Round 24 team analysis: V Canterbury Bulldogs

Wests Tigers will jump into Thursday night action this week when they tackle Canterbury in a clash that sees the Tigers playing for nothing but pride and respect. It's been a month since the two sides clashed, on that day the Tigers stunned the Bulldogs 46-18. However a lot has changed since then and the match up this week shapes as a very different affair.

For Wests, their confidence has been shattered in the past 2 weeks with back to back thrashings at the hands of the Roosters and Cowboys. The manner of defeat a particular concern. The effects of off field drama's and an ever growing injury toll combining to leave the club low on morale, something prop Keith Galloway admitted on Monday.

For the Bulldogs confidence is significantly higher after they held on to the points in a controversial win over arch rivals the Eels last Friday night. The loss of Josh Reynolds and now Sam Kasiano is a blow for the doggies but their side certainly retains much of its quality and importantly plenty of confidence. The Bulldogs will also be keen to avenge the earlier result versus the Tigers and will fancy their chances this time around.

Team news sees Wests name a fairly similar side to the one last weekend. Kurtis Rowe will be looking to make amends for a stinker in tough conditions, whilst Jy Hitchcox will get a second game following his debut last weekend. Mitchell Moses is named in the 6 shirt for the first time officially, having played there last weekend wearing the number 1 shirt. The Tigers do lose Keith Lulia and Dene Halatau to injury and there are fears Aaron Woods could yet join them. Woods is waiting for the results of scans on an injured knee.

The good news is that Bodene Thompson returns to the side after serving his suspension. Thompson will replace Halatau in the second row. The club will also hope that Pat Richards can be a late inclusion with the big winger hopeful of a return when quizzed over the weekend.

WESTS TIGERS TEAM V CANTERBURY BULLDOGS

1. Kurtis Rowe 2. Jy Hitchcox 3. Blake Austin 4. Chris Lawrence 5. Cory Paterson 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Luke Brooks 8. Aaron Woods 9. Robbie Farah 10. Keith Galloway 11. Curtis Sironen 12. Bodene Thompson 13. Adam Blair

Interchange: 14. Ava Seumanufagai 15. Martin Taupau 16. Sauaso Sue 17. Jack Buchanan

Pride and Accountability all that matters as Tigers look to 2015

The 48-4 loss to the Sydney Roosters on Saturday night officially ended the Wests Tigers finals hopes. With the 2014 season now a matter of academics and pride, attention will now turn to the future. Top of that list is undoubtedly the future of Coach Mick Potter. Potter who is off contract at the end of the season faces an extremely doubtful future but one that could still see the club re-sign him at season's end.

Wests need to decide Potter's future based on two key factors. First is the fact that under 2 years with Potter there has been endless speculation over his ability to coach and whether he is the man for the job moving forward. Now some of this speculation has proven false but there's also been an admittance from Potter and the club that there are things that he needs to improve on. So the club must work out whether he is the best man going forward for the job, or if there is someone else available who they feel could do a better job taking the team forward.

The other point of interest that should be taken into account is the performance of the team earlier in the season. Wests played some pretty good football earlier in the season and there's little doubt that injuries and internal strife have both played their parts in a real ordinary past month. Where the club needs to weigh things up though is whether this good patch of form with a stronger side outweighs the dramas Potter and the club have been through this past two seasons. Essentially the club isn't necessarily wrong if it decides a fresh start is in the clubs best interest. A lot of baggage has been collected in the past two seasons.

On field i don't expect a lot to change moving forward. Mitchell Moses should retain the number 6 jersey for the remainder of this season as this is in the clubs best interest for the long term. Doubts over who should play fullback though are concerning. Kurtis Rowe had a disappointing game in tough conditions on Saturday night and for the sake of winning games the idea of moving Moses back to fullback is worth considering.

The good news is that Bodene Thompson will return this week versus the Bulldogs and Pat Richards is hopeful of joining him. It'll be interesting to see whether Jy Hitchcox retains his position in the squad after a solid debut performance in which he was rewarded with a try. Could Hitchcox move to fullback?? So long as he's allowed to remain in the team it could well be worth a shot should Richards and Thompson return.

On the downside though comes news that Aaron Woods picked up a knock to his knee on Saturday night. Whilst it's not considered serious, Woods will be in some doubt for Thursday night's fixture. The loss of Woods would be poorly timed with a match up against the Bulldogs up next.

When all is said and done though, it's now not really a case of results for the club. Pride and accountability are the two things that do matter. The capitulation on Saturday night was one that simply shouldn't be tolerated. Defensively Wests were real poor in the middle of the park. So this is something that must improve in the final 3 matches. 

In fact pride and accountability are something the entire club, from players to those officials in key positions should be looking to better themselves at not only in the final 3 matches but in the future too. This club has a long way to go before it's back where it should be.

Enough is enough Tigers. You've been warned!

It's plain and simple to see that Wests Tigers need to do a better job. Now, on the field you expect this to be the case with a young roster. Even more so when the likes of Robbie Farah, Aaron Woods, Braith Anasta and Pat Richards have missed games this season. You expect the ups and the downs and yes that has happened. 

However, ever since the Tigers put the Bulldogs to the sword 4 weekends ago, something has gone completely wrong. The coaching staff and the players have rightfully done as you would expect and taken fault for the declining form. After all, they are the ones who catch the passes and make the tackles, or in the case fail to catch and tackle. But is it really as simple as this for Wests Tigers?

Of course not!

Sure the players are the ones suffering right now, and the fact that so many players are missing at the moment due to injury has only made things worse, but the players and their form in my opinion are the by product of a far greater problem. It's a problem that we all, as Wests Tigers supporters are fully aware of.

You don't need to be Einstein to work this one out. But the fall out of that from the July 20th clash with the Bulldogs has done all the damage that was needed. Forget Robbie Farah's historic mention to Gordon Tallis that coach Mick Potter was in over his head early in 2013. The root of this problem is once again the Wests Tigers boardroom.

Our board decided it would be a good idea to conduct a review of the footballing operations. They claim this had nothing to do with Mick Potter's ability to coach, and perhaps it didn't. Part of the review also had players and officials revealing information on the football operations. Reportedly some of that information put in to question Mick Potter's ability to lead the team going forward.

Forget the results of the review though. They're not really important here. However, who's crazy idea was it to launch a review mid season?? If it involves the players, that all we need to know that it was a bad idea. How could it possibly be a good idea given the past drama's over Potter's position in late 2013? That's right! It's was a STUPID idea! It was always doomed and certain to create upheaval. 

The results of the review were always meant to be internal but these days we all know that this information becomes public. At Wests Tigers, we have a consistent track record of finding information being leaked publically. Some claim to know who the person leaking information is. Well, name and shame people! Name and shame! As far as i'm concerned this person is a dirty rodent who should have nothing to do with our proud club. I don't even care who they are? What's clear is they don't have the best interest of our club at heart. If they want to dish the dirt publically then they can expect the backlash as well. It's only fair.

Back on July 20th it was reported that Mick Potter would be sacked if the Tigers had lost the game that day. Even with a win it became clear Potter could still be sacked. A board meeting at Wests Ashfield was supposed to seal his fate. However the board backtracked and deferred a decision on Potter till season's end. A time in which Potter contract will expire anyways. Conveniently now Potter could fall off the back of the truck without much fanfare and the club could come out with a convenient line such as "we've decided to move in another direction". Right, thanks Mick!

In some ways Mick Potter's position is almost untenable. How do you work with a board whose knifed you in the back 2 years running?? The hope is that with an NRL influenced independent board that some sense will be knocked into the heads of those who remain and Potter is kept on. But is the damage done repairable?? I'm not so sure it is.

In the past 24 hours, Wests Tigers fans have had enough. They are sick of this shit! The board and CEO's response in the past week or so has been grossly inadequate. It almost reeks of "not giving a toss because we'll be replaced by an NRL led boardroom anyways". It was one thing to fail to back up your Captain in his time of need. But to fail to back up and support the very club you run is mindless! It's completely insane.

