Yesterday wasn’t just another bad loss. It felt like a reality check about where this club sits in the NRL. And it made me wonder if we have any respect at all? I’m talking about how the club is viewed by players, rival clubs and even its own roster. Take Luai. He arrived and was supposed to be the signing who changed the culture. He was here to be Batman. Instead, we’re halfway through his second season and what have we actually got from him? Two good games if you want to be generous, and already an announcement that he’s bailing for even more money.
Then there’s Terrell May comments this week. He openly said his loyalty isn’t to Wests Tigers, it’s to Benji Marshall. As long as Benji is there, he’s there. I suppose on one hand, you can appreciate the honesty. However, it seems his relationship with the club actually paying him is dependent on the choice of coach he gets along with. And the worst part, I don’t think he’s an isolated case amongst the playing group. I think most think that way. And the fact the club feels they need to sign their siblings to keep them happy tells me the club has no spine. To me, respected clubs create loyalty to the jersey and the organisation. Players come and go, coaches come and go, but the club remains bigger than any one person. For a while. it feels like we have relied on personal relationships rather than institutional strength. If you’re going to play finals and win premierships that way, hey, whatever works. But we are perennial failures, and this strategy of creating a brotherhood, while it may be good for team morale and creating bonds that go beyond footy. It’s not something that’s going to get you to the promised land all by itself. And it seems to be what Benji has gone all in on, because he doesn’t bring much else to the table as a first grade coach.
