Wests Tigers captain James Tamou on why the Tigers need to hand Adam Doueihi the keys to the team
The Wests Tigers have been hailed Luke Brooks’ team, but Tigers captain James Tamou believes the side would be better served having five-eighth Adam Doueihi as the on-field leader to give Brooks more freedom.
Doueihi produced a stellar performance to help the Tigers snap a four-game losing stretch with a big win over St George Illawarra.
Brooks also excelled against the Dragons, even though he took a back seat in the game management.
Tamou would like to see Doueihi continue his dominant role, declaring it’s the best result for the team moving forward.
“For Adam to do that, maybe it allows Brooksy a chance to take a step back,” Tamou said ahead of Saturday’s clash against the Gold Coast at Campbelltown.
“For the halves to play their best footy, then so be it.
“I feel for Brooksy. He is doing everything he can. We’ve been hyped up and he is always there to cop it.
“He is not doing anything wrong, but for him and Adam to be at their best, it is just the way it has to be with Adam taking on the bigger role.
“Adam adds a lot more than what he looks like.
“You might see Adam walking around and he just keeps to himself, but on the training field and paddock he gives it his all.
“He is a bit more emotional.”
Tamou revealed he had given Doueihi licence to become the team’s vocal on-field leader and blast the players when he felt it was appropriate.
He insists this accountability is what the Tigers need to climb the ladder.
“We’ve had a few conversations and I’ve told him to scream at us, yell at us and blow up at us if you need to get us to where we need to get to,” he said.
“Adam seems to be the type of person to do it at the moment.
“In a few games he has just completely taken over team huddles and told us what to do.
“And I’ve taken a step back and I’ve told him that I’m happy for him to do that because the team reacts well to it.”
Tamou has high hopes for Doueihi’s future in the game as one of the NRL’s finest playmakers.
From experience, he just knows that it takes time, and hard work, to join league’s elite players.
“Nathan Cleary, who I regard as one of the best players in the game right now, it took him a while to get to where he is,” he said.
“For Adam to get to that path, you can’t just springboard him like that.
“He has got to find his own way, and this is him finding his own way.
“He is young, and you can question yourself why you are on the leadership group, but everyone knows why he is there.
“He has got that voice and when he speaks everyone listens, but he backs it up and puts his body on the line.
“He makes himself accountable, and for the team to be successful, he has to make everyone else accountable.”
Tamou nominated Doueihi’s genuine care for the Tigers club as his greatest asset – and now the rest of the team needs to follow their five-eighth’s lead.
“You can tell how much mentally that he is involved in this game and team,” Tamou said.
“He absolutely loves this team, and you can tell when we are not going so well how he walks in with a dark cloud over his head,” he said.
“That is not up to him to take all of that on. That is also up to us that carry that burden.”
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