We Wests Tigers fans are sick of it because we've been here before. We've heard all the excuses! We've heard all the so called pipe dreams of better days ahead. Yet we're still to see them! Am i the only who was embarrassed by our clubs video's during the week? It looked like the club going cap in hand and begging for support. Guys! You already had our support, and always will!

What we want is a club who is decisive off the field. A club that is strongly led by a determined board with a nous for running a successful football club.  If that happens, the results WILL come on field. The past month has been the complete opposite of that, and it won't be tolerated any more! We're sick of it!

Grant Mayer and the boardroom ought to take notice right now. Enough is enough! The politics within our club are killing it to the core. If we're not careful, this once in a lifetime crop of talent will go without a premiership, all because the club was too dumb and too distracted to even bother.

Round 23 team analysis: V Sydney Roosters

It's hard to imagine things getting any worse than they did last Saturday night in Townsville as Wests Tigers turned in what will likely rank the worst performance by a Tigers side in it's 15 year existence. Words probably didn't do it justice. It had to be seen to be believed. Ominously the Tigers now face the task of picking up the pieces against premiers the Sydney Roosters this Saturday night at Leichhardt Oval.

Wests were down on troops up in the tropics and it showed as the Cowboys targeted the Tigers weaknesses to great effect. To make matters worse the Tigers capitulated! Perhaps it was a bad night and perhaps the drama's of the past couple of weeks had taken it's toll?? Either way it was ugly viewing as the defence was non existent and the side committed the most basic handling errors imaginable.

Amazingly the club this morning went to the trouble of posting a plea for fans to support the side this weekend as it battles a season seemingly long lost but remarkably still hanging by the finest of threads. The visit to Leichhardt Oval this weekend of the Roosters is daunting to say the least. Whilst their form hasn't been great, there's little to report on the injury front and the prospect of a determined backline tormenting the Tigers on Saturday night is a very realistic prospect.

In team news the Tigers lose the services of yet another back in Tim Simona who sustained a knee injury on the weekend. He's replaced by another back rower in Cory Paterson. This makes it 4 weeks in a row a back rower has been named in the backs for the club. Kurtis Rowe holds his wing spot after a tough night in Townsville. In the forwards Keith Galloway at least returns to the side once more. His inclusion forces Ava Seumanufagai back to the bench with Jack Buchanan the man to miss out. Sitaleki Akauola also returns on the bench after serving a one match ban.

For the Tigers to win this game it's hard to see where it will come from. Simply improving their basics will be a great place to start though. The ball handling was atrocious last weekend and the tackling was not much better. These are two areas the club must improve dramatically if they're to even compete with the Roosters.

 If ever the cliche "we're focusing on ourselves this week and not the oppostion" was relevant than this week is certainly one of those weeks. The Tigers really do just need to focus on the basics. Completing sets, talking in defence and playing disciplined football. The Leichhardt faithful will respond and do their bit. So long as the players do theirs.

You do get the feeling though that our chances of winning this one come down to which Roosters side turns up. They've been average for most of the season and only their quality has seen them keep pace with the front runners. However this week it's hard to see how the Tigers could possibly beat them. There's just too many players missing and just too much talent on the other side of the ball.

WESTS TIGERS TEAM V SYDNEY ROOSTERS

1. Mitchell Moses 2. Kurtis Rowe 3. Tim Simona 4. Bodene Thompson 5. Keith Lulia 6. Curtis Sironen 7. Blake Austin 8. Aaron Woods 9. Robbie Farah 10. Keith Galloway 11. Adam Blair 12. Dene Halatau 13. Sauaso Sue

Interchange: 14. Ava Seumanufagai 15. Martin Taupau 16. Sitaleki Akauola 17. James Gavet

Tigers hit the lowest of lows

Wests Tigers fans. Just when you thought you could relax again after a tough fortnight of rumours, lies and scandal comes the sledgehammer. Just like a freight train out of nowhere! Saturday night's 64-6 embarrassment at the hands of the North Queensland Cowboys hit harder than many would've expected. It's safe to say....the Wests Tigers have hit rock bottom!

Saturday night's performance wasn't just the worst performance of 2014 for Wests Tigers. It was perhaps our worst performance ever?? Further more, i don't remember seeing much worse in any game of NRL......EVER! It Seemed that every possible mistake in the book was made. In some cases it would've been easier not to make the mistake, yet somehow we made it.

Now it's probably fair to suggest that the harder we tried, the worse things got. Once we were in over our heads, there was no easy way out. it certainly didn't help that once more we were left with a spare parts team that saw Cory Paterson play on the wing. It's also fair to suggest the Cowboys played very well and more than likely would've still won that game no matter who we had on the field.

However none of that really matter from a Wests Tigers point of view. We still had a decent side out there and the overall performance was abysmal! Defensively we failed to do many of the little things right. That resulted in tries being conceded with the ultimate ease. In some respects it almost looked as if the Tigers just weren't interested in tackling. Whilst i refuse to accuse the side of lacking effort, at times you could be forgiven for wondering what if??

Defensively the application just wasn't there. We were too slow in our line speed, communication appeared an issue (not surprisingly given the makeshift team) and our forwards failed to even go near matching the Cowboys. Now to be fair once the early onslaught occurred and the Tigers found themselves tackling on a regular basis. Grappling back control of the game was never going to happen. To the Cowboys credit they kept their intensity up for the majority of the game.

Our attack fared little better. Thanks to Aaron Woods for temporarily restoring respect with his try, outside of that though, things were a complete shambles. I lost count at the amount errors we made in attack that resembled an under 6's match. This was real poor stuff and there are NO excuses for it. Sure we've had a tough season at times, but so have the Sharks and look at the performance of their men yesterday. The Tigers could learn a thing or two from the gummys.

All this being said, there's now no point on looking back. It's best that we condemn this one to a long lost galaxy and just forget about it. Saturday's home game versus the Roosters looms as even more concerning based on our Townsville debacle.  For that very reason though i think it's crucial the fans get out and support the team. There's no doubt Wests Tigers have been put through the ringer in 2014 and the cracks have well and truly shown.

We've heard the players say time and time again about how crucial our support is. More than ever right now, they need us! The club is struggling. The team is struggling. The boys are trying their best but right now they're swimming against the tide and drowning. Wests Tigers need our support more than ever. If you can get out to Saturday nights game, please do it. If this club means as much to you as i think it does, then you'll want to be there for the team. Even if we cop another belting, being there for the team is all that matters now.

We're in this together.

Round 22 team analysis: V North Queensland Cowboys

Wests Tigers travel to Townsville this weekend where they'll meet the Cowboys this Saturday night in what shapes as almost certainly a last chance saloon showdown for the Tigers. Monday night's loss to the Melbourne Storm was the Tigers fourth loss from its last five matches and leaves Wests precariously placed with just five matches remaining.

In team news this week there's almost nothing to report, with the same 17 players named to tackle the Storm named again. However there will be guaranteed changes to this weeks team. For starters Bodene Thompson, named in the centres again, is a fair chance of accepting a 1 match ban and will need replacing. Winger Pat Richards is highly doubtful due to a hamstring injury suffered on Monday night. Halfback Luke Brooks is also no sure thing to take the field this weekend either due to a shoulder injury.

In fact it's almost certain that the team put on out on Tuesday afternoon was simply done so to abide by NRL guidelines. The Tigers not even 24 hours removed from their clash with the Storm and with several players short term futures in doubt due to injury or suspension simply could not confirm a likely side when it was needed for submission.

