Adam Doueihi is pulling no punches ahead of his return from injury, claiming some of his Wests Tigers teammates need to be "pulled into line" after a string of losses.
The 25-year-old will finally be back in action after spending over a year on the sidelines with a serious knee injury, with the club naming him at halfback for NSW Cup.
Doueihi is expected to be back in the mix for first grade selection in the coming weeks, but is already putting those ahead of him in the pecking order on notice.
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Speaking to Triple M's The Rush Hour, the utility admitted some of the performances from the Tigers this year haven't met the "benchmark" set by the leaders within the squad and he's hoping to enact some change when his time in the NRL comes.
"To see the boys lose this many games on the trot does hurt me, because I know I can help get us some more wins," Doueihi said.
"The more I get close to the boys in these next few weeks and the more I can take charge of the team, I can sort of be that dominant figure and help pull some of these younger blokes in line and show them what the standards are at this club.
"If they're not living up to the standards that I feel and the other leaders feel are the benchmark, then they can go and sit back in reserve grade as far as I'm concerned.
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"I'm looking to play 60 to 80 minutes this week … if I can get through that unscathed, I'm sure I will be able to put myself back in the first grade team the week after."
Doueihi is on a rich contract at Concord for this year, but remains unsigned for 2025 and beyond despite the club tabling him a cut-rate extension.
His looming return is a welcome boost for Benji Marshall's side, who have lost nine games on the trot and are without a host of key players due to injury.
Doueihi believes things can change on the field once he gets some game fitness under his belt and can make a difference on a week-to-week basis.
"I know I can contribute to the team … I'm a shit loser and I hate seeing my side lose and hopefully I can get back in the first team as quick as possible to help them," he said.
"I've stayed positive and not let the results affect me personally. I've been training with the full group for two months now. I feel like since I've been back on the field, the intensity at training has gone up a level and I guess energy levels have been good.
"The quicker I'm out there on the field with the boys, the more I can be hands-on and contribute in the way I know I can.
"It's been about 14 months since I played any sort of footy. I'm honestly really proud of myself in the way I've come back. I'm excited to blow some cobwebs off this weekend."
Doueihi has played 87 games across stints with the Rabbitohs and Tigers, filling it a variety of positions in the backline.
He will be battling for a spot in the halves against Jayden Sullivan, Aidan Sezer and Lachlan Galvin for the rest of this year, before Jarome Luai arrives in 2025.
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