Wests Tigers skipper Robbie Farah says the emergence of two tearaway young playmakers at the club has necessitated him learning to take more of a back seat for the good of the team, something which is still a work in process.
Farah said he now plays a different sort of role to what he has in the past, but is relatively happy with his form so far in 2015 as his combination with halfback Luke Brooks and five-eighth Mitch Moses continues to develop.
"I've got to relinquish a lot of control to them but I've also got to guide them through some times out there on the field," Farah said.
"It's coming up with that balance where I need to give them the ball and give them the opportunity to run the side.
"That's what they're there for and that's the job that they've got but then there's times I've got to remind them to keep their heads down and not get too carried away on the field."
The Tigers bounced back in Round 8 with a commanding win over the Bulldogs after capitulating badly at Leichhardt against the Raiders a week earlier, blowing a 22-0 lead. The side had also blown a winning lead against the Bulldogs earlier in the year, losing after being up 24-6 with around 20 minutes to play.
Learning to close out a game is all part of the halves' learning curve and the side will learn from those games, Farah said.
"Everyone knows about the two games we've blown leads; that's been disappointing and something we're working on and continuing to learn what we need at different times of the game depending on the scoreboard and that will come with experience," he said.
"I'm not taking as much responsibility in terms of directing the team around the park, that's the job the halves have got and I'm more than happy to give them that job.
"For me it's just about having the control and directing things out there on the field. My running game's probably been a bit down because of that but it's just about finding that balance and that will come the better I get at it."
Of Friday night's opponents in the Rosters, Farah said they were certain to bounce back from the four straight losses at some point, although "it'll be nice if they wait another week".
"I can't even remember the last time they lost four in a row. They'll be up for a big game to turn things around; they're a quality side so it's only a matter of time til they turn it around," he said.
"We've got to expect them to be at their best and it's going to be a great challenge."
Farah will be facing his former Origin halves teammates Mitch Pearce and James Maloney tonight, but having previously played with both them and the incumbent Bulldogs halves in Origin series, Farah refused to tip a favourite combination for the 2015 interstate series.
"It's hard for me to comment, I'm such great mates with all of them," he said.
"I've played with Junior [Pearce] and Hokko and Grubby [Reynolds] and Jimmy so I can't sit here and comment, I've got the confidence in all of them to do the job regardless of how they've been going at club footy.
"Origin's one of those things where sometimes club footy and form doesn't really matter, you get thrown in there and the atmosphere and the beauty of that arena, it brings out the best in you.
"I've no doubt that any one of those guys or whoever [Blues coach] Laurie [Daley] decides to go with will do the job for us. I've got the confidence in them, they're all my mates so I'll be disappointed for whoever misses and I'll be happy for whoever gets picked but other than that it's hard for me to say."
He is expecting a big game from the Roosters pair though.
"They've been in great form. Pearcey at the end of last year I thought was probably the best player in the competition at that time, I thought he was in career best form, he started this year the same.
"Jimmy had a big game for Country last week. I think they've been going really good regardless of what the results say so they'll be in for a big game."