So how could Wests line up this weekend?? Well, i'm going to assume that Bodene Thompson and Sitaleki Akauola both accept one week suspensions, and that Pat Richards will at least miss this weekend's clash with his bad hamstring. I'll also assume Luke Brooks does in fact play this weekend. So a possible team could look like this:

1. Mitchell Moses,  2. Keith Lulia, 3. Tim Simona, 4. Dene Halatau, 5. Stefano Taukafa, 6. Blake Austin, 7. Luke Brooks, 8. Aaron Woods, 9. Robbie Farah, 10. Keith Galloway, 11. Curtis Sironen, 12. Sausao Sue, 13. Adam Blair.  Reserves: 14. Ava Seumanufagai, 15. Martin Taupau, 16. Jack Buchanan, 17. James Gavet

Now if Luke Brooks doesn't play I'd expect things to revert to what happened on Monday night with Sironen moving to five eighth, Austin halfback and quite possibly Joel Luani, Kyle Lovett or Jarred Farlow to move on to the bench. Seumanufagai or Buchanan would then move in to the starting side playing in the more central back row role.

At the very least the club will hope that Luke Brooks and Pat Richards will take the field, giving the side valuable quality in attack. Right now though, there's just too much uncertainty to feel confident in naming a projected 17 to take the field.  

Watch this space people!

WESTS TIGERS TEAM V NTH QLD COWBOYS

 1. Mitchell Moses 2. Keith Lulia 3. Tim Simona 4. Bodene Thompson 5. Pat Richards 6. Blake Austin 7. Luke Brooks 8. Aaron Woods 9. Robbie Farah 10. Keith Galloway 11. Curtis Sironen 12. Dene Halatau 13. Adam Blair

Interchange: 14. Ava Seumanufagai 15. Martin Taupau 16. Sauaso Sue 17. James Gavet

Tigers in freefall as season topples over the cliff face

Last night's 28-6 loss to Melbourne Storm may not have killed the Wests Tigers finals hopes just yet, but there's a growing feeling that it may as well have. A fourth loss in five games is enough evidence to suggest that the Tigers may have just run their race for 2014.

A crippling injury toll in the backline has only hastened the process of eliminating the Tigers from the race this season. James Tedesco, David Nofoaluma, Chris Lawrence and Braith Anasta are all long term absentees.  Last night Luke Brooks was withdrawn with a shoulder injury. Winger Pat Richards lasted no longer than 40 minutes before a hamstring injury. That's six of Wests starting seven gone. In fact last night the Tigers had a second rower playing on the wing. Another second rower forced to line up in the centres. Yet another second rower lined up at 5/8.  It's little wonder Wests struggled for anything even close to resembling cohesion!

Last night Melbourne took full advantage of Wests make shift backline, exposing them with flawless execution. The Tigers shouldn't be ashamed of their efforts. The Storm simply executed brilliantly. The problem with that though is that at this stage of the season sentiment counts for little and results count for everything. Right now the results just aren't there for the Tigers. Now they aren't just running out of time, they're now also running out of troops.

Luke Brooks is some chance of playing versus the Cowboys on Saturday night, he's expected to be named. Pat Richards though may struggle to do so. Scans will determine his immediate future but with a short turn around and a trek to Townsville on the cards, even the best case scenario for Richards may him still have him at long odds to play this weekend coming.

 It's possible that yet another back rower in Dene Halatau could be forced to move into the backs this week due to the fact that he can technically play as a centre. Somewhat foolishly, according to NRL laws, The Tigers could line up with a back line that looks like this:

1. Mitchell Moses

2. Sitaleki Akauola/Tim Simona

3. Bodene Thompson

4. Tim Simona/Dene Halatau

5. Keith Lulia

The problem with the NRL's laws with the second tier salary cap is that it prevents clubs from stock piling talent. And whilst that's a good thing, common sense needs to prevail. It's completely unfair of the NRL to force clubs to play players out of position to this extent. Now in the case of last night, there wasn't much the Tigers could do. However if the NRL tells the Tigers they can't replace Pat Richards with an actual winger, all they are doing is hurting the quality of their very own product.

Now sure the Tigers are probably being taught a lesson after the mid season departures of Marika Koroibete (Storm) and Taqele Naiyaravoro (NSW Waratahs), but let's be honest here. The club has been crippled to its knees at this point with injuries to outside backs and the NRL's stance on this issue has gone too far. All they achieve is here is lessening the quality of their own product. That's a stupid thing to do really.

Either way the scenario is simple for Wests Tigers. They MUST win up in Townsville on Saturday night. A loss would end the club's season almost certainly. The Tigers are in freefall. Is anyone or anything going to stop the slide???

Round 21 team analysis: V Melbourne Storm

It's been a rather torrid and complicated week in Tigertown which remarkably saw the Tigers 28-12 loss to St George Illawarra play second fiddle to the sideshow that surrounded the weekend's game. Wests clearly weren't near their best as they surrendered meekly to the Dragons, despite an improved effort in the second half.

A week can be a long time in football though and the Tigers will be hoping the truth of that shows when they tackle the Melbourne Storm at Campbelltown Stadium on Monday night. The MNF clash also doubles as a chance for the club and it's fans to raise money for former rising star Simon Dwyer who was left with severe damage to his nerve system which effects the use of one arm. $5 from every ticket sold will go towards Simon's welfare with the NRL set to double the amount of any money raised on Monday night.

On field and Wests will name the same 17 players who took the field versus the Dragons. That means second rower Bodene Thompson continues to deputise in the centres, It also allows Dene Halatau to start his second match in a row for the club.

The Tigers will no doubt be fired up for this one. The club has been ambushed in the media over the past week and pride is most definitely a factor that should see the side fired up this week. After last week's embarrassment it is mental preparation that will be a key. The team desperately needs to get itself together this week. The Storm will offer a daunting opposition should Wests be off their game once more. You can just imagine what the likes of Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cam Smith could do should Wests fail to turn up with 100% application for the job.

So how do the Tigers win this?? Well, as mentioned before, mental application will be key. Away from that though and completing our sets and having a good kick chase will be vital. Field position is something the Tigers must come out of on top of  if they're to win this one. Limiting the attacking chances of the Storm is a must. 

To do this the Tigers must therefore at least match and if not win the forward battle. This is an area that Wests are actually stronger in, even if only for the impact of their bench.  You saw what happened against the Bulldogs back in round 19 and that is glimpse of what can be achieved on Monday night if things come together.

Wests have their finals hopes clinging to a thread and home matches loom as the key. It's hard to believe Wests can drop any of their remaining three home games  Win on Monday night and they'll at least stay in the hunt. Lose and, well............it's hard to imagine them playing finals football.

WESTS TIGERS TEAM V MELBOURNE STORM

Monday 4 August, 7:00pm (local), Campbelltown Sports Stadium

 1. Mitchell Moses 2. Keith Lulia 3. Tim Simona 4. Bodene Thompson 5. Pat Richards 6. Blake Austin 7. Luke Brooks 8. Aaron Woods 9. Robbie Farah 10. Keith Galloway 11. Curtis Sironen 12. Dene Halatau 13. Adam Blair

Interchange: 14. Ava Seumanufagai 15. Martin Taupau 16. Sauaso Sue 17. James Gavet

Wests Tigers with a lot to answer for

Wests Tigers tonight confirmed that contract talks with coach Mick Potter will be held off till season's end. The trouble is, you have to ask "has the damage already been done?". The decision to review the operations of the football set up at Wests Tigers was always going to cause a stir, and it did. In fact it aired out all the dirty laundry!

You have to ask the question though. Why now? Why not at the end of the season?? It's just mindless! In fact, it was stupid! Mick Potter may well have agreed to let it take place but would he really have stopped it from happening if he'd said no? That's debatable.  The fact is that this review was always going to cause trouble and for that reason it should have waited till the end of the season.

Coach Potter has effectively been fed to the lions. A review was always going to make him look bad. Even worse still, the club has performed better than expected this season. Tipped by many to finish last, there's a case to say that Wests have over performed this season. Yet, still the coach is under the pump.

