After the highs of Sunday afternoon's big victory in the big wet at Leichhardt Oval, the Wests Tigers shift home base further west this weekend when they welcome the North Queensland Cowboys to Campbelltown Stadium this Saturday night. The game marks the Tigers first outing in Campbelltown this season.
The high's of Sunday have been dampened though this week with the loss of two key players. In form fullback James Tedesco is gone, looking at up to 9 weeks on the sideline with ankle ligament damage. Also missing is experienced five eighth Braith Anasta who took the early plea for the nrl match review committee and will miss one week.
In their places come rookie fullback Kurtis Rowe who will debut for the club, whilst former Panther Blake Austin gets his first opportunity in place of Anasta. Rowe's selection is the biggest surprise. Assistant coach Todd Payten admitted that the coaching group considered the option of shifting either Tim Simona or Pat Richards to fullback but decided against it, prefering to keep the backline settled where possible.
Todd Payten -
‘‘We had some other options available in the first grade squad if we wanted to shuffle things around,’’ Payten said. ‘‘We spoke as a coaching group and decided K deserved his shot. It’s a big thing to move players out of position. That was part of our conversation – he’s here at the club for a job and while he’s yet to experience first grade, he’ll handle it.
‘‘If we had have shuffled Patty [Richards] or Timmy Simona back there, they’re not full time No.1s. I think positioning-wise and talk-wise, I think we would have lost a little bit. And I think we would have lost a little bit in the centres and on the wing. I think we’ve come up with the right decision.’’
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/wests-tigers-name-debutants-kurtis-rowe-and-blake-austin-20140408-zqsbi.html#ixzz2yLIX6m00
With Anasta and Tedesco out, the Tigers face their first real test of their attacking abilities. Tedesco in particular has become an x-factor for the club in the opening month of the season. His replacement Rowe does possess some similar attributes, most notably his speed and try scoring ability, but Tedesco has arguably been the player of the season to this point in time - so he's no easy replacement.
Blake Austin's form the Tigers in the NSW Cup has been brilliant. Leading the side to joint leadership of the table after 5 matches. At 23, Austin is well and truly ready to relaunch his nrl career after only modest success with the Panthers. There's a belief that whilst he has the attributes to make it at nrl level, he was thrown in the deep end at the Panthers and a now more mature Austin is perhaps better equipped this time around.
WESTS TIGERS TEAM V NTH QLD COWBOYS
1.Kurtis Rowe, 2. David Nofoaluma, 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.Liam Fulton, 12.Bodene Thompson, 13. Adam Blair, 14. Martin Taupau 15. Ava Seumanufagai, 16. James Gavet,17. Sitaleki Akauola, 18. Keith Lulia
No comments:
Post a Comment