I will put this in here, it's a decent read.
Api Koroisau has admitted his transition from back-to-back premierships to a wooden spoon was harder than he anticipated, with the Wests Tigers captain staring down the barrel of a long-term rebuild.
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Wests Tigers NRL news: Api Koroisau reflects on 'difficult' Panthers transition amid wooden spoon battle
Liam O'Loughlin
Api Koroisau has admitted his transition from back-to-back premierships to a wooden spoon was harder than he anticipated, with the Wests Tigers captain staring down the barrel of a long-term rebuild.
The 30-year-old left Penrith in the off-season and moved to Concord on a two-year deal,
before further extending his stay in the middle of his first campaign in black and gold.
Koroisau has been among the club's best performers, but with just three wins from 20 games, the Tigers are now on the verge of a second-straight 17th-placed finish.
Despite signing the likes of Isaiah Papali'i and John Bateman, as well as adding a new coaching duo of
Tim Sheens and Benji Marshall, Wests have struggled for any level of consistent performance during the 2023 season.
Tigers captain Api Koroisau reflects on Panthers transition
Speaking to the media prior to the side's Round 24 clash with the Warriors, the classy hooker was honest about the challenges he faced moving from the Panthers to the Tigers.
“It took quite a bit out of me to start," he said.
"I sort of came to realise that I’m not at the same place that I was. There’s a lot that needs to be done in this place and I’m taking that challenge head-on.
"I’ve sort of shifted my mentality to more growth around the place, rather than try to sustain a high-level and high-performance thing... it’s been good, but it’s taken a bit to get used to as well.
“The challenge was there, I knew it was when it was presented to me. I didn’t think it was going to be this difficult I guess, to sort of get up there and knowing the position that we’re in.
"I’ve learned so much this year and I’m still learning to this day and I’m really looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding this club."
Will the Wests Tigers make the NRL finals in 2024?
Amid the lacklustre form on the field, Tigers fans have continued to clamour for success, with their last finals berth coming in 2011 and no sign of improvement on the horizon.
When quizzed on whether or not the current squad can develop into a top-eight side, Koroisau made no promises and believes there is a long way to go before the Tigers compete for a premiership.
“To be honest, I haven’t even though that far ahead – a lot of it has been getting us week-to-week and how we need to improve on the field," the skipper said.
"There’s little things in our game, like our discipline, that we haven’t really focused on enough. At the end of the day, it’s an inexperience thing and it’s just something that we’re gonna have to fix over the coming years.
“I wouldn’t say it was easy at Penrith, but there was a lot of elite players there who were taking a lot of the load and sharing it between themselves - whereas here, we have such a young and inexperienced team.
"Coming together as a team and learning how to play together is something, and learning how to win is another thing.
"It’s all a work in progess, but I see steps forward for sure."
There have been some positives during the year, with the club debuting the likes of
Jahream Bula and
Tallyn Da Silva, but there are still major changes necessary for the Tigers to compete with the NRL's heavyweights in 2024.
Api Koroisau 2023 NRL stats
| Games | 17 |
| Tries | 5 |
| Try Assists | 7 |
| Linebreak Assists | 6 |
| Offloads | 10 |
| Avg. Run Metres | 57 |
| Avg. Tackles | 34 |
| Tackle Efficiency | 87% |