I don't want to talk about the drama involving Potter, Robbie Farah and Gordon Tallis though. That seems murky in regards to how it actually played out. We'll save that for another time. What i do know is this. You've got to feel bad for Mick Potter. I feel awful for him. This is a guy who accepted the lowest paying coaches position in the NRL all so he could have a chance at coaching in this league

This is also a guy who coached for free, or at the very least, little money in the English Super League with Bradford.  I've watched him get pillaged from post to post at Wests Tigers yet his demeanor never changes. Watching his presser this afternoon only confirmed he's the right man for the job. He does have ticker. Heck! You'd need it to survive in this game and at this club.

So back to the administration's role in all this. Well they should be thrown off the cart for their role in this. What happened today was the result of their doing. The 17 guys that played today looked to be elsewhere. Sure there were moments of quality but overall we were poor. They say that the defense is the greatest indicator of whether a side is switched on or not. Well today we were really soft defensively. Communication seemed to be an after thought.

The result today was as much about the Dragons playing well today as it was about the Wests Tigers being destabilized by their own people. The media has fed off this whole review like savage beasts. To then come out tonight and declare that they'll deal with this issue at seasons end. Are you serious???

Isn't Mick Potter a dead man walking now? How the heck does he sell himself when all we hear are that he has deficiencies in his coaching. In some respects his position is almost untenable. What makes this worse is that this is all self inflicted and it is not new for this club.

The solution is simple. Sort yourselves out!! Copy the Broncos or the Roosters if you need to, but PLEASE sort this amateurish administration out. It's embarrassing! Tonight, and not the first time, we're the laughing stock of the NRL. The only complimentary word in all this goes to Mick Potter who has handled this with unrivaled class. His answers are always honest, fair and in today's case measured. That's a guy i do want coaching my club!

The return of a king

They said it could happen?? They said there was a chance at some point in the future that Benji Marshall would return and play against the Wests Tigers. And they were right. Except few could've predicted it would happen so soon. Not even 12 months removed from Marshall's release from Wests Tigers, in which he took up an offer with Super Rugby franchise the Auckland Blues, Benji returns as opponent this weekend with rivals St George Illawarra.

The script itself could not be better written for this occasion. Not only is Marshall back in the NRL and playing for one of the Tigers more modern day rivals, Marshall also faces the kids this weekend of which the Tigers boldly invested their money in and left Marshall feeling just a little unwanted in his eyes. Whilst the likes of James Tedesco and David Nofoaluma will be missing, the sheer presence of Luke Brooks, Mitchell Moses and Curtis Sironen this weekend is a reminder of why Marshall was cut loose despite 2 years left on his contract.

Marshall's departure from my point of view is looked at as a win-win scenario. Benji was out of form. In his own words he was lazy, out shape and certainly also stale. He needed a shake up. He thought the move to Rugby would give him a new lease of life. Perhaps it did? But his failed stint in Super Rugby appears to have become his "shake up" moment. It became a moment in which Benji realized that the auto pilot function he's spent the past few years of his life on had broken down. It wasn't pretty and the only way back for Benji was to start again.

A a couple of months removed from that massive moment in his career and another door opens at St George Illlawarra. The Dragons in desperate need of a playmaker made the move for Marshall and despite some early signs of struggle in the relationship things appear to be taking a turn for the better. Marshall's form has steadily improved and with him in the side complimenting the attacking threats of Josh Dugan and Gareth Widdop, there appears to be plenty of optimism for Dragons fans once more.

But what of the Tigers? As i touched on earlier, Benji's release from the Tigers was a win for all parties. Marshall got the move he sorely needed and the Tigers were then able to free up significant money. The end result being that in the space of some 10-11 months Wests have locked up almost all of their highly regarded juniors.

Now this Sunday Marshall will go head to head with Luke Brooks, a kid only 12 months ago he was nurturing. Then there's Mitchell Moses, on fire last weekend. Both Moses and Brooks credit Marshall for helping them during his final days at Wests. Now they'll look to get one over him in what shapes as one heck of match up this weekend!

Round 20 team analysis; V St George Illawarra Dragons

In what was arguably the Wests Tigers best performance since the earlier rounds of the 2014 season, the Wests Tigers kept their heads above the water for a while longer yet in defeating Canterbury 46-18 on the weekend. The win keeps the Tigers well alive in the race for a top 8 berth, sitting 9th on for and against. A win this weekend will likely move the Tigers into the top 8.

This weekend's opponents. the St George Illawarra Dragons, sit 12th on the ladder but only 2 points adrift of the Tigers. The Dragons failed to really test Manly on Monday night at Kogarah Oval but have shown they'll be more than capable of being a real threat to Wests on Sunday afternoon. Gareth Widdop, Josh Dugan and Benji Marshall loom as the biggest dangers for Wests but wingers Jason Nightingale and Brett Morris also possess the kind of finishing ability to also compliment the ball playing ability of the aforementioned trio.

For the Tigers they've named the same 18 man squad that was named last week. That means Chris Lawrence has been named despite picking up an ankle injury on the weekend. The chances of Lawrence playing this weekend will likely be scrutinized later this week with the club yet to announce results of scans taken.

If Lawrence is out it's likely Wests will move either Bodene Thompson or Dene Halatau into the centres to replace him. Mitchell Moses and Pat Richards who are both nursing groin strains are not expected to miss the game but continue to be monitored medical staff.

In terms of a game plan for this week, Wests will likely look for a blue print similar to the one which worked so well last weekend. Wests strength right now lies in the ability of their forward pack to find its playmakers Blake Austin, Luke Brooks, Robbie Farah and Mitchell Moses the room to work their craft.  It's staggering to think that in last weekend's win Captain Farah was the least involved of the four guys, as Austin, Brooks and Moses did the damage instead.

Sunday's match up with the Dragons shapes as another must win encounter for the Tigers. With six games remaining the Tigers will need at least another 3 wins, perhaps 4 and crucially winning against sides also in the top 8 race could make all the difference. There's also the added incentive on another couple of fronts. Firstly, the Tigers will be looking to make amends for the Round 1 touch up they received at the hands of the Dragons, losing 44-24. On that day Gareth Widdop had an absolute field day!

An even bigger incentive looms in the face of former Tigers great Benji Marshall who lines up at halfback for Sunday's clash. Marshall who left the club at the end of 2013 to play Super Rugby with the Auckland Blues finds himself back in league and opposing the Tigers this weekend in what will be the biggest talking point of the oncoming weekend. Marshall, the past of Wests Tigers gets his chance to face the Wests Tigers future. Youngsters Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses were two of the beneficiaries of Marshall's exit. It all adds up to a wealth of skill on show this weekend and arguably one of the most talked about games of 2014.

WESTS TIGERS TEAM V ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS

Tigers: 1. Mitchell Moses 2. Keith Lulia 3. Tim Simona 4. Chris Lawrence 5. Pat Richards 6. Blake Austin 7. Luke Brooks 8. Aaron Woods 9. Robbie Farah 10. Keith Galloway 11. Curtis Sironen 12. Bodene Thompson 13. Adam Blair

Interchange: 14. Ava Seumanufagai 15. Martin Taupau 16. Dene Halatau 17. James Gavet 18. Sauaso Sue

Bulldogs win rises hopes but the battle's only just begun.

Just when it appeared the Wests Tigers were about to fade in to an "also ran" and begin to hope for a better 2015 the Tigers breathed fresh life in to their 2014 campaign with a dominant 46-18 thumping of joint leaders Canterbury on Sunday. The Bulldogs may have been poor but they may not have beaten the Tigers on a better day anyways as Wests turned in their best performance since the early rounds of the season.

Wests simply took on the Dogs where they were strongest and then relied on finesse and craft to exploit the Dogs out wide and on the edges. Young fullback Mitchell Moses underlined his ability with a stellar performance as he tore the Bulldogs up. Moses' ability to step up in to first or second receiver caused many problems for the Bulldogs who were probably more concerned with the trio of Robbie Farah, Luke Brooks and Blake Austin before the game.

