Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[tigerballs]

Agreed re the injuries and top 8 being the goal.

Our players alone should make us a real threat to make the top 8 but the success of this season will fall on Benji and confirm whether he is a first grade standard coach (assuming we get some favour from the injury gods).

This is our best team since 2011, so if Benji cant get them to fire next season, I doubt Richo will be keeping him around for 2026.

I'm hoping Richo's confidence in Benji is genuine. You wouldn't think he'd stake his reputation on a bum. You're right, this is our best squad for years. Hate to squander the opportunity.

 

[crazycat]

I wonder if we had flanaghan now working with Richo how diffrent things would be. Totally hypothetical, but I think he could have got more out of the squad last year, though in saying that I don't think we sign the guys we sign who seem to want to play under Benji.

yea, I mean we would have:

Kyle Flanno playing 5/8 or something. Clearly dad is shielding his son.
Yet I believe we would have kept Stef and Paps. We would not have signed Bateman, would have signed Klemmer... Probably get Gallen or Lewis as a strength coach. Honestly I think the Dragons 2024 squad looked worse then our 2024 squad on paper, So I suspect we would just miss the finals. ...

Coming in our traditional 9th spot on the roster.

 

[tigerballs]

Well, like I have been saying.
Depth isn't our problem. We have as fine quality players registered to play 18-30 as we do 1-17!

The problem is other then Api and maybe Bula, our 1-17 is depth in most other teams.

What, a few premiership winners not good enough?

 

[tigermate]

That’s called NRL coaching.

Think of an NRL coach.

And then add the fact we’ve won 3 wooden spoons , 2 of which Benji has been involved with.

And now you realise the increase in pressure he’ll face.

The scrutiny on him is greater than any coach as it should be.

 

[SeanT]

We were paying $8 for the spoon the other day and I was tempted to make a bet as I think reasonable odds. Drags were favs. I don’t know the odds for the last two seasons but we must have been close to favourite if not it. The bookies know their shit in most cases. No goss sorry - just can wait to sit with the dolphins CEO (a mate knows) for that game early in the year up here in Qld at Kayo stadium.

Don't think itl be the dragons..

If the Knights lose Ponga they will be down the bottom. Titans still can't defend. Who knows. Tigers are in that group until they show something however.

 

[BAGNF05]

Think of an NRL coach.

And then add the fact we’ve won 3 wooden spoons , 2 of which Benji has been involved with.

And now you realise the increase in pressure he’ll face.

The scrutiny on him is greater than any coach as it should be.

Most people in the game understand the barriers all coaches faced at Wests Tigers and how Richo is gradually changing that.

The excuses he’s had are fewer and he’ll be judged like other coaches will.

 

[liltiger]

I agree it was never set up properly from the get go, however the downhill slide was being worked on with the great signings of Api and the current DallyM backrower of the year in Paps.
When the board knifed Madge after extending him only 6 months previously, it commenced a period of shitness, far worse than the quality of the squad suggested.
The squads of 23 and 24 had plenty of players who brought big game experience including finals and grand finals, plenty of guys who played elite level rep footy and some who still were doing so.

That's true, the whole debacle of chucking Madge then replacing him with Kimmorley so Sheens wouldn't have a spoon next to his name was only topped by the next year when Sheens bolted with 2 weeks to go handing the reigns over to Benji so he wouldn't have a spoon next to his name. You couldn't write a funnier script. Hopefully now that kind of stuff is in the past left with a board who were just in over their heads.

 

[Tucker]

lol too funny. That they did. Never said they didn’t!!! But they together do not equal Jesus and unfortunately could never turn water to wine. We have had shit cattle last few years. And the spoon was always coming our way and it didn’t matter who coached them. Anyway each to their own. But you my friend do deserve a participation award. Bravo!

Participation award for what?
We didn’t have shit cattle last year, at least not enough to have “always had the spoon coming our way”
On paper they were one of the better squads we’ve ever turned out.
Our club did not get the best out of them. Good coaching setups would have produced better results.

 

[liltiger]

Seems like a number of players want to flee Flanagan. Molo the latest.

Yeah, struggled last year to sign anyone now seems guys want out. Strange though because the big thing at the Sharks was everybody loved the guy. Maybe he's like Madge and really intense and just gets on people's nose a bit.🤷‍♂️

 

[SeanT]

I'm hoping Richo's confidence in Benji is genuine. You wouldn't think he'd stake his reputation on a bum. You're right, this is our best squad for years. Hate to squander the opportunity.

Not many coaches out there so not sure he has a choice. Everything marshall has said is right. Plan for the long term, incorporate juniors with top tier recruits. Lot of the recruits came because of him. Just think he needed 2 more years at least as assistant.

Something that annoyed me last year and he has done again this preseason is join in the drills. Passing from hooker, going through plays. I hated him doing it last year and he shouldn't be doing it this year. Assistants should be doing those drills if needed. A head Coach should be observing from the side, watching, seeing the overall picture of not only the drills but player involvement, fitness, leadership showing.

If you jump in with the team they will see you more as a mate then a head coach. That creates problems if you have to drop players etc.

I just think that he should give the job to the assistants to run the drills while he overseas and speaks to players individually and create an overall gameplan from the observations and skill sets.

He's been involved in two wooden spoons. Anything in the bottom 4 this year and he should be punted. Il give him this year though because he has better players. Hope for all involved he makes it work.

