Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Tom Shines]

You could count the number of times on a hand that I agree with Vicious; but this is one of those times.

We are at risk of losing both games to the Dragons + Dogs + Eels.

Douhei is back for how long? How long until Taylan pops his shoulder again?

We are looking more and more likely to finish bottom 6. Anything else is false optimism and will require a hell of a lot of luck.

If we lose to the Knights this weekend, may as well kiss the season goodbye.

Bookmarked

 

[mtd#2]

Bookmarked

For shit and giggles ive bookmarked your bookmark.

It would be good if we could set reminders on the bookmarks, chances are ill.forget

 

[Vicious]

So you are saying Benji and the Wests Tigers coaching staff have no common sense? I do not understand why you need to take digs at people whilst communicating your opinion. You arent right, its nothing more than your opinion.

We have the 3rd worst defence in the competition.

Points conceded:
Dragons 449
Eels 433
Tigers 418

So whilst attack is all good and well, the last thing we need are more defensive liabilities. Luke is a proven liability. Suakuru from all reports is too.

Common sense to play 2 of these blokes? I think not.

The most common misunderstood aspect of the game is that if you have very minimal attacking threat, your opponent will be much more willing to play free and take risks themselves as they will not be overly concerned about being punished by good attacking play.
Therefore a team with plenty of attacking threat will generally be defending against a team who plays with a bit of caution that is so much easier to defend against.
If the opponents don’t have this attitude at the start of the game, it doesn’t take long for them to work it out.
Based on this information, our only chance of winning games is being extra dominant in the forwards and dominating field position because of it.
The only game where we managed to win without dominate field position is against the Warriors where Douehi had a freak game with the assistance of a high intensity and a physical approach from the whole team and the genuine attacking that we had from Samuela and KPP that had our opponents concerned.
Without Samuela and KPP we need to find other players who can worry the opposition with their running game, a team full of solid players who defend ok but not brilliant and who attack ok but not brilliant will not cut it between now and the end of this 2026 season.

 

[Tom Shines]

The most common misunderstood aspect of the game is that if you have very minimal attacking threat, your opponent will be much more willing to play free and take risks themselves as they will not be overly concerned about being punished by good attacking play.
Therefore a team with plenty of attacking threat will generally be defending against a team who plays with a bit of caution that is so much easier to defend against.
If the opponents don’t have this attitude at the start of the game, it doesn’t take long for them to work it out.
Based on this information, our only chance of winning games is being extra dominant in the forwards and dominating field position because of it.
The only game where we managed tj win without dominate field position is against the Warriors where Douehi had a freak game with the assistance of high intensity and a physical approach from the whole team and the genuine attacking that we had from Samuela and KPP that had our opponents concerned.
Without Samuela and KPP we need to find other players who can worry the opposition with their running game, a team full of solid players who defend ok but not brilliant and who attack ok but not brilliant will not cut it between now and the end of this 2026 season.

No one is going to argue with you that there aren’t plenty of issues with this WT team …however it’s not like a few other teams in the comp don’t have their own problems

They have somehow managed to win 7 games and sit above 6-7 other teams on the ladder

 

[Vicious]

No one is going to argue with you that there aren’t plenty of issues with this WT team …however it’s not like a few other teams in the comp don’t have their own problems

They have somehow managed to win 7 games and sit above 6-7 other teams on the ladder

Yes but the point is a large part of our attacking threat has come when our edge back rowers in Samuela and KPP were running good lines at high speed and being a genuine concern to our opposition.
This resulted in them either making half breaks, offloads, line breaks or scoring tries themselves.
Aside from that they are both also very strong and reliable defenders.
I am not directly blaming their replacements, they should not have to be of the same quality as the higher paid first choice players, I am blaming the playing roster and team selections in not having enough attacking threat to help overcome it when they are out injured.

 

[Tom Shines]

Yes but the point is a large part of our attacking threat has come when our edge back rowers in Samuela and KPP were running good lines at high speed and being a genuine concern tj our opposition.
This resulted in them either making half breaks, offloads, line breaks or s ring tries themselves.
Not only that they are both very strong and reliable defenders.
So I am not directly blaming their replacements, I blaming not selecting a team with enough attacking threat to help overcome their loss through

I’ve been a critic myself about the make up of the squad and the team selections at times …

But saying they can’t win a game without KPP and Samuela even against the bottom feeders in the comp, is very much opinion rather than fact ..

 

[Tiger-ferret]

I’ve been a critic myself about the make up of the squad and the team selections at times …

But saying they can’t win a game without KPP and Samuela even against the bottom feeders in the comp, is very much opinion rather than fact ..

It’s hard to compete if you have reserve graders playing in key positions. We don’t even have a stronger side. Both are soft and that’s not taking into consideration that Twal is out.

 

[Telltails]

There is very little difference in the quality of the the bottom half of the comp. Given our run of injuries I think we have done well to be placed where we are but I have no confidence that we can maintain that position for much longer.
Our patched up pack in its current form will be exposed in the coming weeks.

