I agree. I don't know what to make of it just yet, he could be valuable in the backrow and his kicking game is a major asset. Benji can't move to half tho, it is tried and failed.
Exactly right- this makes sense.
Sheens on the WT website says he says him more in the forwards so I'm somewhat reassured.
http://www.weststigers.com.au/defau...m-sheens-happy-with-what-braith-anasta-offers
Wests Tigers Head Coach Tim Sheens says Braith Anasta will bring a strong set of skills and leadership when he arrives at Concord in 2013.
Anasta today signed a two-year-deal with Wests Tigers and will join the Club upon finishing his commitments with the Sydney Roosters this season.
Sheens said there were a number of reasons why Wests Tigers looked at Anasta and was very pleased to have recruited the Sydney Roosters captain who has played for NSW and Australia.
We liked his leadership abilities. It is like Petero Civoniceva going back to the Broncos at 35-years-of -age or Danny Buderus at Newcastle at 34, Sheens told weststigers.com.au
Braith is a great bloke on and off the field and is captain of a current NRL side. He has got that leadership and he will be part of a leadership group here so we need him to be strong.
He is a quality person on and off the field. They are the first qualities we look for.
As an athlete, he is 97 kilos so he is big enough. He can play in the halves in terms of a ball playing role and he can also play 13. He brings a very strong kicking game to the Club, something we need to improve on.
In his 238 games, he has scored 83 tries, is an established goal-kicker and he can kick pressure field goals. We only have to remember the one he kicked against us in the finals two years ago. He brings that extra direction and leadership on the field I believe the team needs.
He is of an age and on a contract where he wont shut out our youth program. He can move if a young Curtis Sironen, Jacob Miller or any of these kids who come into the squad nail down one of the spots.
Sheens said 30-year-old Anasta would form part of a strong leadership group.
Robbie Farah is 28 and Benji is 27. I wanted that senior group. We have got a very young full-back and we have got some young forwards. We are losing Gareth Ellis and that is a loss to us in respect to extra leadership within the place, Sheens added.
You cant continually just go young players all the time. You need to have a level of experience in a first grade side and that is something we lack sometimes because we do go too young to early.
Im not particularly looking to replace Benji in that (five-eighth) role but to have more skills in that area in the areas of kicking. He is a very good defender.
Braith played second-row in the 2010 grand final. He has played a lot of positions and is very competitive and thats what I like about him.
Although Braith is in the twilight of his career, he hasnt demanded a fortune and we are very happy with the deal. I believe he will bring more than value to this Club and to the team.
I spoke to the senior players, in particular Robbie Farah and company, and they are very, very pleased to have him on board and they are ones who play against him.
There are people in the public who say why do we go for a senior guy or why are we doing this. We have had good value out of some of the senior players we have bought in Scott Sattler and Mick Buettner.
We are not talking about a player who is not currently producing. He is the first grade captain of the Roosters. I believe his competitiveness along with a change of environment, and with the strong group of players we have here, Braith will fit in really well.
Braith will also bring a stabling influence in the side. All of these things will only add to make us a stronger team next year.
