2017 has amazing similarities with 2005 team

[fergiefurr]

Now by no means am I saying we are going to win the comp next year, however after reading the 'Top 4 or Bust' article in the Tele today it reminded me of our public Declaration of a Top 4 goal in the 2005 off season.

Have a look at it.

* Both teams finished the year before disappointingly losing the last round resulting in a 9th place finish. A win would have put them in the finals
* Both teams had a NSW Rep fullback
* Both only made 1 recruit (of note), an International centre from Penrith
* Both had young halves with loads of potential that had defensive issues
* Both lost their long term hooker (who were both captains) and had a young one with huge wraps taking their place
* Both had coaches in their third year at the helm
* No one tipped them to do anything

Who knows, could lightning strike twice?

 

[happy_tiger]

And when they end up at 150-1 again

Throw the house and contents on em

 

[Tiger4life]

I hope your right, I'm still living in the glory of 2005 lol. One more premiership and I could die a happy man.

 

[stryker]

There are a couple of differences….
2005 team had:
- a reliable, high percentage goal kicker
- a controlling halfback who led the team
- Benji Marshall.

Now Teddy may replicate the astonishing attack of Benji to a high degree but unless Brooks controlls the game and someone steps up to kick goals we will be long odds and for good reason. Not to mention that the 05 pack were amazing cover/scramble defenders. The 2016 pack were hot and cold in this area so that must improve markedly also.

 

[innsaneink]

Eerie

 

[jadtiger]

I dont believe in the tooth fairy easter bunny or santa claus we dont have the team or coach that can give us a premiership next year.I wish we did

 

[sheer64]

Spooky

 

[Geo]

Uncanny..

 

[Tbone]

I seem to recall a similar post to this one last year drawing uncanny resemblances between the 2016 and the 2005 team. In fact, I'm sure I've seen it a few times over the years.

God, I'd love to come back in 10 months and declare you a wizard for making this call though.

 

[happy_tiger]

There are a couple of differences….
2005 team had:
- a reliable, high percentage goal kicker
- a controlling halfback who led the team
- Benji Marshall.

Now Teddy may replicate the astonishing attack of Benji to a high degree but unless Brooks controlls the game and someone steps up to kick goals we will be long odds and for good reason. Not to mention that the 05 pack were amazing cover/scramble defenders. The 2016 pack were hot and cold in this area so that must improve markedly also.

The 2005 Prince and the 2017 Brooks are poles apart

So are the forward packs

 

[Cosimo_Zaretti]

The most dignificant difference between the 2017 tigers and the 05 premiership team is that for the first time there will be no members of that 05 squad left. Farah and Halatau were the last.

 

[Needaname]

There are a couple of differences….
2005 team had:
- a reliable, high percentage goal kicker
- a controlling halfback who led the team
- Benji Marshall.

Now Teddy may replicate the astonishing attack of Benji to a high degree but unless Brooks controlls the game and someone steps up to kick goals we will be long odds and for good reason. Not to mention that the 05 pack were amazing cover/scramble defenders. The 2016 pack were hot and cold in this area so that must improve markedly also.

The 2005 Prince and the 2017 Brooks are poles apart

So are the forward packs

It's exciting to consider it possible to say the least, but that's where it ends for now.

As people are already confused comparing our 2016 team to the 2005 team, when it should be compared to the 2004 team.
In saying that I would be interested to know from anybody with a better memory of the 2004 season then me.

What was prince like as a halfback in 2004?
I know he played out of his skin in 2005 and the way he played the team around the park was outstanding in our Grand final year.
But was their glimpses of it in 04 or was he playing similar and just didn't have a good supporting cast around him?
If I remember correctly, Benji was injured most of the year and we had Fitzhenry filling in at 6 and as a utility???

You've mentioned Teddy a match for Hodgson.
Liddle has been touted as the future hooker, just like RF in 2004/2005, and just like RF having Ben Galea to help him through, Liddle has another solid hooker in Ballin to guide him.
You could make a case for Aaron Woods having a similar style to John Skandalis.
Rowdy being a close match to Mark O'neil.
you can already see how much of Benji's no fear attitude is possibly in Moses,
Is it actually possible that Brooks can became that game controlling halfback, that just kicks well and talks the team around the park, just like prince back then.

Can anyone add anything further to how the 2004 year played out, players in that side, games that we won well, how the team competed agaisnt the stronger teams of the comp. I do recall we got blown away by both the Dragons and the Roosters that year. (Very strong teams in that early part of the decade) Possibly just like the Raiders and to a lesser extent Panthers / Bulldogs did this past season.

 

[Sabre]

Most of those are us every year.

 

[Blackpearl]

There are a couple of differences….
2005 team had:
- a reliable, high percentage goal kicker
- a controlling halfback who led the team
- Benji Marshall.

Now Teddy may replicate the astonishing attack of Benji to a high degree but unless Brooks controlls the game and someone steps up to kick goals we will be long odds and for good reason. Not to mention that the 05 pack were amazing cover/scramble defenders. The 2016 pack were hot and cold in this area so that must improve markedly also.

yep agree with this,
hodgo was at his peak as was scott prince. a ressurected patty and a young farah were parts of mix that may not be repeated again for a long time.
benji, imo, is a 'once in a generation' player.
we were lucky to have him.