To be fair Moses' first 2 games had shown subtle glimpses of what he can do but largely he'd been solid if not unspectacular. It was Moses' desire to step up to the challenge on the weekend and it paid off with devastating effect. His combination with Brooks was obvious but his work in feeding his outside backs, in this case Keith Lulia, had class written all over it.  

Lulia himself had perhaps his best NRL game ever. 4 tries was a brilliant effort and for two of them he did ever so well with. With David Nofoaluma gone for the year Wests have a guy in Lulia who can replace him adequately. 

The performance from the Wests Tigers forward pack is to be commended too. The Bulldogs failed to even run for a 1000 metres on Sunday, some near 600 less than the Tigers. Credit must go to the Tigers who won the battle in the middle of the park, particularly after half time where the Bulldogs rarely got a look in inside the Tigers red zone. Their hard work made it easier for the likes of Farah, Austin, Brooks and Moses to do their work.

So for now the Tigers sit 9th on the table but know a win next weekend will likely move them back into the top 8. Sunday's win has raised spirits and beliefs that the top 8 dream is still alive, and indeed it is! Next up it's the Benji Marshall reunion on Sunday at ANZ Stadium against a Dragons side who disappointed in a loss to Manly overnight at Kogarah. It's yet again another must win game. Wests will need minimum a further 3 wins, more likely a 4th will be needed. That makes a fixture against a side in the finals race that much more important.  Beat the Dragons and Wests move four points clear of them in the top 8 chance. It's a massive opportunity!

Round 19 team analysis: V Canterbury Bulldogs

Wests Tigers hit the field in Round 19 of the National Rugby League Premiership needing a win perhaps more than they've ever needed one in 2014. The task at hand sure won't be an easy one either with the Tigers battling against an in form Canterbury side fresh from a suffocating win over the Storm on the weekend.

Wests are locked in a log jam that sees them lie in 10th spot, but actually equal 7th, with for and against sending the Tigers down to the bottom of a log jam of sides between 22-20 points. Last weekend's belting at the hands of Manly (40-8) certainly did the side no favours and Wests now need to one of two things. They'll either need to win the lions share of their remaining games or win by big margins in at least a few of 4-5 games and hope the differential swings in their favour.

A win this weekend will be no easy feat. The Bulldogs sit joint top of the ladder and with the second best defensive record in the NRL. The Bulldogs haven't always been given the respect they deserve this season but results don't lie. Coach Des Hasler has them playing as a tough and determined team who are getting the job done more often than not. Their forward pack is relentless and is their heartbeat.

For the Tigers, another reshuffle of the deck occurs as the side makes way for the return of both Tim Simona and Bodene Thompson. Simona effectively replaces David Nofoaluma (ACL injury), returning in the centres and pushing Keith Lulia out to the wing. Thompson's return  (suspension) sees him back in the starting team and forcing one time Bulldog Dene Halatau back to the bench with Sauaso Sue as 18th man.

The good news for Wests this week is that it has been a mostly disruption free week. No origin distractions mean that Captain Robbie Farah and Aaron Woods have had a full week with the team which should help. Pat Richards has been named to play this week despite a groin injury but a decision on his fitness is likely to occur later in the week. The club is hopeful that he'll still play and will wait on the results of his progress before making a call.

So how will Wests go about beating the Bulldogs?? Well you can be sure that it'll start with worrying about their own game. The Tigers have been as poor as they have all season this past fortnight so rectifying poor discipline (errors and penalties) will be key. At times the Tigers have been poor with pass selection and trying to be flamboyant before they've earned the right with the football. Gifting your opponents possession is a guaranteed way to lose football games. Playing simpler, smarter and safer will go a long way to a better performance.

The Bulldogs strength is obviously their forward pack led by James Graham, Sam Kasiano, Tony Williams and an underrated bench. Stopping their roll on will be crucial, as will stopping the second phase play opportunities, allowing less time for the likes of Trent Hodkinson and yes, Tony Williams to create the opportunities. Expect the likes of Graham, Michael Ennis and Greg Eastwood to try and intimidate the likes of Brooks and Mitchell Moses. The Tigers must find a way to ask questions of the Bulldogs defence though. Simply hoping for the best and for the Bulldogs to be off their game is an unlikely probability.

 With the second best defensive unit in the competition this is probably easier said than done. However with Robbie Farah, Luke Brooks and Blake Austin all capable of doing so, there's no alternative here. The Tigers must be more effective in attack if they're to stand a chance. Wests will need to be better with their fifth tackle options, especially when attacking the line. In recent weeks the Tigers have failed to build pressure on the opposition line, in some cases failing to even make it to the fifth tackle after turning the ball over. That cannot happen on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday looms as a tough ask but an improved performance may not even be enough to earn the two points sorely needed for the Tigers. Another loss though and the season begins to smell a little like 2015 preparation time.

WESTS TIGERS TEAM V CANTERBURY BULLDOGS

1 Mitchell Moses

2 Keith Lulia

3 Tim Simona

4 Chris Lawrence

5 Pat Richards

6 Blake Austin 

7 Luke Brooks

8 Aaron Woods

9 Robbie Farah (c) 

10 Keith Galloway 

11 Curtis Sironen 

12 Bodene Thompson 

13 Adam Blair 

Interchange

14 Ava Seumanufagai

15 Martin Taupau

16 Dene Halatau

17 James Gavet

18 Sauaso Sue 

Coach: Mick Potter

Tigers finals hope fading week by week

Wests Tigers loss to Manly on Friday night wasn't all that unexpected. In fact the 40-8 scoreline wouldn't have surprised all that many either, especially Manly fans or the neutrals. However for Tigers fans the loss was a bitter blow made worse by the fact the 32 point loss only ballooned an already struggling for and against out to - 80 points.

The problem for Wests is that there are ten teams locked between 22 and 18 points on the table. Of those ten clubs the Tigers have the second worst differential with only Parramatta worse off at -82 points. The Titans who sit 2 points below the Tigers have the next best at -74. The Melbourne Storm who occupy 8th place on the ladder currently have a differential of -34, some 46 points better off than the Tigers.

The good news is that most of the sides battling for a top 8 berth are in similar predicaments. Of the five sides battling for positions 4-8, four of them (Rabbitohs, Roosters, Warriors and Broncos) all house positive for and and against totals meaning that the other six clubs are effectively locked in a battle for the final position in the top 8. To complicate things further, the Cowboys who sit twelfth on the ladder house a positive for and against of +60, despite sitting on 18 points and have to be considered the dark horse to steal 8th place,

So what does it mean for Wests Tigers?? Well, it means they seriously need to do two things. First they need to win their fair share of football games and they also MUST improve their for and against at the same time. There's no margin for error now. with eight games remaining the Tigers are going to need a minimum five wins, in all probability they'll need a 6th win to be sure. Above it all they desperately need to rekindle some form. It's been a long while since they've played great. Round 5 versus Manly was probably the last time they displayed truly great form. A host of gritty, hard fought wins have come since then but nothing to ride home about.

With 8 games to go the Tigers face the Bulldogs, Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Roosters, Bulldogs, Raiders and Sharks. That's a daunting run home. The so called "easier" fixtures on this list occur at a point when it may not matter any more. The bottom line is the Tigers need to be winning games and it starts this weekend versus the Dogs. A loss this weekend and the season is one nail in the coffin closer to ending. In all reality it's not looking good. The cards haven't fallen the Tigers way lately with our form well down and the injury toll beginning to mount on a consistent basis again.

We can only hope for the best now....

And so enters another Tiger cub to excite

Plenty will be made of Mitchell Moses' debut last Sunday. The 19 year old playmaker who's been tasked as one half of a duo tipped to bring the glory days back for Wests Tigers. Moses' introduction into first grade football was smooth and solid and possessed enough glimpses to believe there is a real class to his game.

Coming in at fullback, a position Moses is comfortable in, but not his favoured postion, Moses looked far from a weak link. He was peppered from the early stages by high balls courtesy of Jamie Soward of which he handled well. That no doubt would've settled a lot of nerves. For a fullback how you handle kick retention is vital. It's a position on the field where you can't really hide and the role can be ruthless. A couple of mishaps and next thing you know you're being moved out of there.

