Michael Maguire leaves club

[weststigerman]

Most of the news surrounding Madge is guess work. Sheens is doing the review and the board will act on his decision. Sheens hasn't given any indication on what he is thinking and will talk to some of the senior players and staff this week i believe. It seems as though the push by some to get rid of Madge is less to do with an anti-Madge agenda but more to do with getting a high profile target while they can (while they're available).

There has been some chatter that Ciraldo is much more interested in the Tigers than he was previously. He is particularly impressed with the young guns coming through from last seasons Jersey Flegg squad and from the Wests side of things this season. Add in the Penrith connection with guys like Api, Blore and Daine specifically who he has worked with in the first grade and 20s team over there. Gus wanted Ciraldo desperately but Ciraldo told him that he was not interested.

Sheens also holds Kristian Woolf in high regard and would be right up there with Ciraldo.

If Ciraldo is much more interested in the Tigers now than before, doesn't that suggest that Madge has done a good job focusing on long term rather than looking short term and signing the likes of Mbye, Reynolds, and Packer on monster salaries?

 

[Kelce68]

I'm with you, but is Ciraldo just an overhyped version of Barrett, the guy who was supposed to turn around the Bulldogs attack, yet failed badly

I understand that argument, but from what I've heard, people can't say enough good things about Ciraldo and his approach, background and resume. Whereas Barrett had a history of shortcomings and areas of failure.

 

[Kelce68]

If Ciraldo is much more interested in the Tigers now than before, doesn't that suggest that Madge has done a good job focusing on long term rather than looking short term and signing the likes of Mbye, Reynolds, and Packer on monster salaries?

That's a fair point.

Despite the results being pretty damning, Madge does have some viable metrics that have been positive over his time. Roster turnover, salary cap clearance, shrewd recruitment and playing a role in the establishment of long-term solutions like the pathways systems.

 

[Swordy]

They said Benny thinks its time for a change...

Stay tuned.

With great respect, the very last person I would listen to is Benny Elias. He is barely a rung above Frothfiled, Hooper, Crawley and others.

 

[Swordy]

Just saw Back door Bennys interview on fox. I know many hate him,and at times he is way over the top. But he was a great hooker who changed the game, but he knows talent and business. His comments about signing Flannigan i agree with. Forget the peptides bullshit ,we need his tough and intelligent style to take us forward. He has been around the best sides recently, and Madge looks stale. This just my humble opinion.

There is a reason no one else has hired Flanagan, and most recently the Bulldogs. The guy is a flog.

Benny changed the game, absolutely. But there are countless examples of great players, some even immortals, that have no place in business or talent identification. Great examples of using a their name but with no substance.

 

[tigerap]

One can only wonder what our 2022 results would be if we had Douhei, Talau, Laurie and Sefano on the park every round….I’m all for change, but ONLY if the change is a significant improvement in what we have….John Morris and Flanagan are not better coaches than Madge

 

[Snoz]

There is a reason no one else has hired Flanagan, and most recently the Bulldogs. The guy is a flog.

Benny changed the game, absolutely. But there are countless examples of great players, some even immortals, that have no place in business or talent identification. Great examples of using a their name but with no substance.

Benny is only endorsing Flanagan because it's the only way he gets a say on 360 - unless you argree with the panel, you ain't getting your mug on that show.

 

[TieDye]

One can only wonder what our 2022 results would be if we had Douhei, Talau, Laurie and Sefano on the park every round….

Doueihi to start doing doughies in rehab

 

[amkr]

Lee is such a flog, will run from 4km away to stick his face in front of a microphone.

Copied verbatim from someone else's Reddit post

 

[TieDye]

Benny is only endorsing Flanagan because it's the only way he gets a say on 360 - unless you argree with the panel, you ain't getting your mug on that show.

Correct…

 

[TieDye]

Copied verbatim from someone else's Reddit post

Did he actually? What an ass clown @Tiger_Fanatic3

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

If Ciraldo is much more interested in the Tigers now than before, doesn't that suggest that Madge has done a good job focusing on long term rather than looking short term and signing the likes of Mbye, Reynolds, and Packer on monster salaries?

Alot can change in a year

Covid is over and juniors are playing
We have Sheens at the top
We have pathways restructured with Noddy/Benji and co
We have most of our big contracts cleared out
We have a war chest to spend on players and plenty of roster spots to fill
We have an NRL quality halfback in Hastings
We now have a Panthers connection forming: Blore, Laurie, Naden + Api
We have Papa coming in bound, Stefano has extended
Our COE should launch ready for next year
Magpies won junior comp
Panthers have won the comp since
KFC bucket of chicken could be provided as an incentive now

A heap more, most of which aren't Madge doing FWIW

 

[cktiger]

Correct…

Maybe it was his own Reddit post.
Who looks at Reddit now anyway?

 

[tig_prmz]

The hype actually stems by the fact he like Payton he hasn't just been an assistant coach, he is more focussed on pathways & junior development as a coach 1st then an assistant. He has applied his trade as a coach 1st then assistant for 8yrs.

