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Season 2023

Tigerm

First Grade
Messages
8,902
Klemmer will be excellent for us. We need someone who can get the forwards fired up and ready to kill...I think he will bring this.

Good to see Talau back but honestly what is his position? Does anyone know what position he primarily played before his FG debut?
Not sure if it was on here or not, but I thought it said he was destined for the forwards (SR)?
 

Tigerm

First Grade
Messages
8,902

Blore excited after long road back​


After watching helplessly from the sidelines as his club slumped to their first-ever wooden spoon in 2022, Wests Tigers young gun Shawn Blore is ready to unleash a year’s worth of frustration at Leichhardt Oval in the opening round of 2023.
Having been re-signed by the club despite the fact a pre-season ACL injury cruelled his 2022 campaign, the 22-year-old is determined to repay the faith new coach Tim Sheens has shown in him.

“It’s been a hard year for everyone at the club but it was even harder watching from the sideline,” Blore told NRL.com.
“It was really painful at times having to sit there because you can’t do anything to help and you can’t change anything. You just sit there wishing you could do something and it’s a really crap feeling.
“The re-signing this year is something I’ll never forget. To re-sign someone who’s unproven in the NRL and give me that chance, I can't describe it.

"And Sheensy knows very well that my goal is to start for the team in round one in the back row.

More than 15 months since he last graced a football field, the Penrith junior is adamant he has grown as a player and a person during his time away from the game.
“I’ve definitely heard a lot of sayings since my injury. One that really stuck with me was ‘you can be a sad loser or a sad winner,’ he said.
“Injuries are always going to be sad, but you have a choice to use it to better yourself.
“I really liked that saying so I stuck by it and used it to overcome a really low point in my career.
“There’s a lot of little milestones you can’t take for granted when you're injured, whether that’s walking or straightening my leg.
"It’s such a long process so you’ve just got to tick off all the small wins along the way and not take them for granted.”

With two ACL injuries forcing the emerging back-rower to spend more time in the rehab room than on the field in recent years, blore said the thought of setting foot onto Leichhardt Oval in front of a packed house on March 5 gets the blood pumping.
“My footy and the past few years have been so scattered but one thing has remained the same and that’s my dream to play again on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Leichhardt,” he said.
“Our first two rounds are on Sunday at Leichhardt Oval and I just love that ground.


“It’s so iconic and everyone gets behind it no matter what’s going on. Out of everything, I just can’t wait for that Leichhardt moment.
“My family were probably hurt a lot more than I was when I got injured and to be able to run on the field and see them smile again in the stands would make it all worth it.”
Having played just 18 games since his debut midway through 2020, the Australian Schoolboys representative said he can feel a new era dawning under 2005 premiership coach Sheens.
“Sheensy', Benji (Marshall) and Faz (Robbie Farah), they’ve won a competition together, so they know what it takes to win,” he said.
Koroisau's first visit to Wests Tigers new centre of excellence
Koroisau's first visit to Wests Tigers new centre of excellence
“From what I’ve seen of pre-season, it feels like there’s a new mentality this year and everyone is sort of feeding off that.
“We’ve got all we need now - the new facilities are second-to-none, we’ve got the coaching staff and the signings have been amazing.
"Api Koroisau, Isaiah Papali’i, Dave Klemmer, Charlie Staines... they’re what we need.”
 
Messages
3,211

Randwick captain’s bold bid to earn stripes as prop with Wests Tigers​

Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens can still recall working with Ben Kennedy, the premiership winner and international star forward who made the switch to league after graduating from St Joseph’s College and spending a few years in club rugby.

Nearly 30 years later, Sheens would love a similar success story with another Ben: Ben Houston, who also attended Joey’s, captained Randwick’s First XV this winter, and is now chasing his own NRL dream.

Houston, 23, was handed a $1000-a-week train-and-trial deal and no certainty to land a top-30 spot at the Tigers.
He had to spend the first couple of weeks learning how to play the ball again and adjusting to the 10m rule. As a proud No.6 in rugby, Houston also had to break the habit of wanting to forever drift out to the edges in search of the ball.

Should Houston fall short in his quest to land a deal, he knows he can return to the Galloping Greens, and put his recently completed construction design degree to good use.
At 196cm and 104kg, Houston, a budding front-tower, says he has loved every minute of pre-season training with the Tigers, learned plenty from new recruit David Klemmer, and set himself the lofty goal of going all the way.

Sheens was never going to compare Houston to Kennedy, who he recruited during his time at the Canberra Raiders, but pointed out a strong rugby background was never a bad thing when it came to making the switch.

“I’ve seen some outstanding guys come across from rugby and go on with it, with Ben Kennedy being your classic success story,” Sheens told the Herald.

“Ben had played a bit of league as a kid, and we picked him up when he was playing rugby with Manly.

“Ben Houston has the rugby background, also went to Joey’s, he’s a good athlete, a big, rangy guy who is full-on with everything he does.

“The fact he was captain at Randwick and their leading tackler, I was happy for us to have a look at him.
“At this point he’s improving with every session, his attitude has been great, he moves well, now it’s just a case of giving him an opportunity to see how he goes in a game.”

Houston played in a Waratahs A game in September, but any progression into the Super Rugby set-up “fizzled out”. A family friend of his father, Mark, a long-time first-grader with Eastwood, gauged interest from some league clubs about a summer trial, and the Tigers agreed.

Houston played league as a kid, including a few seasons with North Sydney Brothers – as a five-eighth – and said Klemmer’s input had been priceless.
“He’s been unreal, and he’s almost taken me under his wing a bit,” Houston said.
“He’s a terrific player and learned so much from him already. It’s also easier seeing a taller player do what he does, so then I know where to put my arms and legs.

