Sydney Roosters hooker Jake Friend looks to have found some much needed form after critics blamed him for the Roosters' mediocre start to the 2018 season.
The 28-year-old produced his finest game for the Roosters this season last Sunday as they demolished Manly 56-24 at Lottoland.
The Roosters were tipped to be premiership favourites before the season even began after their impressive recruitment during the off-season, but they struggled to put two consecutive wins together until Rounds 9 and 10.
Friend revealed to NRL.com that the start of the season wasn't the best for the veteran.
"I had a period at the start [of season] that was tough and not the way I wanted to play," Friend said.
"You always want to play good footy, but it just wasn't happening for me."
Since then, things have started to click for the Tricolours after winning six of their last seven games, which includes only dropping one game during the Origin period.
It was against Manly where Friend showed he can still compete with the best in the game and shouldn't make way for emerging hooker Victor Radley just yet.
Friend had a day out at Lottoland making 10 runs for 88 metres, four tackle breaks, two try assists as well as completing his consistent tackle haul of 46 tackles at an effective rate of 92%.
Critics could be eating crow come seasons end if Friend continues to put out solid performances for the Roosters.
"Sunday's result doesn't make it any better or worse, but it was pleasing personally to get a game out (Manly) like that," Friend said.
"Hopefully I can keep that sort of form going into the back end of the year.
"The way we've been playing, the whole team has been progressing.
"And we're probably as clear as we've ever been on how we want to play and that only helps my game. With everyone on the same page, it makes my decision-making easier. It also makes going off structure easier when I see it."
After what was a dismal start given the standard of players for the Roosters, the new look spine is starting to fire as Friend is the only remaining member of the 2013 premiership-winning spine.
Friend is adamant he, and the team, will be putting in their best efforts to ensure a form slump wont occur leading into the finals.
"We just needed time …time to play more together, to train more together," he said.
"I guess to get out of a slump you've just got to play footy really.
"It is what it is. At the time it wasn't hard [to work through], it was just more personal so I felt frustrated,
"I knew that if I kept doing my thing at training, then it would come around for me."
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