Returns to play us all fresh, new knee bits, primed and keen.
Just our luck, Tommy reportedly out for 4 weeks and expected to return to play us. Shit, f**k, Bastard, merkin, we just can’t take a trick.
IMO:I've had enough time to calm down from Thursday. I'm as pissed off and over it as everyone here, but I'm trying to stay focused on next year. Couple of things:
1 - I don't think Luke Brooks is the problem, but I think we need to give Hastings the 7 jersey as soon as he is back. Move Brooks to 6, or 14, or 9 or whatever...we just need to make sure we know before the end of the year who our best #7 is and GUARENTEE them starting at 7 for 2023. If Hastings is a flop (which I highly doubt he is), then we can keep shuffling the deck chairs until something sticks, but whatever happens, we need a shoe-in #7 for when Api joins the club because their combination is going to be CRUCIAL.
2 - Throw the checkbook at Payne Haas. I know what an insane risk that is, but the mere fact that Haas can belt out the performances he can in a struggling team is exactly what we need. He is the type of player that will attract other players and could start the glacial shift we need. I know we are also chasing Nikora, so if we can get him over the line as well as Haas (plus Papali'i coming) then suddenly we are a pack to be feared
3 - Start giving To'a more game time at centre. He looked very good on the wing when we played Knights, and tbh I think he has more potential than any other centre option we have. I think it's our weakest position for next year, so unless we have cap space to go after an absolute gun centre then I think we need to use this year to shuffle the deck chairs until something sticks.
4- Persist with Daine Laurie. He showed too much promise last year to start shuffling our Fullback options. He's still developing but I think his upside is still very high. If he legitimately becomes a liability then give To'a a crack but I genuinely don't think it's at that point.
If we can finish the year with a core nucleus of dedicated players who are ready to fight to the death for our club, our halves combination locked in, plus 4 really good key signings to fill the gaps, then there is a lot to be hopeful about for our club's future.
Well, if it was only about results, they would have no fans after a decade or so of shit performances. I will support them till the end, like all of us.Must be because after 4 games we are still a chance of finishing as high as 14th
Only the Sharks get a lower percentage of run metres from their starting front rowers, at just 12% of total metres. That’s well below the NRL average of 15.1%, and lower than the Tigers already low numbers in their previous two seasons (13.45% in 2020 and 13.63% in 2021).
If your 8 and 10 aren’t contributing metres, then it puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the team to push the ball forward and the Tigers are suffering because of it. Teams like Penrith can survive it as they generate metres from other positions and trust their defense to help them recover field position.
When you look at how their forwards compare to the rest of the competition it’s pretty dire stuff. Other than Luciano Leilua, who ranks in the 92nd percentile for metres per run and practically carries their pack, the next highest Tiger is little used Thomas Mikaele, who sits in the 68th percentile. No other Tiger sits above the 50th percentile in metres per run. Alex Twal is in the 12th percentile, which means at 88% of NRL forwards average more metres per run than him.
For post contact metres it’s much worse. Kelma Tuilagi ranks the highest for post contact metres per run, but sits in just the 68th percentile, which means that 32% of all NRL forwards achieve more post contact metres per run than the best Wests Tigers forward. Every other team has at least one player inside the top 22%. Think about that. At least Twal fares somewhat better looking at post contact metres per run, sitting in the 48th percentile here, however that still places him in the bottom half of NRL forwards.
The Tigers inability to push through contact and control the middle of the field isn’t the sole reason for the their dismal start to the season, but when you compound it with the struggles, they’ve had defensively it creates a very big hole for them to have to dig out of.
Love your optimism. What a lovely fantasy, us signing 4 really good key signings. Dream on Brother!If we can finish the year with a core nucleus of dedicated players who are ready to fight to the death for our club, our halves combination locked in, plus 4 really good key signings to fill the gaps, then there is a lot to be hopeful about for our club's future.
Kind of backs the approach of fixing our forwards first that Potter took, although poor dummy half service, lack of option and support runners probably contribute to these poor stats. Another stat I heard is that the Tigers lead the comp for forwards taking hitups in the opposition 20. To me, that is significantly more concerning. It's almost like we don't throw shape at the oppositionLink - Rugby League Eye Test
Pretty damning stuff. Especially when you consider that our forward pack is probably better than the backs & halves.
It's almost like we don't throw shape at the opposition
Love your optimism. What a lovely fantasy, us signing 4 really good key signings. Dream on Brother!
This is one of the dumbest posts I have read in ages.If Laurie continues to underwhelm at fullback could we try out shifting Brooks to there and have Hastings and Madden in the halves? Just as an experiment.... I don't want to loose Madden at the moment with his contract up at end of year, we have Brooks on quality spine money but not able to do the organising Madden has shown that ability and Hastings can sniff out opportunities. Toa is still around as an option and he can cover pretty well everywhere backline.