Adam Doueihi #227

[Tucker]

He didn’t argue his case he stormed of and refused to play.. all year people have been saying how soft and entitled this playing group has become and this effort by Douhei Is the absolute pinnacle of it.. he is a professional footballer and his team has been terrible in attack since he returned to play a dominant 7 role and changes were absolutely needed. His job is to play footy as his coach directs him to,, there is no excuse for his behaviour, none whatsoever

Why are you telling me this when I clearly said the same thing myself earlier?

 

[You Know Who]

Why on earth would Douehi complain about this and then dummy spit when somebody else gets his favoured position?

Because he’s been our best half this season (still think he’s a 13), is signed on till 2029, likely playing injured with a bad shoulder and is being told to make way for a debutant while Benji repeatedly bends over backwards to accommodate the other half who helped destabilise our season, is leaving at the end of this year and has had maybe 3-4 great games in two seasons despite being the highest paid player at the club.

AD was arguably the form half of the season until his injury but has been in poor form since he returned from injury. Luai, on the other hand, has been average for most of his time at the club and this season in particular outside of two games (Cowboys and Titans).

 

[EllisFan]

There’s a massive difference between a rookie and a senior member who has been a huge part in us missing the spoon this year.

He’s shown his leadership for sure.

 

[TigerNeddyK]

Why are you telling me this when I clearly said the same thing myself earlier?

Just want to make sure you understand and that you get it,, you know, in case you can have a word to AD on the matter. 😉

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Yes I agree and said similar earlier

I can't see Doueihi staying Tuck if half is the only position he sees himself playing, can only see it being a short term thing, fill in until the young fellas stand up.

 

[tigertragic]

“AD was arguably the form half of the season until his injury”

I think that’s drawing a very long bow

Maybe in the top 10 on early season form

He was never in the conversation as a starting origin half, at best considered as a utility

 

[NT_Tiger]

Because he’s been our best half this season (still think he’s a 13), is signed on till 2029, likely playing injured with a bad shoulder and is being told to make way for a debutant while Benji repeatedly bends over backwards to accommodate the other half who helped destabilise our season, is leaving at the end of this year and has had maybe 3-4 great games in two seasons despite being the highest paid player at the club.

AD was arguably the form half of the season until his injury but has been in poor form since he returned from injury. Luai, on the other hand, has been average for most of his time at the club and this season in particular outside of two games (Cowboys and Titans).

Yes, but that ignores the circumstances of this occasion. Andrews practiced with Luai in preparation for the game while Douehi was before the tribunal. Im sure if Luai had been before the tribunal and Andrews had practiced with Douehi, Douehi would have played in the halves.

 

[EllisFan]

“AD was arguably the form half of the season until his injury”

I think that’s drawing a very long bow

Maybe in the top 10 on early season form

He was never in the conversation as a starting origin half, at best considered as a utility

And Jock replaced him as half during our 3 game streak.

 

[Yossarian]

Gee wiz
He was our best player for the first 8 rounds and now the coach wants to move him away from the position he is best at….smells very strange
I think there is more to this story and other players will come out and support A.D.
That is going to place the coach in a very bad place

One try in the last two weeks. Bugger all line breaks. Something had to give.

 

[clontarfkid]

“AD was arguably the form half of the season until his injury”

I think that’s drawing a very long bow

Maybe in the top 10 on early season form

He was never in the conversation as a starting origin half, at best considered as a utility

Wasn't he called into the origin camp at some stage?
Definitely in the conversation..but

 

[hammertime]

The inside story of why Adam Doueihi refused to play for Wests Tigers

Christian Nicolussi
July 24, 2026 — 6:27pm





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Adam Doueihi is expected to report for training on Monday – and is even prepared to come back through reserve grade – but he hopes his bombshell decision to stand down from Saturday’s match against the Raiders leads to what he believes is long-overdue change at Wests Tigers.

For too long, the Tigers have struggled near the bottom of the NRL ladder.



Adam Doueihi and the Tigers come to terms with another loss in a season that has spiralled out of control.Getty Images
For too long, the Tigers have paid more than they should for the wrong players, who have simply not delivered.

And for too long, the Tigers have failed to properly address the need to lift standards and drive the professionalism required to become a successful club.

