2024 Predictions

[ColdWetPanther]

I personally don’t see the West Tigers rising significantly up the ladder this year. I think there are real challenges 2-7 (personally think Olam is a dud deal) and your middles would have looked great in 2018 but are too immobile for how the game is played today. So they rumble you up the field, but do so with little punch.

I have genuine hope for the future though if you can get the pathways right. I therefore think that Benji should be focusing on building cohesion and therefore success for him is finding his best 17 by Round [8] and then sticking with it throughout the rest of the season (with short term injuries being used to blood youngsters, the idea that it is easier to bring kids into a settled team and they only need to play a role). In terms of picking his best 17, I would suggest culture is more important than talent.

 

[General Stripes]

Just not last please

 

[Tigerm]

I personally don’t see the West Tigers rising significantly up the ladder this year. I think there are real challenges 2-7 (personally think Olam is a dud deal) and your middles would have looked great in 2018 but are too immobile for how the game is played today. So they rumble you up the field, but do so with little punch.

I have genuine hope for the future though if you can get the pathways right. I therefore think that Benji should be focusing on building cohesion and therefore success for him is finding his best 17 by Round [8] and then sticking with it throughout the rest of the season (with short term injuries being used to blood youngsters, the idea that it is easier to bring kids into a settled team and they only need to play a role). In terms of picking his best 17, I would suggest culture is more important than talent.

Obviously, any rise is an improvement, but deadset Sheen’s was diabolical in his approach, it was good about 20 years ago.
With Benji being brand new to coaching, it will be hard to tell from here atm, but he’s got a reasonable crew around him, all +300 gamers.
The forwards have mostly been together from last season, so that should be helpful. Imo, we were OK but let down by the terrible attacking options we had.
The halves are the question, that will answer how we go. If Sezer brings his “A” game, I think we could do better than many will expect.
The backs, again another season older, no one will know how Olam goes, until he’s playing. Bula will be good, so a bit to believe in. Again, imo, there are a few on trial for 25, so that should keep them honest.
However we have said that for many years.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

Obviously, any rise is an improvement, but deadset Sheen’s was diabolical in his approach, it was good about 20 years ago.
With Benji being brand new to coaching, it will be hard to tell from here atm, but he’s got a reasonable crew around him, all +300 gamers.
The forwards have mostly been together from last season, so that should be helpful. Imo, we were OK but let down by the terrible attacking options we had.
The halves are the question, that will answer how we go. If Sezer brings his “A” game, I think we could do better than many will expect.
The backs, again another season older, no one will know how Olam goes, until he’s playing. Bula will be good, so a bit to believe in. Again, imo, there are a few on trial for 25, so that should keep them honest.
However we have said that for many years.

I believe there will be improvement. I don't think you get the spoon this year. I think that honour will go to STI.

Maybe 10th at the highest down to say 13th.

I agree with you Sheens was a dreadful move.


Benji will be as good as his assistants are.....that puts quite a bit of pressure on John Morris. I say this because of Benji's inexperience.


If they can work well as a team, I predict the above. If not...............

 

[Tigerm]

I believe there will be improvement. I don't think you get the spoon this year. I think that honour will go to STI.

Maybe 10th at the highest down to say 13th.

I agree with you Sheens was a dreadful move.


Benji will be as good as his assistants are.....that puts quite a bit of pressure on John Morris. I say this because of Benji's inexperience.


If they can work well as a team, I predict the above. If not...............

Well, that is one of the questions, I think the young blokes will enjoy Benji’s talk, but as I stated, I believe it is on the field where we win or lose and Sezer will have a big bearing on that for us.
We could get to the line, but didn’t do much when we got there.
Anyway, we’ll find out soon enough.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Obviously, any rise is an improvement, but deadset Sheen’s was diabolical in his approach, it was good about 20 years ago.
With Benji being brand new to coaching, it will be hard to tell from here atm, but he’s got a reasonable crew around him, all +300 gamers.
The forwards have mostly been together from last season, so that should be helpful. Imo, we were OK but let down by the terrible attacking options we had.
The halves are the question, that will answer how we go. If Sezer brings his “A” game, I think we could do better than many will expect.
The backs, again another season older, no one will know how Olam goes, until he’s playing. Bula will be good, so a bit to believe in. Again, imo, there are a few on trial for 25, so that should keep them honest.
However we have said that for many years.

