What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Match Discussion: Round 15 vs Raiders @ Campbelltown Stadium

Who will win? Round 15: Wests Tigers v Raiders


  • Total voters
    6
  • Poll closed .

BrotherJim05

Bench
Messages
3,400
This game is make or break for us. We have deficiencies in our game, but we have shown a lot of grit in tough situations, and we have only lost narrowly in majority of our losses this year.

We need to get the win against both Canberra and Gold Coast by ANY means necessary. Two wins in a row then plus the bye will put us back in the top 8 with only 6 games to go.
 

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
24,496
ET adds nothing on the edge. If he is going to be in the team he needs to be in the middle doing everyone else's tackling with a bit of ball playing.

On the edge he would be solid defensively but not be making as many tackles, offers no threat running the ball and would have no or very limited ball playing opportunities.

I don’t think he’s great on the edge but he’s probably the best of what we’ve got.

When he plays 13 he makes like 54m in 80mins. It’s not good enough when most teams 13s are making 120m+
 
Last edited:
Messages
3,320
We know ET defends well but doesn’t dent the line in attack,however imo he should be used as a ball playing 13 which would make him and our pack more dangerous rather than the predictable one out stuff thats threatening no one.
 

kneegrow

Juniors
Messages
53
Despite us lossing our last 2 I'm pretty confident we can roll Wicky's Waiders. They are good for a brain snap and we finally have a team that looks like they collectively give a shit. *cough* Lolohea

TBH I think we should win easily but like others have said we'll make it look hard. Us by 4
 

Tiger Ted

Bench
Messages
2,952
This has turned into the most pivotal game of season re our primary objective to qualify for the 8 for the 1st time in 7 yrs.With a likely win @ the 8th wonder & a bye coming up if we win this we will certainly give ourselves a decent chance to play September footy as we’d need to win 4 of the last 8 games & with Mbye & hopefully Farah in the team it’s attainable.

However Canberra do pose a reasonable hurdle especially with the return of there most prominent player in the spine.If we can restrict Leilua & Cotric to no more than a try between them then we should win.
 

kneegrow

Juniors
Messages
53
This has turned into the most pivotal game of season re our primary objective to qualify for the 8 for the 1st time in 7 yrs.With a likely win @ the 8th wonder & a bye coming up if we win this we will certainly give ourselves a decent chance to play September footy as we’d need to win 4 of the last 8 games & with Mbye & hopefully Farah in the team it’s attainable.

However Canberra do pose a reasonable hurdle especially with the return of there most prominent player in the spine.If we can restrict Leilua & Cotric to no more than a try between them then we should win.

Spot on mate

Canberra have danger all over the park but their combined iq is barely double digits. Meaning they are a team of individuals that don’t gel together as a team

We win, then with the addition of mbye and hopefully Farah should absolutely murder the tits. Then the bye would see us on 20 points heavily entrenched in the 8.

We lose, then we probably don’t deserve to be in the finals although still have a chance albeit it being more difficult
 
Messages
3,320
It is a sad sorry state of affairs if we have to go back to RF but in saying that he is still better than our current crop of hookers,young Liddles body unfortunately is just not holding up to first grade atm.
 

Mario chalmers

Juniors
Messages
581
It is a sad sorry state of affairs if we have to go back to RF but in saying that he is still better than our current crop of hookers,young Liddles body unfortunately is just not holding up to first grade atm.

Agree it is very sad if Farah is being considered.

1) Ivan is building a no dickhead policy
2) If the signing is being considered because we have roster spots/room under the cap then there are surely other players out there who'd offer more value to WT
 

Tiger Ted

Bench
Messages
2,952
Agree it is very sad if Farah is being considered.

1) Ivan is building a no dickhead policy
2) If the signing is being considered because we have roster spots/room under the cap then there are surely other players out there who'd offer more value to WT
It’s a sign that Cleary is getting desperate in his quest to make the finals.Its a fact that Robbie ernestly tried to return to Concord during the off season but was rejected by Cleary.The news that Cleary is to roll out the welcome mat for RF’s return plus the sudden promotion of Gamble to play 5/8 the position that Cleary paid massive overs for Reynolds to play in says much about clearys desperate attempts to resuscitate a dysfunctional attack.