Defensively Moses wasn't really asked a lot of questions and there was nothing you wouldn't expect to see from a 19 year old on debut. It's likely he'll face a sterner test of his defensive ability on Friday night at Brookvale Oval versus Manly. Moses though did show an obvious strength in his attack. His pace shows that he'll be dangerous. His understanding with Luke Brooks was obvious  and he showed good ability to read the defence when it came to his passing game.

Coach Mick Potter will no doubt be harping into young Mitchell the importance of lurking around the ball in attack, especially off the likes of Brooks and Captain Robbie Farah. No doubt some tutoring from James Tedesco will be of some help in this regard. With his pace and ball skill, Moses becomes an immediate point of concern for defending teams, especially when he eventually adapts and feels comfortable in the top grade.

Much like the youngsters of 2013 who are showing the benefit of that initiation in 2014, Moses simply needs to lap up the first grade experience whilst he can. Next season his role will take on more importance and whilst he will likely battle it out with Blake Austin for the number 6 jersey next season, the experience he gains this season will without doubt be of huge significance for Mitchell.

 Not many people would've predicted Moses could play possibly six or more games this season, and he may still not do so, but as things stand it's quite possible he'll do just that. It's a real bonus for him and something the club will reap the rewards of in the future. 2015 will take care of itself, for now he needs to worry about simply playing football.

Team analysis: Round 18 v Manly Sea Eagles

Wests Tigers will face one of the more daunting NRL trips this Friday night when they travel to Brookvale Oval to battle the imposing Manly Sea Eagles. The Sea Eagles sit joint top of the NRL premiership right now and will likely be smarting having been embarrassed by an under strength Bulldogs squad a week ago. The Tigers fared little better either, turning in a poor display at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday against the Panthers.

 Wests will go into the Manly clash with two less days to prepare for the game and lose the services of backrower Bodene Thompson (suspension - 1 week) and five eighth Braith Anasta (injury). However on the flip side they will hopefully have both Captain Robbie Farah and Aaron Woods available despite having played for NSW in Origin III some 48 hours earlier.

Trips to Brookvale are never easy and the fact the Eagles are coming off a poor performance a week ago is cause for concern for the Tigers. However it's possible that there is in actual fact a window of opportunity for the Tigers to seize the moment and pressure the Eagles on their home turf. There's also the added incentive of backing up the statement made back in Round 5 when the Tigers ambushed the Sea Eagles at Leichhardt Oval.

Interestingly, minus Bodene Thompson and Liam Fulton the Tigers forward pack will line up with its strongest look all season, at least in terms of size anyway. Prop James Gavet joins impressive debutant Matt Lodge on a bench that also includes the reliable Martin Taupau and Ava Seumanufagai. If the plan is to ambush the Eagles in forward pack, then at least they'll see it coming this time.

Truth be told this is an area of the park that concerns little. Of more concern this week will be the performance of the Wests outside backs. Pat Richards, Chris Lawrence and Keith Lulia all had poor moments in the weekend loss to Penrith and cannot afford another poor showing against a Manly backline that has class and confidence. The Eagles are often clinical out wide and where Penrith probably didn't make the best of the situation last week, you can be sure the Eagles won't make the same mistake.

So how do the Tigers get the job done on Friday night?? Plenty lies on the availability of Robbie Farah and Aaron Woods from Origin. Farah's inclusion will be key in particular. His direction and leadership gives the younger guys a confidence boost. The combination between Luke Brooks and Blake Austin will also be one to watch. It has promise and you just hope they aren't over awed by the occasion versus Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran. You can also add the combination between Brooks and fullback Mitchell Moses. We saw glimpses on the weekend of what it contains and their youthful enthusiasm is a danger for Manly.

Ultimately the Tigers need to be clinical and tight. Last weekend the ball security just wasn't good enough. Particularly as they threw the ball wide. Wests will not be able to waste those kind of chances against Manly. More respect needs to be shown for the ball and the opponent and keeping the penalties down will help a fair deal. Even then it'll be a tough night still. The boys cannot afford to make it any harder for themselves than it already will be.

WESTS TIGERS TEAM V MANLY SEA EAGLES

1. Mitchell Moses

2. David Nofoaluma

3. Keith Lulia

4. Chris Lawrence

5. Pat Richards

6. Blake Austin

7. Luke Brooks

8. Aaron Woods

9. Robbie Farah (c)

10. Keith Galloway

11. Curtis Sironen

12. Dene Halatau

13. Adam Blair

Reserves

14. Matthew Lodge

15. Martin Taupau

16. Ava Seumanufagai

17. James Gavet

Panthers loss provides a huge reality check as Tigers turn for home

A beautiful Sunday afternoon at Leichhardt was missing only one thing yesterday, a Wests Tigers win. A couple short of a 17,000 strong attendance witnessed Wests fumble their way out of  a contest with the now league leading Panthers and in turn proved the 2014 Tigers have along way to go before they become contenders. 

Forget the fact the Panthers are now leading the league, the Tigers could have and perhaps would have won yesterday's game had they performed better. Not a lot went right for the Tigers. Early on they were guilty of overplaying their hand, barely completing 50% of their sets in the first half. Time after time the Panthers were invited down the field and to be honest 0-12 at half time was not a fair reflection of proceedings.

It never really got any better for the Tigers in the second half. Luke Brooks and Blake Austin tried but the errors mounted as Penrith barely needed to hit third gear in what must've been a surprisingly easy afternoon for the men from the mountain. Penrith simply played the percentages. it wasn't always exciting but it was effective. Their consistency paid off in the end.

So whilst the Panthers sit pretty at the top of the ladder the Tigers now slip to 10th and possess the worst for and against record of seven sides which all sit on 20 points, though Souths who play tonight can move up to 22 points. The Tigers next face Manly on Friday night at Brookvale Oval, a daunting task to say the least.

What yesterday showed was that again this Tigers side may have a lot of potential, and it may be scary good to think how they may do in two years time. Right now though they're not that good. Without Robbie Farah the direction in attack is near non existent. Luke Brooks certainly tries but he's a marked man and can't be expected to make it happen every set. The loss of James Tedesco and Tim Simona has certainly hurt this area too.

Moving forward though the Tigers are now placed in a position where they have no choice but to look towards the future. No, this doesn't mean 2014 is over but due to injuries to Tedesco and now Braith Anasta, the Tigers may now turn to a structure that looked more likely to happen in 2015.

Braith Anasta looks set for some time on the sidelines after partially tearing the bicep in his arm which now means Blake Austin is set to wear the number 6 jersey in his absence. Mitchell Moses who debuted admirably at fullback yesterday will likely retain the number 1 jersey as well. Moses' role in 2015 is anyone's guess right now?? Thankfully Robbie Farah will return to the side to help negotiate the remainder of 2014. His presence will be vital for as long as Anasta is out.

With 9 games remaining the Wests Tigers remain well in the battle to make the top eight but the problem lies in a horror draw home. The Tigers still need to play the Bulldogs (x2), Roosters, Storm, Sea Eagles and Cowboys (Townsville). There's no doubt Wests need to find something extra in the push towards home. Injuries aside there's still plenty of talent on offer but a lot of it lacks the experience that our rivals over the next 2 months possess. It may just be that we fans adopt the "we're close enough if we're good enough" approach or simply use the next 2 months as preparation for 2015.

Missing the finals from here would be disappointing but at the same time not exactly unexpected. It's been an admirable effort from the team in 2014 but the next 2 months are going to really test the potential of these kids. Will it be sink or swim? I'm expecting a little of both.

Round 17 team analysis: V Penrith Panthers

The Wests Tigers got the win they were expected to on the weekend against the struggling Raiders but it was far an easy two points for the Tigers. Several injuries meant the Tigers were forced into re-shuffling the make up of the side which in turn seemed to limit the impact the side could make on the Raiders. Wests however held firm, blocking the Raiders out for six consecutive sets on their own line before clinching what may become a vital two points later in the season.