Michael Maguire is one of the strictest coaches in the game, and even he found the Tigers too much.

Doueihi felt he could no longer sit back and let things slide. Hence, his drastic action, which he hopes, according to sources not authorised to speak publicly, will shine a light on the bigger problems bubbling away at the joint venture.



The Tigers lost to the Dragons in round 18 to give the Red V just their second win of the season.Getty Images
Doueihi could not be contacted by this masthead on Friday.

The same sources, however, confirmed Doueihi’s decision this week to make himself unavailable for the trip to Canberra had nothing to do with being moved from the halves to lock.

Coach Benji Marshall had watched his team score just 22 points in their past four games. In the hope of igniting the attack, he decided to bring in some fresh blood – 19-year-old free spirit Javon Andrews – to partner Jarome Luai in the halves, and move Doueihi to No.13, where he can roam as the third playmaker and, it was hoped, create some chances with his running game.

Doueihi first heard at the start of the week that he was under consideration for a move out of the halves, but struggled to get confirmation from Marshall.



Benji Marshall has had plenty to deal with in his third season as Wests Tigers coach.Peter Rae
He headed to the NRL judiciary on Tuesday night where he had a careless high tackle charge downgraded, meaning he was free to play against the Raiders.

However, Doueihi remained unsure of what Marshall was thinking until he marched into the coach’s office on Thursday morning.

When Marshall confirmed Doueihi would be the one to make way for Andrews in the halves – not Luai, the marquee man who is headed to Parramatta at the end of the season – the 27-year-old felt aggrieved. Maybe there was even a bit of resentment, and a feeling of being taken for granted.

Doueihi and Marshall exchanged words.



Wests Tigers were flying in April - before it all went wrong.Getty Images
Doueihi then sat down with chief executive Shaun Mielekamp, the same sources confirmed, to explain why he did not want to play this weekend, why his withdrawal would hopefully send a message that he was no longer going to be the “fall guy” for the club’s wider problems, and how he had become sick of seeing the club he loves stumble through another year of mediocrity.

After talking to Mielekamp, Doueihi made his way to the northern end of Concord Oval, sat in the morning sun and had a heart-to-heart with Pat Richards, a club legend who is now football manager.

Marshall addressed the media at 9am, spoke about Doueihi and Andrews, and outlined his plan for how the changes would work. Doueihi and the coach spoke for a second time later that morning. Not wanting to be a distraction for the team, Doueihi told Marshall he was happy to lie low, if that was what was best for the club for the next couple of days.

When news broke that afternoon that Doueihi had refused to play, fans and commentators were quick to turn on him, branding him selfish.

“Do what’s best for the team, Adam,” was the consensus.

Former interim Tigers coach Brett Kimmorley hopped on radio to reveal Doueihi had threatened to withdraw from a game when asked to play a different position a few years earlier.

“I had a conversation with Adam Doueihi [where he said] if I’ve not been picked at five-eighth in first grade, I’d rather play five-eighth in reserve grade,” Kimmorley said on SEN radio on Thursday night.

“I didn’t have the balls to do it as the coach at that stage.

“I’d been given some advice that centre is probably how he should play the rest of this year and his words were purely, if he doesn’t play five-eighth in first grade, I’d rather be picked at five-eighth in reserve grade.”

Doueihi has told those close to him he is prepared for anything that comes his way. He has no intention to leave the club. He re-signed in March for two years on a deal that takes him to the end of 2029.

While many this week have questioned Doueihi’s loyalty to the Tigers, it is worth noting he funded his own trip to Brisbane while injured to cheer on the players at Magic Round this year. Other teammates have not even bothered to turn up to games in Sydney when they have been injured.

After a promising start to the season – they were equal top of the ladder after six rounds, which had fans dreaming of an end to their 15-year finals drought – the Tigers’ campaign has unravelled, losing six of their past seven games to slump to 14th on the ladder.

Related Article

NRL 2026
Adam Doueihi rules himself out of Tigers match after bust-up with Benji
That slump has taken its toll, and a tipping point was inevitable – not just for Doueihi.

Last weekend Alex Twal, one of the most mild-mannered players in the game, lost his cool and was sin-binned for slapping Canterbury’s Jaeman Salmon in the face. Twal returned for the final minute, only to lock horns with Bulldogs forward Josh Curran.