 

[Geo]

Can anyone add anything further to how the 2004 year played out, players in that side, games that we won well, how the team competed agaisnt the stronger teams of the comp. I do recall we got blown away by both the Dragons and the Roosters that year. (Very strong teams in that early part of the decade) Possibly just like the Raiders and to a lesser extent Panthers / Bulldogs did this past season.

2004 we were sitting around 6th to 10th for the majority of the season…

We lost to the Dragons 50-0 at Kogarah then followed that mauling with a 56-0 loss to the Rorters at Campbelltown...I was lucky enough to be at both with Dragon and Rorter supporters... ..It was weird as the week before the Dragons game we put 50 on the Warriors in NZ...

Towards the end we were back in the 8 flogging Souff's by 50 at Leichhardt but then went on to lose our next 3 games in a row to finish 9th ...2 pts out of the 8 but with a better F/A than the 8th placed Dogs...

The only real changes Squad wise was Covell Moodie Buettner Sattler OUT Marshall Farah Whatt's IN..

Of course the likes of Heighington Gibbs Fulton and Laffranchi's stepped up a level in '05...

 

[palms]

Prince played 21 matches and scored 1 try and 1 field goal. I can't find his TA's though. Prince had always had plenty of hype behind him but with two broken legs the two years before limiting him to a combined tally of 9 games his value was starting to drop. 2005 really was his breakout year. In terms of TA's and tries Brooks has it all over him at the same stage of their careers. Prince had played 7 seasons prior to 2005.
Brooks just needs to get 3 or 4 things right in his game and we have a genuine star at Halfback. He needs to learn when to take the line on, he needs to execute his short and long passes better, he needs to consistently find us repeat sets with his short kicking game close to the line and he needs to really step up his talk in the game which in turn will stop him fading out of the game.

Moses is Benjis equal in my eyes.He doesn't have that flashy step but he has pace, all the ball skills and he can read the defensive line so well. He also needs to control his kicking game better but he will be a genuine star.

Add Teddy who is already in the top 10 players in the league and the promise of Liddle, the power of Jamal. We just need one of the young forwards to take on the Taumololo roll.

 

[tigeress]

Uncanny..

Unbelievable I'd say ….......we desperately need a first class goal kicker to even have a chance to achieve top 4 in 2017 :crazy But needless to say I am still hoping for a miracle ray:

 

[palms]

Given a chance by Wests Tigers, the halfback still found it hard to find his rhythm. His football failed to reach the standards he had set, and the critics were lining up for pot shots.

"I've been his greatest critic," says the former Wests player Tommy Raudonikis. "Eighteen months ago I didn't have a very high opinion of him. I used to bag him and he's proved me wrong. He's got his game together."

By mid-season everything changed. With the captain, Mark O'Neill, felled by an elbow injury in May, Prince was given the job and led the Tigers on an eight-game winning streak. When O'Neill returned after 12 weeks out, the coach, Tim Sheens, insisted on keeping Prince as captain, impressed by his reign.

"What got his game on track was coach Tim Sheens making him captain," Raudonikis said.

"Since then his running game is great, his kicking game is great … I think he's a chance of becoming a superstar."

Can we make Brooks captain next year, and the comparisons can ring true!

 

[larrycorowa]

We need a few of the younger players to step up and fill the bench. This was one of our weaker areas in 2016, whereas 2005 it was our strength with Fulton, heighno, Gibbs etc.

As mentioned brooks is a poor imitation of prince (imo his loss and our inability to replace him was the catalyst for our dismal decade).

Game style was different in 2005 (favoured attacking football).

Our wingers are much weaker. No goal kicker.

That said the 2005 team started with a few holes and most of the team has career best years. If we can replicate this in 2017 we would at least give the top 4 a shake after which anything can happen.

 

[goldcoast_tiger]

Now by no means am I saying we are going to win the comp next year, however after reading the 'Top 4 or Bust' article in the Tele today it reminded me of our public Declaration of a Top 4 goal in the 2005 off season.

Have a look at it.

* Both teams finished the year before disappointingly losing the last round resulting in a 9th place finish. A win would have put them in the finals
* Both teams had a NSW Rep fullback
* Both only made 1 recruit (of note), an International centre from Penrith
* Both had young halves with loads of potential that had defensive issues
* Both lost their long term hooker (who were both captains) and had a young one with huge wraps taking their place
* Both had coaches in their third year at the helm
* No one tipped them to do anything

Who knows, could lightning strike twice?

It must be December, we are always on the optimistic tablets about now, it's only when we hit the big boys that throw our forwards around like rag dolls that reality sneaks itself back in.
1n 2005 we had a 5/8 who was probably the best attacking player in the game ,
A half that was one of the best,
Probably the best kicker in the game, and a Coach that any team would be happy to have.
Now we have at best , 2 inconsistent halves, no goal kicker, a very average pack,and only one winger( and he can be rocks or diamonds) and a Coach that probably would not get a job with any other first grade team .
Teddy is our one bright spot,
Well, we hope he will be here.