Kangaroos are searching for some consistency ahead of a crucial game with Albury on Sunday.
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The Wagga club showed glimpses of their best and then their worst in a topsy turvy clash with Young heading into the bye.
The led the Cherrypickers 22-6 at half-time in the clash at Laurie Daley Oval before letting in 30 unanswered points to slump to their fourth loss from seven games so far this season.
Coach Simon Woolford believes a mindset adjustment will help the side reach their full potential.
"There were a couple of things we didn't get right in the first half but we played some really good footy, defended well but when things didn't go our way in the second half we lost our way," Woolford said.
"That's been a feature of our losses this year and some of our wins have been that way as well.
"For me it's a mindset thing and we have to keep working on it."
Luke Ingram, Simione Naiduki, Ritchie Herangi, Bowie Foster and Lachlan Jolliffe were all forwards who missed the clash.
Woolford is hoping to have some troops back on board for the trip to Greenfield Park on Sunday.
"It was a real struggle for us to get 17 fit players so to be up 22-6 at half-time was a great effort but when we got put under a bit of pressure and had to do back-to-back defensive sets, particularly on our own line, the guys who haven't been around the group much, as expected, came up with some errors and so did some guys who have been there from day dot," he said.
"You can't expect the world of players who have called in at the last minute, who haven't spent a lot of time with us, so I was just grateful guys put their hand up and they will be better for the run."
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Especially with the Thunder the most likely team to push Kangaroos out of fifth spot.
Albury have won two of their last three games to join Kangaroos on three victories.
The Wagga club have had a bye to sit two points, and significant for and against, clear of their rivals.
While wary of Adrian Purtell's men, Woolford knows his side can get it together.
"We just have to worry about us as apart from the Southcity game, when we were probably never in that game, the other three losses we've had we've been there to win," he said.
"We just haven't been able to put it together for long enough periods.
"The weekend was very, very disappointing after dominating Young for 40 minutes and then just coming out and losing our way.
"There is a bit to work with and I'm not kicking stones or giving up on the season as we will get there in the end.
"I'd just rather it be sooner rather than later."
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