The fall out from the gritty win though has come at a cost with several players injured as a result. Highlighting that list is fullback James Tedesco whose ruptured patella means he'll miss 3 months of football and barring a deep finals run and looks to have played his final game for 2014. Backrower Sauaso Sue also looks set for time on the sideline after injuring his shoulder. Sue's injury status is expected to be known later today but he is expected to miss at least the next few weeks and possibly longer.

Centre Tim Simona is the third player to come reeling out of the Raiders win with an injury. Simona will miss a month after damaging teeth in the head clash which ultimately ended his night early due to concussion. To make matters worse for the Tigers Captain Robbie Farah and prop Aaron Woods will also miss this weekend's clash with Penrith due to Origin III. All in all, Penrith have gotten the Wests Tigers at a good time.

Into the side this week come Blake Austin at fullback, Keith Lulia at centre, Joel Luani at hooker, whilst Dene Halatau, Sitaleki Akauola and Jack Buchanan return to the NRL off the bench. Blake Austin's inclusion at fullback is a slight surprise given his lack of experience in the position. However to be fair he did a fair job deputising for James Tedesco last weekend. There was plenty of talk that youngster Mitchell Moses could have gotten the nod this weekend, but for now it appears he may have to wait. A late change could yet happen though??

Keith Lulia's inclusion was always likely. Whilst he hasn't set the world on fire in 2014 he is a dependable option. Rookies Asipeli Fine and Stefano Taukafa will have to wait a little longer yet. Joel Luani will share the hooking duties with Dene Halatau (bench) this week. Luani's NRL form has been solid so far and will be keen for a good showing given this could be his final NRL game of 2014.

The Tigers return to Leichhardt Oval this weekend to face the impressive Panthers who have had a pretty settled side in 2014. Jamie Soward has been named despite failing to finish the game versus the Warriors on the weekend. Soward and halfback Peter Wallace have directed the side around well in 2014 and the Tigers will face an up hill battle this weekend with so many players missing.

The key for the Tigers will be to ensure that the forwards allow the likes of Luke Brooks and Braith Anasta the time to do their work. Holding the ball and keeping penalties down also hold more significance on weeks like this so discipline needs to be high. The bench rotations for both sides also loom as an vital component this weekend. The Panthers Tyrone Peachey and Lewis Brown have been good in recent weeks whilst workhorses Jeremy Latimore and Nigel Plum will be relentless as ever. 

WIth Martin Taupau starting this week Wests will need Ava Seumanufagai and Sitaleki Akauola to provide the bench support. With Farah and Tedesco both missing the Tigers will really need their forward pack to win the battle on Sunday. If the Tigers stay close to the Panthers coming down the stretch on Sunday afternoon, then hopefully with the help of a healthy Leichhardt crowd, the boys can ride home with another win.

WESTS TIGERS TEAM V PENRITH PANTHERS

 Blake Austin, David Nofoaluma, Keith Lulia, Chris Lawrence, Pat Richards, Braith Anasta (c), Luke Brooks, Martin Taupau, Joel Luani, Keith Galloway, Curtis Sironen, Bodene Thompson, Adam Blair. Interchange: Dene Halatau, Ava Seumanufagai, Sitaleki Akauola, Jack Buchanan

Tigers count the cost of Raiders win

Wests Tigers 19-18 win over the Canberra Raiders last night will come at a cost. The question is just how much it will end up costing the Tigers in the long run? Whilst the win against the Raiders showed plenty of guts and determination against all odds, it's probably fair to suggest that a better side would've put the Tigers in their place.

The Raiders had six sets in succession attacking the Wests goal line in the second half and only rarely looked like seriously threatening to trouble the scorers. In actual fact they looked more of a threat from long range.The Tigers were fortunate to get the win last night but the ramifications of doing so leave the side in a vulnerable postion.

Top of the list is James Tedesco's ruptured patella. Tedesco's lay off couldn't have come at worse time for himself or the club. With Kurtis Rowe out injured and not expected back in the short term the Tigers now need to find a third choice fullback. Long term absentee Tim Moltzen won't be the man either as he continues on his slow road of recovery. Blake Austin filled in there admirably for 80 minutes last night but it's hard to see him getting the gig full time. It wouldn't be fair on him.

The most likely candidates appear to be NSW Cup options Jy Hitchcox or Mitchell Moses. Hitchcox is older at 26 and a speedy/explosive option and probably better suited for the NRL right now. Mitchell Moses on the other hand though at 19 may lack the size or experience of Hitchcox but possesses supreme ball skills and a partnership with halfback Luke Brooks. Potter has the option of opting for either of these potential NRL rookies or electing to show faith in Blake Austin. Previously though Potter has opted against switching players out of position meaning he may well keep Austin on his bench and call up a new player.

Tedesco's absence isn't the only bad news for the club today with Tim Simona set to miss four weeks after damaging his teeth in the head clash which prematurely ended his night. His absence is a little more straight forward in terms of replacements with veteran Keith Lulia the most likely option. However Potter does have the option of calling in rookies Asipeli Fine or Stefano Taukafa as well. This may still happen should winger David Nofoaluma be in any doubt for next weekend's match up versus Penrith.

Another player set to be ruled out is Sauaso Sue who today had scans on an AC joint. Sue who played on bravely with the shoulder injury looks set for a spell on the sideline. Thankfully Wests do have cover for the big man with Sitaleki Akauola, James Gavet and Dene Halatau all likely replacements.

What this all means is that the Wests Tigers will have to tough it out at least for one more week with Captain Robbie Farah and Aaron Woods set to miss the Panthers clash as well due to Origin selection.  It also challenges the Tigers in their quest to make the top 8. The loss of Tedesco is a bitter blow and hopefully Kurtis Rowe will return sooner than later. 

The run home for the club is not a simple one either. Keeping the team healthy was going to be vital. That and the teams finals chances are now in jeopardy but with 6th place belonging to the Tigers on  the NRL ladder currently, the fortunes of the club remain in their own hands. That at least is the good news.

Round 16 team analysis: V Canberra Raiders

After last weekend's second and final bye week the Wests Tigers return to action this weekend for a clash with the Canberra Raiders, this Saturday night at Campbelltown Stadium. In their last start the Tigers were well beaten by Souths 32-10 in a clash that saw both sides minus their Origin contingent.

Wests have named a strong side for the visit of the Raiders with only Liam Futon (concussion), James Gavet (hamstring), Cory Paterson (finger) and Tim Moltzen (knee) unavailable for selection, whilst Dene Halatau was not named either, most likely due to the effects of his concussion suffered versus Souths.

Much of the talk surrounding the weekend clash with the Raiders will most likely settle on Tigers fullback James Tedesco who only a few weeks back reneged on a deal to join the Raiders from next season. Tedesco's decision to opt against joining the green machine will likely add a bit of extra feeling to this clash, even if the Raiders deny it to be the case.

What should be an even bigger focus though should be the form of the Raiders who appear to have gone backwards this season under "Super coach" Ricky Stuart. They showed rare glimpses of improvement last Friday night in a loss to the Bulldogs and this weekend will have to contend with the scheming of Tigers trio Tedesco, Luke Brooks and Robbie Farah.

With Farah back in the side (along with Aaron Woods) after Origin, the focus of the Raiders likely lessens on Brooks and Tedesco who now play the role of supporting cast. Blake Austin's role off the bench changes too meaning the Tigers go into the game with a raft of attacking options that also include Curtis Sironen who is named for his second start of the season.

In short, those attacking options will most likely determine the difference between the two sides. If Wests attack well, they likely win. There'll likely be some debate over which side of the field centres Chris Lawrence Tim Simona play on too. Some fans believing a switch of sides for the duo may result in a more streamlined attacking structure. Simona currently resides on the opposite side of field to halfback Brooks and there is a feeling that he would do better paired up on the same side, a side Simona has had success with in the past.