He has actually been very heavily involved in the Panthers pathways for 8yrs and a big reason why the frameworks & success has formed. He coached the Panthers under 20s and was a winner, before then they didn't win. He has then been apart of various roles with the NRL side which has done very well in each role. He has also been pivotal in roster management within the lower grades also for longer term security with the Panthers. He has alot more on his CV than most 1st time NRL coaches have in their lifetime.

Sure you can say anyone who coaches the Panthers team would be a winner but cmon they have been on top now in the lower grades since he took control for 8yrs well before success at NRL level the last 2yrs.

Alot of the other coaches that come from under Bennett, Bellmey or Robinson are assistants only they never have been actual coaches hence why they struggle.

People call out Barrett with the same brush & go no. But a massive difference is Barrett never coached before accepting a role, he then went back as an assistant then back to coaching. He never actually got to apply his trade before accepting a coaching role.

If Madge goes whoever replaces them isn't going to have an easy job by any stretch but they will for once come in with a blank canvas to work from. Maybe having a coach with a large junior pathways/development background could actually work for us. We brand ourseleves on that lens and let Ciraldo do what he has done extremely well at the panthers with a massive focus on youth policy. Time and a Place opportunity perhaps.

I wouldn't be upset or meh if Ciraldo came and replaced Madge, Flanno/Wolf or some other names I look at and just see like for like or worse. But if Madge goes I wouldn't let him go unless we had a commitment from an impending coach before hand. We need to keep things out of the media as much as we can and make the decision/appointment swift.

Great post!

You have to ply your trade in the Junior coaches rank before stepping up! Very few are able to take that step up and be successful.

Brad Fittler talks about it quite a bit. He has seen all the guys that he's picking now from the U16s.. He has moved up with them.

 

[Muffstar]

Just listening to 2GB news and they said Ciraldo is firming as a replacement for Madge. Take it for what it is worth.

 

[amkr]

Did he actually? What an ass clown @Tiger_Fanatic3

Sure did.

Maybe it was his own Reddit post.
Who looks at Reddit now anyway?

It wasn't his, I know because it was mine.

 

[Telltails]

Nothing will ever change at the club if we keep backing under performing players and sacking coaches.
The squad is where the problem lies. They have no passion or will for achieving success and they don't need to, because when you are losing at this club there is only ever one person held accountable.
It's why the players who want better move on and the ones who don't have the drive hang around and get paid well for doing it - the exact opposite to how clubs like Melbourne and Roosters operate and hence why they attract the right players to maintain success and have long serving coaches.
A player who goes to these clubs know if they don't perform they get shown the door and you don't get paid a fortune to play reserves. The best players earn the best money and they deliver on the field. That's what brings success.

 

[Swordy]

Just listening to 2GB news and they said Ciraldo is firming as a replacement for Madge. Take it for what it is worth.

If that is true - it means Ciraldo sees strength in our position in the future. And if that's the case, why are we sacking the current coach?

We have waited over an extended period to create a platform from which to launch greatness, got rid of 15 years of baggage, and the bloke close to the centre of it gets punted?

 

[weststigerman]

Alot can change in a year

Covid is over and juniors are playing
We have Sheens at the top
We have pathways restructured with Noddy/Benji and co
We have most of our big contracts cleared out
We have a war chest to spend on players and plenty of roster spots to fill
We have an NRL quality halfback in Hastings
We now have a Panthers connection forming: Blore, Laurie, Naden + Api
We have Papa coming in bound, Stefano has extended
Our COE should launch ready for next year
Magpies won junior comp
Panthers have won the comp since
KFC bucket of chicken could be provided as an incentive now

A heap more, most of which aren't Madge doing FWIW

While I agree not all of this is Madge, but he deserves some credit for a few of these things.

I remember a couple of years ago he said he's spending a lot of time talking to 15 year olds about joining Wests Tigers and most laughed at him. Fast forward a couple of years, and we have Harold Matts undefeated premiers as well as a high performing flegg team.

Madge brought Hastings, Blore and Laurie here. We have a war chest because Madge and others have continuously spoken about not blowing the cap on a few players.

 

[Swordy]

By accident (not kidding), NRL360 just came on youtube and it was a segment with Anasta, Kent, Crawley and Riicio. I haven't watched since Ikin left, but thats a personal choice.

They discussed the comments by Lee Hagipantelis around the mid season review. They played the recording. I have never seen so much BS and twist come from that. I though Lee's comments were crystal clear, and would be the same from any Chairman if they were talking genuinely about the future of their current coach, be it Bellamy, Fitzgibbon, Robinson, whoever. So they deliberately chose to lie and twist that into something.

Kent made the comment that NO other NRL club is doing a mid season review. I didnt look too hard to season that the Warriors had just done the same, finishing 2 days ago.

Then they discussed Ciraldo coming to the Tigers. They weren't sure. They also discussed him going to the Bulldogs but given he was currently discussing extending his contract, he would not take that option. So hang on...... he wont go to the bulldogs because he is recommitting to Penrith, but that same reason doesn't exist around the Tigers?

These blokes are imbeciles. And anyone who watches that show should consider themselves one aswell.