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