Twal was still seething after the game and refused to shake Curran’s hand.

His actions reflected the frustrations of a player who knew the season was slipping away, and who feared the wrong people were going to be blamed.

The Tigers trained at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on Friday morning before travelling to Canberra. A jersey presentation was due to take place for Andrews in the nation’s capital later in the afternoon.

Doueihi will not be at the game, with sources suggesting he was unsure if he should get away for a few days. The Tigers must win to be any chance of keeping their slim finals hopes alive.

Teammates have been sending Doueihi messages and checking in on him.

He will be OK. Especially if the Tigers finally get serious and start holding people to account.










https://twitter.com/smh

This is some serious spin to save face. Would have anyone have seen him as a fall guy? No way. Everyone knows he's been one of our best this year.

It was more keeping the side that had preparared since monday. Unexpected bonus from the judiciary that doueihi was free. That's how I would have seen it anyway.

If he was concerned about playing in the middle, the discussion could have been to ask the stint to be short.

Really selfish of the bloke to ruin a debut and put the club back in the spotlight because he thought he was being blamed... if he's not let go for disloyalty, it should be for stupidity.

Was my favourite player, alongside api, until today.

 

[clontarfkid]

One try in the last two weeks. Bugger all line breaks. Something had to give.

I wld have backed AD and Anrews..the future
Benji way too close to Luai to make that hard decision

 

[Telltails]

I wld have backed AD and Anrews..the future
Benji way too close to Luai to make that hard decision

He just flicked him from the club - how is that being too close ?

 

[king_sirro]

“AD was arguably the form half of the season until his injury”

I think that’s drawing a very long bow

Maybe in the top 10 on early season form

He was never in the conversation as a starting origin half, at best considered as a utility

Yeah i agree mate. This is the confusion that has set in around Adam Doueihi. Im happy to admit and say he was one of the form "players" of the competition , but he was no way one of the form halves. Im not even sure how i explain that comment, but ill try. As an individual AD was great. But as a 7 he was very limited, clunky, sideways and struggled to bring other team mates into the game. It really is a strange situation, you have a guy who is the form player in the comp wearing number 7, but as a 7 he is bottom 5....*thats after 7 rounds). I dont think I have ever seen it before.

 

[Tucker]

Just want to make sure you understand and that you get it,, you know, in case you can have a word to AD on the matter. 😉

I don’t need to be told how to think.
Maybe you should look at both sides instead of blowing up 100% on one side….you know, to show critical thinking…

 

[TigerNeddyK]

I don’t need to be told how to think.
Maybe you should look at both sides instead of blowing up 100% on one side….you know, to show critical thinking…

It was a joke you imbecile.. 😂🤣. Get over yourself.. lmfao 🤣

 

[HUNT 101]

Either one mate - just leave me with one will ya 😜

Good man 👍

 

[Demps]

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[tigertragic]

Benji has been running with 3 halves with one being a ball playing lock when ever possible to relieve twal ( Latu normally when available)

Benji chose
Javon Andrew’s
Jerome Luai
Adam Douhie

Which one of those was best suited to cover lock ? I’d suggest AD

Additionally the team and Adam had been VERY poor for a number of weeks so worth trying something different (ie Javon Andrew’s whose been killing it in reserves)

Adam as a contracted player (senior or not) had no reason to refuse to comply with the coaches decision other than self interest.

This is also supported by the Kimmorley interview, that shows he has form in self interest.

Adam needs to front up to Benji, then the squad and apologise for his actions OR leave the club as it is obviously 2nd to his own interests.

Very disappointing as he may now join
M Moses
Josh Alioia (can’t spell )
Galvin

 

[HUNT 101]

Gee wiz
He was our best player for the first 8 rounds and now the coach wants to move him away from the position he is best at….smells very strange
I think there is more to this story and other players will come out and support A.D.
That is going to place the coach in a very bad place

Fair dinkum,Coach is boss, players are players, or what is it in his contract...I will not play anywhere but 6 or 7 .just get the 🤬 on the field and do your job for the team..we haven't been getting results,so the coach has made a call for what he thinks will work to get the 2 points.. right or wrong fire up..