We need the kid Gamble to swiftly succeed in the NRL so as to put pressure on our halves to perform coz amongst other notable weaknesses the spine has been our Achilles heel.Our 1 & 9 have been pathetic & our 6 & 7 are not consistently good enough for us to b a genuine top 8 team or one who ud b confident in winning a semi if they happened to sneak in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 851

Tiger Ted

Bench
Messages
2,952
Reynolds has played 1 full 80 min game and got a pass from me. It’s definitely not worth wrist slitting at this stage

Gamble is a weird choice but the kid deserves a shot. Hope he kills it
Agree & it’s exactly why I don’t get why Cleary wouldn’t play Reynolds at 5/8 when Cleary was insanely happy to pay him double what he’s really worth to b his 5/8 for 4 yrs.

This isn’t the game I’d b blooding Gamble in & as someone said in another post if u felt the inclination to blood the kid then the 8th wonder in 2 wks vs the tits would’ve been a wiser time.
 

mepelthwack

Juniors
Messages
617
All respect to those that disagree these are merely opinions but in my mind this is the perfect time to blood Gamble. He will have hometown support albeit small and if successful less nerves for the holy ground match coming up.

He will receive protection, maybe even especially from Robbie Rochow also with a point to prove. Having said this, I suspect Gamble can take care of himself.

Heck I’d make him goalkicker as well.
 

magpie guy

Juniors
Messages
358
I can see the reason for bringing Gamble into the side.

MM is unable to play a full 80 at hooker which means that Reynolds will have to cover there for some portion of the game (thankfully meaning the end to ET at 9). With Benji out that means we need a cover for 6 hence Gamble.
Tui could have been an option here but his current form has not been good and this means less position swapping mid game.
If Gamble comes off the bench it also means that we have someone fresh to spark our attack late into the halves. He should also provide a bit more utility cover for the backline than having another hooker on the bench.

On Robbie, I would be ok with him coming back on a limited deal, 1 year max with one more in the clubs favour pretty much like Benji.
He would immediately fix our 80 minute hooker problem and would free up a bench spot for another big forward or impact player. A bench of Aloia, Chee Kam, Huth and Twal would give us a lot of punch up the middle. Means Reynolds can settle into the 6 role and would take some pressure off the halves as we could put on some forward plays off of the ruck. Something we don't get out of any of the current hooker options.

This is all assuming however, that we get a more humble version of Robbie who doesn't go for the hero, ball hogging plays. Big assumption I know.
 

Tiger05

First Grade
Messages
9,162
This is all assuming however, that we get a more humble version of Robbie who doesn't go for the hero, ball hogging plays. Big assumption I know.

I'm all for Robbie coming back but this is a massive concern. I still remember seeing him dart from dummy half 1 metre from the line with Benji and a stacked backline outside of him and we looked sure to score and of course he was tackled. Benji can do the same thing. I suppose you want players making big plays who are your gun players but those two have taken some terrible options in the past.
 

magpie guy

Juniors
Messages
358
I'm all for Robbie coming back but this is a massive concern. I still remember seeing him dart from dummy half 1 metre from the line with Benji and a stacked backline outside of him and we looked sure to score and of course he was tackled. Benji can do the same thing. I suppose you want players making big plays who are your gun players but those two have taken some terrible options in the past.

For sure it has been an issue with Robbie. I think this was due to him feeling like he had to make everything happen himself. On one hand it shows a lack of faith in his teammates but on the other hand we only have to look at the absolute dross he had to play with...Anasta, Balir, Moltzen, Reddy, Utai, Buchanan, Groat, Moses, John Morris...you could hardly blame him.

With him coming in as an outsider to an established team and different culture hopefully he wont feel that he has to do the hero plays. Having a stronger coach in Ivan would definitely help as well. Either he follows the structure or he gets dropped. His experience at Souths has hopefully humbled him in that regard.
 

Tiger05

First Grade
Messages
9,162
Reynolds out tomorrow

Now the Gamble thing makes more sense

That makes sense. It really sucks though. I say play Gamble at 6 all game and see how he goes. I have no idea how we are going to go at dummy half though. We basically need to sign Robbie at the moment. I mean who would be a better option.
 

Das Hassler

Bench
Messages
2,960
Well that should see Farah back...nauseous about it but no doubt the best option for this season's last 10....and hopefully a few more
 

Latest posts

Top