Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary concedes the club will focus on controlling an unwanted pattern in the off-season as the side let slip another lead in their loss to the Cowboys on Friday night.
North Queensland took advantage of a weight of possession in the second half to chase down an eight-point advantage Cleary's men had fought hard to build during the game.
A couple of defensive lapses in concentration from the Tigers were all that was required for livewire Cowboys halfback Michael Morgan to help set up the match-winner for Kyle Feldt, before putting the game to bed with a four-pointer of his own late in the game.
"It was very disappointing and I thought a pretty even contest. I thought in the second half we didn't get a lot of opportunities," Cleary said.
"It just came down to big moments and one in particular, a fifth tackle penalty after we scored.
"We hardly saw the ball after that and didn't handle the big moments in the last 20.
"We gave them the opportunity and they took it so we didn't have to, that was disappointing in that sense and a pattern in many respects of where we are."
After leading late against the Sydney Roosters last start, Cleary was again impressed with the side's ability to compete physically with both top-eight outfits, but lamented the inability to come up with the big play in the clutch moment.
"I thought the first 60 minutes was really good and very competitive which is what we want but just couldn't finish the job," he said.
"That's got to be close to half a dozen times where that sort of thing has happened. Part of it is still guys learning to play for 80 minutes and there are still guys learning that the hard way.
"We're making progress but there are some big things to be competitive. Part of that's personnel and going through it."
Wests Tigers skipper Aaron Woods was enormous for the side up front with 191 metres and an impressive opening try in what was his final home game at Campbelltown Stadium.
Woods will bid farewell to the Tigers faithful at Leichhardt Oval next week but insisted his emotions won't get the better of him.
Instead, his only wish is for the side to play a complete game.
"In the big moments of the game we just didn't take the opportunities," Woods said.
"The fifth tackle penalty really hurt us and they went back-to-back with that.
"We've just got to be better and play for 80 minutes."
