Season 2024

[WA Tiger]

Wrap up that little fella in the front.He could be the difference to our season

 

[WA Tiger]

Either that or Benji is making sure he's only got blokes around that he wants. The end of this year might end up looking like the end of Potter's first year when blokes like Matt Utai, Joel Reddy, Blake Ayshford, Sean Meaney and a 34 year old Lote Tuqiri being moved on after giving more game time to Tim Simona and a debutant 19 year old winger, David Nofoaluma.

What was he Nofo like as a player when he first started

 

[Nutz]

Does anyone know if our forum had an NRL Fantasy Coach comp going last year?

I take it that's a no.

 

[WA Tiger]

What was he Nofo like as a player when he first started

I’ll guess. I wasn’t around then ..all good

 

[General Stripes]

https://x.com/telegraph_sport/status/1751145516405293498?s=46

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Great business by the Tigers getting rid of Nofa. That is how a club should roll; ruthless!!

 

[Tigerm]

NBWT twitter
Benji: “Changes needed to be made and we’re doing our best to make them. We’re trying to change the DNA of the club and we have some great leaders in our club who are driving that”


“I would prefer that we say nothing because it is going to be about actions. All our fans want to see is the proof, not the words”

- Benji on what promises he can give to fans heading into the season


“If Lachie (Galvin) is good enough through the trials, he will get his opportunity just like everyone else”

- Benji Marshall on Lachlan Galvin’s chances to play NRL this year


“Stefano is a really big priority for us and in my opinion, he has the potential to be the best front rower in the game. He is still learning his craft as well. With respect to Stefano, we will do everything we can to keep him. It is that simple”

- Benji on Utoikamanu’s future

Benji: “Jahream to me hasn’t even touched the ceiling of what he can do in rugby league. He is still learning the game. The thing I like the most about him is he competes on everything…That is what our DNA is about – guys who want to compete on every play. Jahream is that guy.”
—————-
This is obviously in an interview, saying all the right things, has anyone came across it?

 

[Tigerm]

NBWT twitter
Benji: “It is whoever earns it. There is no guarantees probably bar Api at nine. There are no guarantees at being selected. You have to go out and earn it in the pre-season”
———————
I think this is his best quote.
If he sticks to this, I believe we finally have some depth to make things happen, but all looking to ‘25, imo.

 

[Fordy20]

What was he Nofo like as a player when he first started

He was everything you wanted from a young winger. He was fast, he had a great leap, but most importantly, he was hungry. He debuted in Round 10 during Potter's first year in charge and he took the opportunity with both hands. He was breaking tackles at will, finishing 6th overall for tackle breaks and scoring 8 tries, including a double in his third match. This try against Manly, won the Dally M Try of the year award:



The year before, another barnstorming winger Marika Koroibete had burst onto the scene, equaling Kevin McGuiness's club record of four tries in a single game. A month before Nofo's debut, the club had signed Pat Richards for the 2014 season. Before Nofo's debut, you would have thought for all money that these two would be our starting wingers the 2014 season, but after Nofo's debut season, he had a mortgage on that #2 jersey. Koro was left to languish in NSW Cup, until the Storm came along and snapped him up.

Unfortunately, Nofo did his ACL later that year, one of the many the casualities of our horror injury run and Potter got punted at the end of the year, officially marking the beginning our decade of despair.

 

[Nutz]

Great reading, thanks Fordy.

 

[Nutz]

Benji Marshall interview with Reid....

“I want a team that competes on every play and wants to win every game. That is the type of team we want to be. As much as Jarome is a great signing for the future of our club, we won’t talk about him this year at all.

“I think it is disrespectful to the players we have now to worry about that and it is also disrespectful to Penrith to bring him into it.”

Marshall also said he won’t be afraid to give a youngster the first crack at replacing Luke Brooks in the halves.

“Lachie Galvin is in the mix to play in the halves. He could be one of the guys who start the season. He has to earn it. One thing I do know about rugby league players is if you are good enough, you are old enough.