 

[liltiger]

yea, I mean we would have:

Kyle Flanno playing 5/8 or something. Clearly dad is shielding his son.
Yet I believe we would have kept Stef and Paps. We would not have signed Bateman, would have signed Klemmer... Probably get Gallen or Lewis as a strength coach. Honestly I think the Dragons 2024 squad looked worse then our 2024 squad on paper, So I suspect we would just miss the finals. ...

Coming in our traditional 9th spot on the roster.

If winning the spoon 3 times in a row is what it took to finally fix our front office, I think it's worth it. Provided we finally fixed it properly. Finishing 9th - 14th every year kept giving everyone a bit of false hope that next year we might break into the 8, it papered over the real issues that we're on display for everyone to see once we got pinned to the bottom of the ladder.

 

[SeanT]

Yeah, struggled last year to sign anyone now seems guys want out. Strange though because the big thing at the Sharks was everybody loved the guy. Maybe he's like Madge and really intense and just gets on people's nose a bit.🤷‍♂️

Eh I think these players today are just more fragile.

Pacific players are more likely to improve with subtle speeches than a blast however the Warriors should have won a few premierships but haven't probably be ause of the same reason. They needed a royal blast from time to time.

 

[BAGNF05]

Yeah, struggled last year to sign anyone now seems guys want out. Strange though because the big thing at the Sharks was everybody loved the guy. Maybe he's like Madge and really intense and just gets on people's nose a bit.🤷‍♂️

That successful Sharks side was built around some old school tough guys, they would have clicked with Flanno and led the younger blokes to get onboard. Obviously there was some pretty shit stuff going on there.

Young players these days will push back if they don’t like how they’re treated. Not just in footy.

 

[tigermate]

Most people in the game understand the barriers all coaches faced at Wests Tigers and how Richo is gradually changing that.

The excuses he’s had are fewer and he’ll be judged like other coaches will.

Lol.

 

[SeanT]

If winning the spoon 3 times in a row is what it took to finally fix our front office, I think it's worth it. Provided we finally fixed it properly. Finishing 9th - 14th every year kept giving everyone a bit of false hope that next year we might break into the 8, it papered over the real issues that we're on display for everyone to see once we got pinned to the bottom of the ladder.

I'd rather win 5 spoons and one premiership then no spoons and no premiership.

Parra fans for years, warriors fans. They can augh all they want but coming 2nd or last doesn't matter because you didn't win. This year if we start winning the wooden spoons will be forgotten. Our premiership won't though.

 

[tigermate]

Not many coaches out there so not sure he has a choice. Everything marshall has said is right. Plan for the long term, incorporate juniors with top tier recruits. Lot of the recruits came because of him. Just think he needed 2 more years at least as assistant.

Something that annoyed me last year and he has done again this preseason is join in the drills. Passing from hooker, going through plays. I hated him doing it last year and he shouldn't be doing it this year. Assistants should be doing those drills if needed. A head Coach should be observing from the side, watching, seeing the overall picture of not only the drills but player involvement, fitness, leadership showing.

If you jump in with the team they will see you more as a mate then a head coach. That creates problems if you have to drop players etc.

I just think that he should give the job to the assistants to run the drills while he overseas and speaks to players individually and create an overall gameplan from the observations and skill sets.

He's been involved in two wooden spoons. Anything in the bottom 4 this year and he should be punted. Il give him this year though because he has better players. Hope for all involved he makes it work.

💯

Listen to Richo on sen

It was benjis choice to do white water rafting last year in NZ

This year - none of that crap

Richo knows benji was too soft last year

He’ll be given a short leash or punted

 

[SeanT]

💯

Listen to Richo on sen

It was benjis choice to do white water rafting last year in NZ

This year - none of that crap

Richo knows benji was too soft last year

He’ll be given a short leash or punted

There you go. Richo is right. Any player,coach or worker and that organisation shouldnt be organising team bonding activities like that. If you want team bonding then go to the sandhills or army camps. 3 spoons you have no right to winge about any task.

That's why the Warriors have never one a comp. Need a Bellamy, not a Pacifica coach. Not that they arnt great coaches, just that to go to the next level they need to be trained into the ground.

 

[tigerman80]

Tackling technique, Yes.

But there are different defensive systems and philosophies, just as there are different attacking plays.

Penrith and Canterbury operate with line speed as their defensive DNA. Canterbury more so, which is no surprise considering Ciraldo was defensive coach at Penrith. This takes time away from the attack.

For years, Bennett was passive with line speed, focusing more on being a little more on connected and flatline to limit gaps in the line.

You also have different marker systems, they can be different again whether it's in yardage or on the tryline.

I watched alot of the bulldogs games live and their line speed was only matched by Penrith and Melbourne. A major reason they did so well last year .

 

[BAGNF05]

💯

Listen to Richo on sen

It was benjis choice to do white water rafting last year in NZ

This year - none of that crap

Richo knows benji was too soft last year

He’ll be given a short leash or punted

His point was actually that they’re cutting back on pampering the players. And they expect more from them.

And they’ve brought in some winners to help drive a new culture.

Everything he’s done since day one has been about improving Benji’s 25’ roster.

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Yeah, struggled last year to sign anyone now seems guys want out. Strange though because the big thing at the Sharks was everybody loved the guy. Maybe he's like Madge and really intense and just gets on people's nose a bit.🤷‍♂️

They are my pick for the spoon LT seems radioactive over there at the moment good to see another team on the nose instead of us I have madge vibes with Flanagan old school coaches.