 

[WesternSuburbsBoy]

Our next game away to the Knights and not only do we look outclassed in the spine, but we are severely outclassed in our 2-5 and outclassed with the line break threat of Dylan Lucas. Where is our tackle bust and line break threat coming from ?
If you are very limited with your tackle bust and line break threat it is almost impossible to beat good teams and the Knights are currently a very good team due to their strong tackle bust and line break threat.
Some of our best tackle bust and line break threats are currently playing NSW Cup who have a bye this coming weekend.

You seem to be ignoring the fact majority of our strike weapons are either injured or playing injured...

 

[Tom Shines]

It’s hard to compete if you have reserve graders playing in key positions. We don’t even have a stronger side. Both are soft and that’s not taking into consideration that Twal is out.

We did compete though against a team in the Top 4…why couldn’t we against the team coming last ?

 

[Buttface]

I'd prefer nikorima over averillo

To play right centre?
He’s had more clubs than a golf bag.

 

[liltiger]

I have seen a lot of improvement in his ball-playing this season. Still not getting it right as often as I/we would like, particularly around cut-out passing choices, but at least he is doing it.

He will get there eventually iv no doubt. The kid is all class.

 

[supercoach]

The Dragons will beat us twice unless we do so something fast to improve ourselves in way of recruitment before June 30.
The Knights 13+ against us this coming weekend is the safest bet you will ever have.
I wish I could be confident, but we are way outclassed within our 1-7 and not for the first time this season.
We always struggle against fast teams as we don’t have the speed to defend them or match then, wake up Benji before it’s too late.

So true, we can compete in an arm wrestle style game but soon as we come up against speed and flair we are done like a dinner. Under the game PVL has invented you need speed right across your 17 and you need a game buster. It’s why Manly are doing okay and the Dolphins are racking up scores. No matter how well you defend, you will struggle to win when your a yard slower than your opponents…and we are two yards slower

 

[Vicious]

You seem to be ignoring the fact majority of our strike weapons are either injured or playing injured...

Quite the opposite, I’m pointing out that with our current team selections and playing roster as a whole, we are not selecting enough players with strike in our team lineup when we are well aware of the limited strike options we have that are either out injured or playing injured.
Even with our middle forward rotation, there has been plenty of suggestions that Benji has no faith to play either Mavrik Geyer or Charlie Murray even though he selects them on our bench ?
Is he losing the plot or does he have to move heaven and earth to sign 1 or 2 players he will use before June 30 ?

 

[batboy]

Toa has been a standout, two weeks in a row.
Is he playing for a contract or what....

I think with Averillo coming, he's pushed out.
Too expensive to be backup.

He’s so soft - makes me throw up in my mouth.
Every time he gets tackled he’s looking at a ref from the flat of his back waiting for someone to help him up!!
Momentum killer

 

[batboy]

No he hasn’t ..,

Something has gone wrong … you would have to say in hindsight he has been promoted too early .., a lesson for the next time

When do you reckon we might finally learn that lesson…
Paying kids on potential and being left with no option but to play them in 1st grade.
Been happening for as long as I can remember!!

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

He’s so soft - makes me throw up in my mouth.
Every time he gets tackled he’s looking at a ref from the flat of his back waiting for someone to help him up!!
Momentum killer

A broken-down crock unfortunately all through his contract with us there's been times where every tackle he copped somethings happened to him, riddled with pain, hope Manly are stupid enough to sign him.

 

[WesternSuburbsBoy]

Quite the opposite, I’m pointing out that with our current team selections and playing roster as a whole, we are not selecting enough players with strike in our team lineup when we are well aware of the limited strike options we have that are either out injured or playing injured.
Even with our middle forward rotation, there has been plenty of suggestions that Benji has no faith to play either Mavrik Geyer or Charlie Murray even though he selects them on our bench ?
Is he losing the plot or does he have to move heaven and earth to sign 1 or 2 players he will use before June 30 ?

I mean these guys are depth for a reason... you can't really rely on them to replace the strike of the guys who they're replacing. When you have one or two guys injured you can maybe make up for it but there's just too many injuries at the moment to keep up & I doubt Benji or the club expected to be relying on those sorts of players so much.

 

[Bellend]

When do you reckon we might finally learn that lesson…
Paying kids on potential and being left with no option but to play them in 1st grade.
Been happening for as long as I can remember!!

We have rushed to many and got no real reward for it. Don't rush the next lot and develop them correctly and just maybe be play regular semi finals football.

 

[magpies forever]

We have rushed to many and got no real reward for it. Don't rush the next lot and develop them correctly and just maybe be play regular semi finals football.

Dont disagree, but with s many injuries, where do we get the warm, breathing bodies to fill out the squad 1- 13 and then 14- 19 from? I really dislike the extra 2 on bench and not being able to play 2 of the 6- waste and they get no game time in reserves.