Wildfires go back to basics in bid to find winning formula

He has analysed and re-analysed. Anything to turn the Hunter Wildfires' Shute Shield campaign around.

Coleman keeps coming back to one thing - basics.

"We are letting ourselves down with simple mistakes too regularly," he said. "It is not one area, it is always something different.

"I have spoken to Scott Wisemantel and Andrew Blades and they agree. Do the simple things and do them well.

"With rugby we try to be too complex sometimes rather than get the basics right.

"This week there has been a concentration on winning the contact areas.

"We are lacking confidence and belief.

"Once we start to get that back, we are dangerous."

The Wildfires are away to Western Sydney on Saturday and need to win to keep their finals hopes alive. They are 10^th on 21 points, 11 points behind Norths in sixth, with seven games remaining.

"We have not written this season off. We are still in it to win it," Coleman said. "We just have to get better.

"The morale is still high. The boys are super keen and going hard. I'm not worried about the mentality."

Former skipper Kirk Tufuga has been named at No.8 for his first game back in the top grade after returning from Spain, where he spent the past three seasons.

However, he missed training on Thursday due to illness and will be given until match morning to recovery.

"I hope he is right," Coleman said. "I expect he will have a major impact. He is very physical and a natural leader. He brings confidence and stability to the team."

Western Sydney are in seventh place on 27 points are fresh from a 30-25 win over Sydney University.

"They are big and physical and play off the cuff a lot," Coleman said. "They do the basics well but also have some X-factor."