With the 2013 season now finished for Wests Tigers, most fans will be quietly expecting a marked improvement from the squad in 2014. Gone is the man synonymous with the club, Benji Marshall, along with a raft of other experienced players. The future is most definitely now! TigerNationnrl today takes a brief and a somewhat rapid look ahead at some of the key issues relating to future on field success.
The Tiger cubs will be a year more experienced: Don't underestimate this fact. A lot of these rookies got thrown in in 2013 due to the crippling injury toll. By the end of the season their growth as footballers was there for all to see. The likes of James Tedesco, Tim Simona, David Nofoaluma, Curtis Sironen, Sauaso Sue, Ava Seumanafagai, Jack Buchanan and Ben Murdoch-Masila all took positive steps forward as footballers and their pre-season will be a critical part of their development as they look to go to the next level as players.
Mick Potter begins his overhaul of Wests Tigers: When Mick Potter arrived at Concord, it was late. So late that pre-season plans had already been locked in. In 2014 Potter will have the advantage of overhauling the club based on what he's seen in 2013. He's already made adjustments on the playing roster and coaching staff. The training facilities appear next in line. Forget anything the players may do during pre season. It might be WHAT they can do that matters. Hopefully an overhaul of facilities only aids Potter's chances of improving the on field success at the club.
Will Wests Tigers finally solve their positional dilemmas?: 12 months ago Benji Marshall was here for at least 3 more seasons. The club appeared to bring in Braith Anasta as a short term solution, knowing Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses were in the club's long term thoughts. If things worked out as planned Wests Tigers halves issues were about to be solved. However, that's not how things worked out! Marshall has now departed and the same question lingers once more. Anasta appears set to remain in the halves in 2014, joined by Luke Brooks. There's no guarantee that this will go smoothly though and STILL, Wests Tigers may be plagued with further issues in the halves.
Is the squad depth there for 2014?: Thanks to the dramas of 2013 with injuries, the Tigers appear better placed for squad depth in 2014 than in 2013. That's despite the fact a lot of experience will move on from the club. Gone already is Benji Marshall, Blake Ayshford, Lote Tuqiri (released today to take up 3 month rugby stint with Leinster), Eddy Pettybourne and Joel Reddy. Throw in the likelihood that Matt Utai and Masada Iosefa aren't retained, you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. But so many young guys got experience this year that they will be better for it when called upon in 2014. Miracles won't be expected from them on field but the belief here is that they will do better and that the club will take steps forward in 2014.
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