The Tigers will also need to match the output of the Raiders forward pack which has plenty of size and ability to offload. Offloads are a real threat, particularly with names like Anthony Milford lurking around them. So win the forward battle and the Tigers likely make life easier for themselves in attack and on the scoreboard. Out wide, Raiders centres Jack Wighton and Jarrod Croker are to be watched with the duo two of their better performers this season. The battle against Wests' Lawrence and Simona should be fast and fleet footed..

All the action this weekend kicks off at 1.15pm with the Holden Cup, NSW Cup follows at 3.10pm with the NRL actions kicking off at 5.30pm.  All at Campbelltown Stadium. Alternately you can catch all the action on Fox Sports 1 from 1pm,

WESTS TIGERS TEAM VERSUS CANBERRA RAIDERS

1. James Tedesco 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Tim Simona 4. Chris Lawrence 5. Pat Richards 6. Braith Anasta 7. Luke Brooks 8. Aaron Woods 9. Robbie Farah 10. Keith Galloway 11. Curtis Sironen 12. Bodene Thompson 13. Adam Blair

Interchange: 14. Sauaso Sue 15. Martin Taupau 16. Blake Austin 17. Ava Seumanufagai

Breaking down the run home

11 games remain in 2014 for a Wests Tigers side that currently sits in 8th place on the Telstra Premiership ladder. With 7 wins and 6 losses to date the season appears a mixed bag so far and that's a fair reflection of how we've done to this point. Tipped by many so called 'experts' to finish last with few wins to our name the Tigers have more or less shamed those pre-season predictions with an exciting and tough brand of football.

However it is the post Origin run home that sorts out the contenders from the pretenders. Some teams seem to receive an extra boost with the return to the normality of week to week football. Others seem to struggle as the post Origin blues settle in and bog teams down. For the Tigers they are at least well placed to give themselves their best shot.

ROUND 15 - BYE: The R15 bye ensures the Tigers will move up to 18 pts however the two sides who sandwich Wests on the ladder, Melbourne and Parramatta play each other this weekend. The Storm only need to win by 14 to jump the Tigers, whilst the Eels only need to lose by less than 29 to remain above the Tigers. What it means is the Tigers could fall back to 9th on the ladder.

ROUND 16 - CANBERRA (HOME): R16 sees the the Tigers welcome the Raiders to Campbelltown in a match where James Tedesco will likely be public enemy no.1 for Raiders fans. Thankfully Aaron Woods and Robbie Farah will be well rested from Origin II and you would expect the Tigers will get the points against a Raiders side showing very little bite this season. WIN - 20pts (competition pts)

ROUND 17 - PENRITH (HOME): R17 pits the Tigers up against current NRL leaders Penrith at Leichhardt Oval. The Tigers will likely lose Farah and Woods to Origin III. The Panthers have no Origin reps though and would start a warm favourite despite the Leichhardt factor. The Tigers can win this match up but the Panthers deserve favourtism. LOSS - 20pts

ROUND 18 - MANLY (AWAY): They don't come much more daunting than a Friday night visit to Brookvale. Coming just 2 days after Origin III the Tigers may be hoping the likes of Anthony Watmough and Daly Cherry-Evans pull up lame. A win here would be an upset of major proportions! LOSS - 20pts

ROUND 19 - CANTERBURY (HOME): R19 sees the NRL return to its normal self and the Tigers looking for a much needed win. A third home game in 4 weeks will help against a Bulldogs side who'll likely be needing a win too. A game which could go either way. They say that when in doubt you go with the home side So the Tigers scrape a win here. WIN - 22pts

ROUND 20 - ST GEORGE-ILLAWARRA (HOME): Wests Tigers finally get their Benji Marshall reunion here. A home game at ANZ ensures we should see a healthy crowd. It should if all goes to plan help the Tigers grab themselves a second consecutive win against a Dragons side who pummeled the Tigers back in R1. WIN - 24pts

ROUND 21 - MELBOURNE (HOME): A few weeks on now from Origin and the Storm should be far more settled here. Cooper Cronk could also be back by now so this represents a tough match up but again another home fixture. I reckon the Tigers cause the upset if the team is healthy. WIN - 26pts

ROUND 22 - NTH QUEENSLAND (AWAY): The trip to Townsville is never easy and you'd expect this to fall on a Saturday night no doubt. The Cowboys deserve favourtism here and whilst we are capable of winning the game, it's one the Cowboys would expect to win. LOSS - 26pts

ROUND 23 - SYDNEY ROOSTERS (HOME): 4 weeks out from the finals and a match up with the Roosters looks a real challenge. We've never fared well against them in recent seasons and you'd expect it to be no different here. Best put as one where we bottle the experience and use it to our advantage in the future. LOSS - 26pts

ROUND 24 - CANTERBURY (AWAY): For the second time in close to a month the two sides will meet. A lot will depend on the health of the two sides. A lot may also depend on how well the likes of Tedesco, Brooks and the other young guns are faring form wise as the season reaches the final straight. Certainly a winnable match up but by no means a clear match up for either side. I reckon the Doggies may just scrape this one. LOSS - 26pts

ROUND 25 - CANBERRA (AWAY): The Tigers find themselves in a must win encounter in the nation's capital here. For that fact the Tigers grab the win on the back of too much attacking potential. Basically backing up James Tedesco's decision to stay put. WIN - 28pts

ROUND 26 - CRONULLA (HOME): The final premiership round sees the Tigers host the mob from the shire. By now the Sharks are playing for pride and rarely does that count for much by R26. At home the Tigers take advantage of that fact and get the job done. WIN - 30pts


OVERALL: WINS 13, LOSSES 11

I have us finishing on 30pts which would see us finishing in 10th place on the ladder. For and against sees us relegated to 10th despite finishing on the same points as 8th place. From what i forecast i think the Tigers really need to perform well at home. It's our best chance of finishing higher up. 7/11 remaining games are home game and if we were to in fact win all 7 that would ensure a top 8 finish. 

The stumbling blocks for Wests appear to be Penrith (H) due to Origin III, Manly (A), Cowboys (A), Roosters (H), whilst it's a toss of the coin in fixtures against the Bulldogs (x2) and Melbourne (H). Certainly we need to pick up wins in fixtures that represent winnable matches for us with Canberra (X2), Dragons (H) and the Sharks (H). Those 8pts are real valuable with the run home that we do have.

Ultimately i feel a lot of our fortune will rest on just how the team comes together. If we keep key players fit and the development of James Tedesco and Luke Brooks in tandem with Robbie Farah continues to shine then some of these losses could turn into wins. By the same token though, some of these wins could also be losses if our form suffers. 

The key fixtures for me are the two Bulldogs clashes and match ups with the Storm and Panthers. We can win all four games but we could lose all four as well. For me our season could well be defined by our success in those four matches.



Ladder Pos P W D L B PF PA PTS
1. Roosters 24 18 0 6 2 623 365 40
2. S Eagles 24 18 0 6 2 529 398 40
3. Rabbitohs 24 16 0 8 2 587 369 36
4. Storm         24 16 0 8 2 548 490 36
5. Panthers 24 15 0 9 2 521 416 34
6. Warriors 24 14 0 10 2 562 497 32
7. Bulldogs 24 14 0 10 2 463 427 32
8. Broncos 24 13 0 11 2 531 448 30
9. Eels         24  13  0 11 2 521 511 30
10. W Tigers 24 13 0 11 2 505 522 30
11. Cowboys 24 12 0 12 2 504 419 28
12. Titans 24 9 0 15 2 383 540 22
13. Dragons 24 8 0 16 2 427 543 20
14. Sharks 24 5 0 19 2 301 632 14
15. Knights 24 4 0 20 2 368 558 12

16. Raiders 24 4 0 20 2 408 646 12

(via nrl.com ladder predictor)