I agree Sheens was not a man for the time and that Sezer is the key to a successful 24.

If you haven’t already watched/listened to this episode of Bloke in a Bar I would encourage you to do it. They are quite bullish on the Tigers for 24, but interesting comments about whether 24 is a ‘win now’ or ‘win later’ year.

 

[Tigerm]

I agree Sheens was not a man for the time and that Sezer is the key to a successful 24.

If you haven’t already watched/listened to this episode of Bloke in a Bar I would encourage you to do it. They are quite bullish on the Tigers for 24, but interesting comments about whether 24 is a ‘win now’ or ‘win later’ year.

I don't think many WT fans would be thinking of to much grandeur this season, 8th would be fantastic, but I think realistically top 10 would be exceeding our expectations, IMO, it's all in preparation for Luai coming?

Cheers, I will have a listen.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Obviously, any rise is an improvement, but deadset Sheen’s was diabolical in his approach, it was good about 20 years ago.
With Benji being brand new to coaching, it will be hard to tell from here atm, but he’s got a reasonable crew around him, all +300 gamers.
The forwards have mostly been together from last season, so that should be helpful. Imo, we were OK but let down by the terrible attacking options we had.
The halves are the question, that will answer how we go. If Sezer brings his “A” game, I think we could do better than many will expect.
The backs, again another season older, no one will know how Olam goes, until he’s playing. Bula will be good, so a bit to believe in. Again, imo, there are a few on trial for 25, so that should keep them honest.
However we have said that for many years.

Agree with this 100%

Last night I stumbled across a few highlights form the 05 finals series and I forgot just how skillful some of our forwards are. Multiple tries we're seeing passes between the forwards, which eventuate in easy overlaps to wingers/centers scoring untouched. Sheens tried to get us to play like this in 24. the big issue was that in 05 we had the likes of Payten, Fulton, Galea, O'Neil who were skilled passes of the ball, and even guys like Heighno and Halatau could hold a pass up.

He then tries to do it with Klemmer, Stef, Pole, Twal, Pappalli, Blore etc who are all tuck it under your arm and run hard forwards. His entire gameplan made no sense and had me tearing my hair out. I still remember a play we had on the Knights line in in Round 2. The ball went from Api to Klem, who passed to Stef, who passed to Pole, who passed to Pappali who got tackled It was slow, telegraphed, clunky and never looked like achieving anything.

Our style last year was genuinley worse then anything Maguire had us doing, and I hated watched us under him.

 

[Mr_Raditch]

Agree with this 100%

Last night I stumbled across a few highlights form the 05 finals series and I forgot just how skillful some of our forwards are. Multiple tries we're seeing passes between the forwards, which eventuate in easy overlaps to wingers/centers scoring untouched. Sheens tried to get us to play like this in 24. the big issue was that in 05 we had the likes of Payten, Fulton, Galea, O'Neil who were skilled passes of the ball, and even guys like Heighno and Halatau could hold a pass up.

He then tries to do it with Klemmer, Stef, Pole, Twal, Pappalli, Blore etc who are all tuck it under your arm and run hard forwards. His entire gameplan made no sense and had me tearing my hair out. I still remember a play we had on the Knights line in in Round 2. The ball went from Api to Klem, who passed to Stef, who passed to Pole, who passed to Pappali who got tackled It was slow, telegraphed, clunky and never looked like achieving anything.

Our style last year was genuinley worse then anything Maguire had us doing, and I hated watched us under him.

