It's not a "Wests Tigers" problem that players come here and look worse and then our players leave and look better elsewhere.
It's a coaching problem.
Meaney always had bits about him that looked good at the Bulldogs. Plenty of speed and not a bad ballplayer from fullback. He wasn't consistent sure, but also clearly first grade quality. Another problem was his lack of size - he was simply too skinny to be effective, unless he made clean breaks he wouldn't bust a tackle. He's clearly been told to bulk up and is now being used in a way which utilises his speed and support play ability. Bellamy has changed what he wants out of his 1 with Meaney in there compared to Papenhuyzen who has a heavier ball playing load and is given more early ball with space.
That's what separates guys like Bennett and Bellamy. They identify the strengths and weaknesses in players and put them in situations where their strengths are magnified and weaknesses masked. They identify players who fit their system and where they get talented players who don't fit their system, do their best to accommodate them.
Cleary is a great coach too as much as it pains me to say it. Guys like Liam Martin and Dylan Edwards are average players. Nothing special physically and limited skillsets. But they are relentless, have great motors and a great work ethic. Cleary has identified that and given them roles in the team that mask their deficiencies and maximise their skills. Dylan Edwards can't break the line or pass very well, so trying to make him play like he's Trbojevic or Latrell would be stupid. What can he do well? Take a million hit-ups and get a quick play the ball whether it's the 1st minute or 79th minute. Why does Penrith dominate field position? Edwards makes 10m on 4th tackle, gets a quick play the ball and lets Nathan hoof it down field. Then guys like Liam Martin who offer effort in buckets lead the defensive line and compress opponents.
Look at the team he got to 9th in 2018. My god that was a miserable team. He's the one coach who managed to make Brooks look like a first grader (albeit a below average one, but nonetheless he looked like he belonged). Guys like Marsters, Naiqama, Fonua, Thompson, Rochow, Eisenhuth, Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, Godinet, McIlwrick. Some of those lineups read like NSW cup teams and yet he managed to extract every last bit of ability from these average players to have us finish 9th.
On the flip side, you have Sheens. Sheens will always try and meddle with players and force them to do what he wants.
Our halfback position is a great example: Morris at 7, Benji at 7, Farah at 7, Lui at 7, Brooks at 7. Two hookers and 3 5/8ths he's forced to play 7. Tim Moltzen, who we actually looked great with in that 2009-2011 period with at 7, is then forced to play 1. Hastings who is the best genuine 7 we've had since Scott Prince is forced out because Sheens thinks he's a lock. Makes no sense.
Isaiah Papali'i wins second rower of the year playing on the right edge? Let's move him to the left edge. John Bateman wins second rower of the year on the right edge? Let's try and turn him into a ball-playing lock. There's countless examples throughout his tenure of him taking what's not broken and breaking it.
In a salary cap competition, the path to sustained success comes from identifying value where others aren't able to see it. A player can be worth more or less to a team than their contracted value based on how they're utilised. If you continue to pay overs for talented players and misuse them, you'll never get anywhere. If you build a team around a core group of stars and a successful system then supplement it with underrated and undervalued players, you build dynasties like the Storm, Roosters and now Penrith.
