This game was not lost by the skill of our players, although as many have pointed out the benchies certainly affect our ability to maintain momentumn. This game was lost between the ears yet again. Ill discipline is the issue we are battling; the opposition gets a roll on and we go away from the game plan, start to run sideways, get frustrated and don't have the ability to dig ourselves out of that situation (less the Eels win).
Could we do with some player upgrades and a bit of depth? Sure, but it isn't happening in 2024. Wish what you want but the answer to our problems right now aren't so much about the ball and defensive skills of the playing group, although they could both improve, it is about our resillience as a team.
We showed we have it in us in the dig against the Eels. I trust Benji is cool enough to sit back and use this last loss as a lesson to be learned as opposed to going off about our lack of discipline. This is the time to pull each individual aside and chat with them about how they react to game stress. In simple terms each player needs to ask themselves, in a facilitated way: was my reaction natural, was it helpful and what can I do to improve it? Call it grit, determination, mongrel if you are old, call it resillience if you are a younger generation. Regardless of the nametag; Wests Tigers lacks it. We just don't do the 1%ers at critical times to change the outcome. Yes, we have an inexperienced side; but when our leaders should be urging them on they are dropping the bundle.
You see teams doing breathing exercises after tries to bring themselves back down and focus on the task at hand, others simply have such a well exercised routine that it is second nature. Penrith is probably the best at it in the competition and have three premierships to show for it. They clearly demonstrated what it looks like in last years GF, but as recent as this week they dug their way out of the fast start by the Donkeys by being calm during adversity and turning the momentum around.
We don''t have the player skill set to get to that level yet; however, turning this around is as much about work on the training paddock as it is about each player understanding their own reaction to game day stress; understanding when it is happening and doing something about it. Then as a collective urging each other to perform and overcome it.
This is where a great coach comes in; I hope Benji was taking notes!