Having been an integral part of the Sea Eagles' success over the past decade, you tend to listen to Eels lock Anthony Watmough when he points out that his Parramatta side aren't working hard enough for one another.
While they are in the top half of the competition in terms of points scored, Watmough remained concerned about the team's defence, where they have conceded a competition-high 199 points.
Watmough said it was a matter of their attitude across the park which was ultimately letting the team down, having lost three of their past four games since downing the reigning premiers South Sydney in Round 4.
"We can put a hit on, we know we can stay, we can do this and we can do that, but until we start doing it as a unit and as a team then little chinks in our armour are going to keep appearing in defence," Watmough said.
"We have to work hard for one another, and we've got to get our attitude right, and that's probably the big thing – attitude in defence. You have to want to do it for your mate and you have to want to be there.
"If he stuffs up, you've got to want to be there to cover it and to make it right. But we're probably just that little bit off, and that's the only difference between teams winning and teams losing."
There's no better way for the Eels to test their attitude then against the might of Melbourne Storm this weekend.
Coming to know what to expect from the likes of Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith over the course of their careers, the fact Jesse Bromwich, Kevin Proctor and Tohu Harris are quickly earning plaudits as some of the world's best forwards has Watmough on the lookout.
Surprisingly, the Storm have scored fewer points than the Eels in 2015, yet it's their defence which holds them in good stead in third place on the competition ladder, having only averaged 14.5 points per game this season.
A timely match-up, the Eels can perhaps learn a few things from their more-fancied opponents this weekend.
"They'll throw plenty at us. They've got some great players and they've got Immortals in their team, or future Immortals. It's a challenge the boys are looking forward to," Watmough said.
"They're a benchmark team. They've been there every year and the core of their team has always been the same. We know what we're going to get. They're going to come hard and fast and be physical."
While Watmough refused to comment on his own form, he did have a few choice words for those commenting on the 'use-by date' of the current crop of Kangaroos.
While he hasn't thrown on the green-and-gold jumper for the past two seasons, Watmough was a key forward for Australia through their recent years of dominance.
"We might be getting old, but we've done some amazing things together. If they look in a new direction, they look in a new direction," Watmough said.
"Who am I to question what they want to do? If their plan is to go with youth then good on them."