Those wrap around plays close to the line did my head in. They were so slow & cumbersome, no one in the defnsive line was falling for them. I liked that we tried something "different" with our forwards trying to ball play, but it was painfully obvious that we didn't/don't have the cattle for that style of play.

 

[gordsy]

Give it 10 weeks into the season and we will know if last years Issues were due to Benji or Sheens.

 

[WA Tiger]

Give it 10 weeks into the season and we will know if last years Issues were due to Benji or Sheens.

For sure and hopefully way sooner…but yea we may take some time to mesh etc etc
Although I’m also hoping they will explode out of the gate and not look back. Imagine that

 

[Ned Kelly]

I agree Sheens was not a man for the time and that Sezer is the key to a successful 24.

If you haven’t already watched/listened to this episode of Bloke in a Bar I would encourage you to do it. They are quite bullish on the Tigers for 24, but interesting comments about whether 24 is a ‘win now’ or ‘win later’ year.

Thanks for that. Very interesting stuff.

 

[General Stripes]

Give it 10 weeks into the season and we will know if last years Issues were due to Benji or Sheens.

Disagree.

we have just had a major shift not only in staff but culture at our club.

it won’t look like anything to begin with, nothing like a slap in the face kinda change, but seeing little improvements here and there.

anyone calling for heads after 10 weeks, or judgement, into a completely new setup top down is clueless.

 

[WA Tiger]

Disagree.

we have just had a major shift not only in staff but culture at our club.

it won’t look like anything to begin with, nothing like a slap in the face kinda change, but seeing little improvements here and there.

anyone calling for heads after 10 weeks, or judgement, into a completely new setup top down is clueless.

5 year plan?

 

[General Stripes]

5 year plan?

Good god no, but patience is needed.
Pascoe and Hagipantelis problems were they were telling everyone to be patient as they started a brand new plan every year.

we actually are starting something new.

 

[Nutz]

Disagree.
Anyone calling for heads after 10 weeks, or judgement, into a completely new setup top down is clueless.

There's going to be a lot of media scrutiny on Benji this year from the media circus. If we are not performing well they'll crucify him.
To counteract this, Shano should use the excuse of building for 2025. He needs to take the heat off Benji at every opportunity and build a positive vibe around the joint.
When Shane arrived at Souths Sydney after getting successive wooden spoons they managed only 13th 05. Another spoon in 06.
After that it was more bad results until they got the right roster and Madge and won the comp.
Point is, if we are going to win a comp there's going to be some pain first and if we lose momentum or get in the dumps we won't succeed especially if players lose confidence.
Interestingly though, I remember Madge saying in an interview that WT are building for 2006 but Christmas came a year early.

 

[Nutz]

My biggest concern is how long have we got with our current forward pack until they hit their peak and also have Luai in it. In fact there is a plethora of talent just signed and waiting in the wings but will they have a good pack to play with?
I fear that we won't get the strongest team on the paddock...all together.
Players like Api, how much longer has he got at the top. I could be wrong.

 

[Tigerm]

Disagree.

we have just had a major shift not only in staff but culture at our club.

it won’t look like anything to begin with, nothing like a slap in the face kinda change, but seeing little improvements here and there.

anyone calling for heads after 10 weeks, or judgement, into a completely new setup top down is clueless.

Agree, but TBF, I think we all knew with in the first 5 weeks of last season, that we were just about destined for the spoon.

 

[Nutz]

I'm not saying we/I give up on this year but we need to steady the ship first and build for 2025. Get things in order so the players all buy in.
A few experiments are needed and sign another marquee player or gun in the second half of the season to keep the joint moving ahead.
I very player needs to go up several notches or it's goodbye.

 

[gordsy]

Disagree.

we have just had a major shift not only in staff but culture at our club.

it won’t look like anything to begin with, nothing like a slap in the face kinda change, but seeing little improvements here and there.

anyone calling for heads after 10 weeks, or judgement, into a completely new setup top down is clueless.

I didn't mean make changes, what I meant was if we see the same mistakes and brain dead game plans then you know it wasn't all Sheens.