Phantomlock
New member
Chris Kennedy, National Correspondent
NRL.Com
http://www.nrl.com/top-10-nrl-surprise-packets/tabid/10874/newsid/77687/default.aspx
3 Wests Tigers in this lot.
**7\. Pat Richards**
Remember that big winger who was quite good for Wests Tigers a decade ago when they won the comp? He's 31 now, has been playing over in the UK and his big thing is he can kick the ball really high from a kick-off and hoof a drop-out a long way. Are the Tigers having a laugh – surely he won't get a gig with the likes of David Nofoaluma and Marika Koroibete around? Well, yeah, he will – big Patty looks like he's lost nothing while he's been away and if anything he might be even better than when he was last here. His big boot has certainly proven a huge asset, especially in respect to his goal kicking (25 goals from 29 attempts so far) but Richards is one of the form wingers in the competition full stop, with five tries and almost 110 running metres per game. In fact he is comfortably the competition's leading point scorer after six rounds, with 70\. Welcome back Patty, we've missed you.
**6\. James Gavet**
Warriors junior James Gavet arrived at the Bulldogs in 2012 with some big raps on him after being named 2011's NSW Cup Prop of the Year, but played just a solitary game, stuck behind a host of big name and representative forwards. Heading to Wests Tigers in 2013 in hope of bigger things, Gavet's 2013 was an even bigger write-off, spending most of it sidelined with a foot injury and failing to play a first grade match. So even optimistic Tigers fans wouldn't have been getting too far ahead of themselves when Gavet was named for Round 1 but the feisty prop has been a revelation since, ensuring the Tigers' go-forward keeps going forward when Aaron Woods and Keith Galloway leave the field. He's played a key role in aggressive wins over bigger-name forward packs including the Rabbitohs in Round 3.
**5\. Martin Taupau**
New Zealand-born Martin Taupau played just 21 games over four seasons at the Bulldogs as he found himself stuck behind a host of big name and representative forwards, before heading to Wests Tigers in 2014 in hope of bigger things. Hmm, this is sounding a little familiar… Like fellow Kiwi and Tigers bench prop Gavet (above), Taupau has been a revelation in 2014 after being handed more responsibility at his new club. Like Gavet, Taupau has been a key factor in the Tigers maintaining their relentless aggression once their starting props leave the field. Taupau has churned through almost 110 metres per game and notched a couple of tries that has him, like Gavet, being mentioned as possible call-ups for the Kiwis ahead of the upcoming Test against Australia.
NRL.Com
http://www.nrl.com/top-10-nrl-surprise-packets/tabid/10874/newsid/77687/default.aspx
3 Wests Tigers in this lot.
**7\. Pat Richards**
Remember that big winger who was quite good for Wests Tigers a decade ago when they won the comp? He's 31 now, has been playing over in the UK and his big thing is he can kick the ball really high from a kick-off and hoof a drop-out a long way. Are the Tigers having a laugh – surely he won't get a gig with the likes of David Nofoaluma and Marika Koroibete around? Well, yeah, he will – big Patty looks like he's lost nothing while he's been away and if anything he might be even better than when he was last here. His big boot has certainly proven a huge asset, especially in respect to his goal kicking (25 goals from 29 attempts so far) but Richards is one of the form wingers in the competition full stop, with five tries and almost 110 running metres per game. In fact he is comfortably the competition's leading point scorer after six rounds, with 70\. Welcome back Patty, we've missed you.
**6\. James Gavet**
Warriors junior James Gavet arrived at the Bulldogs in 2012 with some big raps on him after being named 2011's NSW Cup Prop of the Year, but played just a solitary game, stuck behind a host of big name and representative forwards. Heading to Wests Tigers in 2013 in hope of bigger things, Gavet's 2013 was an even bigger write-off, spending most of it sidelined with a foot injury and failing to play a first grade match. So even optimistic Tigers fans wouldn't have been getting too far ahead of themselves when Gavet was named for Round 1 but the feisty prop has been a revelation since, ensuring the Tigers' go-forward keeps going forward when Aaron Woods and Keith Galloway leave the field. He's played a key role in aggressive wins over bigger-name forward packs including the Rabbitohs in Round 3.
**5\. Martin Taupau**
New Zealand-born Martin Taupau played just 21 games over four seasons at the Bulldogs as he found himself stuck behind a host of big name and representative forwards, before heading to Wests Tigers in 2014 in hope of bigger things. Hmm, this is sounding a little familiar… Like fellow Kiwi and Tigers bench prop Gavet (above), Taupau has been a revelation in 2014 after being handed more responsibility at his new club. Like Gavet, Taupau has been a key factor in the Tigers maintaining their relentless aggression once their starting props leave the field. Taupau has churned through almost 110 metres per game and notched a couple of tries that has him, like Gavet, being mentioned as possible call-ups for the Kiwis ahead of the upcoming Test against Australia.