The Galvin comment was a bit left field but supports what everyone's saying about the lad....we did resign him to ward off the sharks but it will be interesting to see if we can hold off again.

The rest of Benji's comments just about says it all about where we are at except the forward have taken a back seat at the moment.
Matamua v Pole is one.
There are a lot of possibles v probables eg the rise and rise of youngsters like Kit Laulilii, Samuela Fainu, and backs Solomon Alaimalo and Alex Lobb. These are just a few that might get a gig this year.
It's likely the wingers who start the year will be Junior and Ferrari and centres To'a and Olam.
More preseason training and some trials might clear things up a little.

 

[General Stripes]

https://x.com/sportsdaynsw/status/1752221259998646782?s=46

 

[Tigerm]

Gallery: Pre-season continues

The hard work continues at the Zurich Centre with less than three weeks until the team's first trial in the NRL Pre-season Challenge.

www.weststigers.com.au

 

[Nutz]

'Next Nathan Cleary' in line for 'shock' selection

'The spot is his to lose'

wwos.nine.com.au

Wonderboy Lachlan Galvin is coming into contention as a shock selection in Wests Tigers' team to start the season.

Fresh out of school, 18-year-old Galvin was expected to bide his time in the lower grades for much of 2024.

But the youngster, labelled by those in the know as the next Nathan Cleary, has been fast-tracked into the top side at five-eighth following injuries to new signings Latu Fainu and Jayden Sullivan.

WHAT INJURIES?

 

[Nutz]

I can see us releasing one of our plethora of halves in 24/25

 

[Tigerm]

I can see us releasing one of our plethora of halves in 24/25

As long as it’s the right one, then all good.

 

[Nutz]

Agreed, I'm unsure if bud would be accepted back at Saints as Kyle Flanagan has the gig.
For it to be amicable some club would have to take over his contract.
Benji told Sully that he wanted bud to run the show, now it's Jarome with both Fainu and Galvin being showed the same favour.
I think it's all going to boil down to who will suit playing along side Jarome, inside or out is the big question.
The ½/⅝ play similar roles these days and have left or right preferences usually determined by their passing guiding hand and also their kicking foot. A ½ usually is the last tackle option go to man and that's why he's paid the big bucks....ala Chins last ditch try in the 23 GF.
We wont know who our halves will be in 25 until we try these guys out playing together.
If Jarome plays ⅝ in 25, then I'm leaning towards Bud or Fainu as ½ but if Jarome plays ½ I'm leaning towards Galvin at ⅝.
The best way is to play combos in both KOE and NRL until we hit the right ones and until then I can't see anyone being released unless it's a no brainer where everyone wins.

 

[Nutz]

The Wests Tigers are shaping up as a cash cow factory in 2024
Justin Matamua
Tallyn Da Silva
Latu Fainu
Solomon Alaimalo
Alex Lobb
Aiden Sezer
Jayden Sullivan
Sione Fainu
Lachlan Galvin
These players are $200k+ and if anyone of them manage to earn a fulltime gig they certainly will make great cash cows.
Cash cows need to rack up the minutes to be worth it so I'd be watching closely after their 1st round bye to see who gets a fulltime gig.
Most likely be Sullivan [though he may have picked up a training injury] or Sezer but as I said it could be any of the others depending on the bounce of the ball.

The Wests Tigers are shaping as a cash cow factory in 2024

Looking over the key NRL Fantasy talking points for the Wests Tigers in 2024.

www.nrl.com

​

 

[Tigerm]

NBWT twitter
Believe Latu Fainu & Bud Sullivan picked up minor injuries prior to the turn of the year, but both have returned to training in recent weeks (photos from this week)

The only WT player out or in doubt for the start of the season is Adam Doueihi (knee). (telegraph)

 

[Nutz]

NBWT twitter
Believe Latu Fainu & Bud Sullivan picked up minor injuries prior to the turn of the year, but both have returned to training in recent weeks (photos from this week)

The only WT player out or in doubt for the start of the season is Adam Doueihi (knee). (telegraph)

That clears that up. Plenty of time to get primed for rd2.