us to play for forty minutes in both halves, and unfortunately we let them get away in that first half and had to claw our way back,” Prinsloo said.

“We put ourselves in the position to win the game in the last two minutes and unfortunately the final scrum didn’t go our way.

“Any time we lose is disappointing, but I was really happy with how we came back into the game.”

Despite the consecutive losses, Prinsloo said a number of his forwards couldn’t be doing any more for the side.

“I think Bradley Kelegai has been outstanding as our No.7 and a new recruit to the club. He’s a real nuisance for opposition teams.

“Captain Connor Anderson has been outstanding topping the numbers on carries and tackles. He’s as fit as he’s ever been this season.”

“Ethan Dobbins at hooker has just been absolutely outstanding with the work he gets through. I think he’s been very unlucky not to get a call up to a higher level, but he’s patient so he’ll put his head down and work hard.”

The Bulldogs are hoping improved mental resilience will take them one step further than last years semi-final loss to GPS.

“There have been good Wests’ teams in the last three or four years who just can’t nail these tight games.

“The biggest challenge is the mentality and learning how winners approach the game. It’s all between the ears for us to be honest, we just have to be mentally tougher”.