Season 2025

[Tigerm]

Dynasty?? Yep after 3 straight spoons.

Yep, we’re just starting, your mob are just finishing.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

I haven’t been excited for a long time, I’d say the 2017 season was the last one I was genuinely excited for and that was a disaster after round 3

Right now I’d say I’m positive and cautiously optimistic . I’m not expecting miracles however there should be vast improvement, which isnt hard. I also believe there are a real lack of decent teams in the comp this year, so do believe the ceiling could be quiet high.

Well objectively, we’ve replaced almost half of the first grade side.

Throw in some choice retained talent. Obviously Galvo, Sam, Pole..many others.

And of course, the fringe, most of whom now have valuable fg experience baptism of fire even. A couple of rough diamonds.

I was speaking with Kit who was hanging out with Pole on members day and he said I’d better remember him because he’s up for a big season.

I’ve met Pole before, he was his usual disarming and quiet self and we had a laugh when I enquired as to why he was a sucker for punishment for another 2 years.

He kind of appreciated the fact that Id kept abreast on his personal contract situation and we could share a laugh.

Contrast that with JL who was supremely confident that the side will make a good account of itself this year. And he said he’d do his best and he wasn’t arrogant.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Dynasty?? Yep after 3 straight spoons.

 

[Das Hassler]

Right now I’d say I’m positive and cautiously optimistic

To borrow from the filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld...my Tigers life motto used to be " live in fear'...then it improved to "cling to the wreckage"...now " things could be worse"
Yep..WT life is good for at least another few weeks

 

[WA Tiger]

I haven’t been excited for a long time, I’d say the 2017 season was the last one I was genuinely excited for and that was a disaster after round 3

Right now I’d say I’m positive and cautiously optimistic . I’m not expecting miracles however there should be vast improvement, which isnt hard. I also believe there are a real lack of decent teams in the comp this year, so do believe the ceiling could be quite high.

“Which isn’t hard” …I like that..

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

It’s going to feel weird refraining from calling for all of our players to be summarily executed after a game. Well maybe not as many times as we are used to.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

“Which isn’t hard” …I like that..

Superb innuendo…

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

I forget the article this week, but one of our retained players was talking about JL being able to work out what they should doing before they do.

Thinking about structure in attack.

May was looking pretty happy in those training photos for someone who is not supposed to like the game.

Benji nailed that recruitment. Big change from his early failures. Due is due.

 

[Tigerm]

I forget the article this week, but one of our retained players was talking about JL being able to work out what they should doing before they do.

Thinking about structure in attack.

May was looking pretty happy in those training photos for someone who is not supposed to like the game.

Benji nailed that recruitment. Big change from his early failures. Due is due.

The player who said that was Sa Fainu.

Nothing has happened yet, but how badly have we needed an organiser like Luai.

With the squad we have got to put on the park, anything below top 8 should be considered a failure.

 

[Tiger05]

Nothing has happened yet, but how badly have we needed an organiser like Luai.

I'm not sure he is an organizer. He is an elite half though.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

I'm not sure he is an organizer. He is an elite half though.

I understand that he is an organiser sage but the Panthers preferred Nathan.

He enjoyed the role so much, that was one of the reasons he gave for leaving.

He’s a shot caller to his bootstraps.

And he is a gun half as you say.

He’s probably just excels at both 05!

 

[Black Panther]

View attachment 98237

I’ll see your Luai and raise you a Cleary.

 

[Black Panther]

Yep, we’re just starting, your mob are just finishing.

You need to do more than buy Panthers players to create a dynasty.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

I’ll see your Luai and raise you a Cleary.

He descended from an Orc!

 

[Tigerm]

You need to do more than buy Panthers players to create a dynasty.

We have.

 

[Aliceinwonderland]

I'm not sure he is an organizer. He is an elite half though.

He's a running half. Obviously Nathan did all the organising when on the field. Luai reminds me blokes like Preston Campbell........off the cuff players.
When Nathan was absent blokes like Yeo & Edwards === did the organising for him when at Penrith.

Yes he did some organising when playing with Samoa, but he had Crighton with him there.......Who can carry some of the load regarding this......Api.......perhaps.

Time will tell.

All I ask is that you don't eat him alive if things are slow in the beginning. He's coming from a long way back with some of the players around.

I thin one of your biggest weak links is the board and Benji. I'm yet to see anything from either of them to change my mind.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Our smuggie visitors doth protest too much.

@Aliceinwonderland, we’ve just made huge changes to the board and structure, and they are yet to order an entrée in anger.

As for Benji, I’ve been one of his leading critics, but he has much better side to work with this year and he’s got a toehold on promise at least. Gripping on for dear life. Watch and act I think.

It would be a bit unfair otherwise to deny him a last supper… and see if he makes a meal of it.

 

[Das Hassler]

I thin one of your biggest weak links is the board and Benji. I'm yet to see anything from either of them to change my mind.

The old board signed this group of players we have and (the majority of) the new board haven't had their first club coffee yet.
As for Benji...most of these new players came because he's the coach...that's only the first part of course but it's a big first part and a lot of coaches in the bottom 9 couldn't have done that...now comes the hard part....or maybe not??!

 

[Vic Mackey]

He's a running half. Obviously Nathan did all the organising when on the field. Luai reminds me blokes like Preston Campbell........off the cuff players.
When Nathan was absent blokes like Yeo & Edwards === did the organising for him when at Penrith.

Yes he did some organising when playing with Samoa, but he had Crighton with him there.......Who can carry some of the load regarding this......Api.......perhaps.

Time will tell.

All I ask is that you don't eat him alive if things are slow in the beginning. He's coming from a long way back with some of the players around.

I thin one of your biggest weak links is the board and Benji. I'm yet to see anything from either of them to change my mind.

Firstly, even if I dont entirely agree with them I appreciate the post with well thought out points. I dont think any of us in here have an issue with opposition fans coming in if they actually want to discuss footy, not just attacking our side for the sake of it.

I agree with your views on Luai for the first part of his career, I noticed a big change in the way he played last year. I didnt go to any Panthers games so dont pretend to watch them as closely as you would, I dont see what happens off the ball, however in every game I watched Jarome was screaming, pointing and directing play all year. I dont think Yeo and Edwards were yelling where they wanted the fourth play run to get tackled for the 5th play kick. I particuarly noticed in away wins V the sharks and knights that he was dictating everything that happened on the field. This obviously takes a back seat when Nathan is there as thats been their roles since day one.

The whole rugby league world seems to agree the 2024 was Luais best year, and this coincides with the year he was allowed to be the dominant play maker for his team. To me this shows that his best position to this stage of his career is 7. Whether Westshave the team that allows him to be as big a success at 7 as he was last year for Penrith is yet to be shown. I doubt even the most one eyed Tigers fan expects us to be anywhere what Penrith were last year.

What I will say, and this isnt directed at yourself, is that I find it absolutely pathetic that so many opposition supporters feel the need to come and try to kick supporters of the club that's been through more then anyone else back down the second they feel the slightest bit of optimism. This isnt a LU thing, its particularly evident on socials like twitter.

As for your last line, I completely agree

 

[Black Panther]

We have.

Well you also need to win games too.