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....
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