“My mates are now at the age where they feel the contact from being hit in rugby more, and are starting to knuckle down in their work careers.

“I’ve already got my degree to fall back on, so I really want to test myself and see how far I can go. The goal is to land a top-30 contract.”

The Tigers have 28 players signed for next season, and do not have to add their final two spots until the middle of the year. John Bateman is expected to fill one of those spots before the season kicks off, while Parramatta’s Nathan Brown has met and impressed Sheens, but the club are mindful of having too many middles.
 

Tigerm

First Grade
Messages
8,902

Randwick captain’s bold bid to earn stripes as prop with Wests Tigers​

Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens can still recall working with Ben Kennedy, the premiership winner and international star forward who made the switch to league after graduating from St Joseph’s College and spending a few years in club rugby.

Nearly 30 years later, Sheens would love a similar success story with another Ben: Ben Houston, who also attended Joey’s, captained Randwick’s First XV this winter, and is now chasing his own NRL dream.

Houston, 23, was handed a $1000-a-week train-and-trial deal and no certainty to land a top-30 spot at the Tigers.
He had to spend the first couple of weeks learning how to play the ball again and adjusting to the 10m rule. As a proud No.6 in rugby, Houston also had to break the habit of wanting to forever drift out to the edges in search of the ball.

Should Houston fall short in his quest to land a deal, he knows he can return to the Galloping Greens, and put his recently completed construction design degree to good use.
At 196cm and 104kg, Houston, a budding front-tower, says he has loved every minute of pre-season training with the Tigers, learned plenty from new recruit David Klemmer, and set himself the lofty goal of going all the way.

Sheens was never going to compare Houston to Kennedy, who he recruited during his time at the Canberra Raiders, but pointed out a strong rugby background was never a bad thing when it came to making the switch.

“I’ve seen some outstanding guys come across from rugby and go on with it, with Ben Kennedy being your classic success story,” Sheens told the Herald.

“Ben had played a bit of league as a kid, and we picked him up when he was playing rugby with Manly.

“Ben Houston has the rugby background, also went to Joey’s, he’s a good athlete, a big, rangy guy who is full-on with everything he does.

“The fact he was captain at Randwick and their leading tackler, I was happy for us to have a look at him.
“At this point he’s improving with every session, his attitude has been great, he moves well, now it’s just a case of giving him an opportunity to see how he goes in a game.”

Houston played in a Waratahs A game in September, but any progression into the Super Rugby set-up “fizzled out”. A family friend of his father, Mark, a long-time first-grader with Eastwood, gauged interest from some league clubs about a summer trial, and the Tigers agreed.

Houston played league as a kid, including a few seasons with North Sydney Brothers – as a five-eighth – and said Klemmer’s input had been priceless.
“He’s been unreal, and he’s almost taken me under his wing a bit,” Houston said.
“He’s a terrific player and learned so much from him already. It’s also easier seeing a taller player do what he does, so then I know where to put my arms and legs.

“My mates are now at the age where they feel the contact from being hit in rugby more, and are starting to knuckle down in their work careers.

“I’ve already got my degree to fall back on, so I really want to test myself and see how far I can go. The goal is to land a top-30 contract.”

The Tigers have 28 players signed for next season, and do not have to add their final two spots until the middle of the year. John Bateman is expected to fill one of those spots before the season kicks off, while Parramatta’s Nathan Brown has met and impressed Sheens, but the club are mindful of having too many middles.
Yeah, looking forward to seeing how he goes.
 

Ned Kelly

Juniors
Messages
1,641
Where’s your proof?

Better post an affidavit from f**king Nostradamus!
Manly have confirmed fullback Tom Trbojevic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain at training this week which could take up to two months to heal.


Slightly more accurate than your post of Woods leaving the Dragons to join the Tigers. I would sack your spies if I was you.
 

Ned Kelly

Juniors
Messages
1,641

Looks like Uncle Benny is finally doing the club a huge favour?🤣
Benny has lost the plot or it is a poor attempt at spin doctoring.

He says it's the Tigers fault for letting Moses go. Does he not remember Moses wanting to leave, we said no ( as we usually do for at least a couple of days) so Moses put in some appalling performances to force us to let him go.

Still, if he does come back to us I would be happy.
 

gordsy

Juniors
Messages
2,042
I bet we look good in training ... Lincoln Withers would look like peak Andrew Johns against us lot in an opposed session
If he could teach the team how to hit hard in tackles I would be stoked. I remember seeing him crunch Hindy one day and Hinday getting the shits when I mentioned it to him a few days later hahahahaha.
 
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Das Hassler

Bench
Messages
2,960
Well i put a bit of money i obviously didnt need where my optimism is ....reasoning?...with Bateman onboard we will have 6 players who weren't here this season and who have played grand finals including three who have won one or two....perhaps a couple more signings to come that could have half our run on side being current or past rep/ GF players...and again...that half never being part of the WT losing culture....add to that I am of the belief that Sheens still knows how to coach a team with talent...laugh all you want ...anyway I'm not a betting man but $6.00 to make the 8 leading into this pre-season seemed pretty good to me.... Bon Voyage hard earned $'s

Actually...nix the reasoning...I'm just betting on Api showing them how to not lose more than 49% of their games
 
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Messages
15,386
This is why I don't buy the excuse of small blokes being speed humps. Not everyone can be a Toovey or a Withers but you don't have to a jersey grabbing gimp either.
Lucy was a “jersey grabbing gimp” (lol) and he was 7ft in the shade.

Went to the High Court when someone pulled his hair.
 

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