Sick of missing the NRL finals, Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens launched an almighty tirade against his winning side today warning they risked wasting another year despite cementing their place in the top eight.

The Tigers claimed a 38-26 victory over Newcastle at EnergyAustralia Stadium which, along with Penrith’s 46-22 demolition of the New Zealand Warriors today, forged a clear-cut top eight cut off of 12 points after ten rounds.

But Sheens said his side were on the path to another year of “what ifs” because their only consistency is playing inconsistent football.

He rated the seven-tries-to-five win as “under 20s standard” and said if they bring the same intensity to Leichhardt Oval next Sunday against outright ladder leaders Gold Coast “they will put 40 put past us”.

“We need to find attitude to make some sort of run at this year’s playoffs or we’re going to be where we have been for two or three years now … miss the top eight by a win and it’s just not good enough anymore,” said Sheens.

“Everyone has got to have a stronger attitude to winning and winning the way we should be winning.

“If we don’t change our attitude right now and get ourselves into gear over the next four or five weeks of football then we will miss our chance again and it will be our same old story.

“It starts with some strong training, a reality check and everyone having a good look at themselves.

“The forwards have to wake up to themselves and go forward and there has to be a lot more intensity in (defence).

“It’s time to take stock and the best time to do it is after a win. Generally after a loss everyone gets fired up anyway.

“We can’t hide behind the fact we won the game and therefore everything will be hunky-dory and we will be right next week.”

The Tigers remain eighth (12 points) on the NRL table after the Panthers’ big win enabled them to leapfrog from ninth into seventh.

Manly were the other big movers of the round jumping from fourth to second on 14 points with their 38-6 drubbing of 15th-placed North Queensland.

The Sea Eagles are just two points behind the Titans, who beat the Bulldogs 24-20 on Friday, after both Brisbane and Melbourne suffered losses influenced by the loss of their Origin stars.

The Broncos dropped from third to sixth (12 points) after a 13-6 loss to Cronulla (fifth, 14 points) and the Storm fell from top to fourth with a 36-12 defeat to St George Illawarra.

The Sydney Roosters (14 points) moved from fifth to third after easily accounting for Parramatta (10th, 10 points) 32-12 on Friday.

Fourteenth-placed Canberra host last-placed South Sydney tomorrow night.

Snapshot of round ten of the NRL

THEY SAID IT: “I cannot remember the last bloke who scored three and someone wanted to sack him. Not even me.” Newcastle coach BRIAN SMITH talking about CHRIS BAILEY’s contract negotiations and finding the funny side to last year’s massive club cleanout.

STAT THAT MATTERS: 12. The number of tries scored in the entertaining Wests Tigers-Newcastle clash. Great for the fans. But diabolical for the coaches.

MAN OF THE ROUND: BRAITH ANASTA and SCOTT PRINCE. Dudded by NSW and Queensland Origin selectors, both responded with man of the match performances that guided Sydney Roosters and Gold Coast to victories.

MAGIC MOMENT: Blues selector and commentator Laurie Daley interviewing the man he considered not good enough for NSW, Braith Anasta, after his man of the match performance on Friday. Has there been a more awkward rugby league interview on live television?

TALKING POINT: Will North Queensland’s GRAHAM MURRAY be the first coach sacked in 2008? From all reports it’s only a matter of when, not if, the coach gets pushed out the door with most predicting his demise in the coming week.

JUDICIARY WATCH: None.

KEY INJURIES: Parramatta: Ben Smith (knee), Gold Coast: Smith Samau (knee), Mark Minichiello (hand), Nathan Friend (hand).

UNDER PRESSURE: The Bulldogs have lost three straight and face a difficult month ahead with games against Cronulla, Melbourne and Newcastle. Adding to their concern are reports superstar SONNY BILL WILLIAMS wants to walk away from the club at the end of the year so he can earn more money elsewhere.

© AAP 2012

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