Also Rans left to Rue

[softlaw]

Questions should be asked…
http://www.smh.com.au/news/lhqnews/also-rans-left-to-rue-what-might-have-been/2009/09/12/1252519678860.html
WESTS TIGERS

WHERE THEY FINISHED: 9th.

WHERE THEY WENT WRONG: Sacking chief executive Scott Longmuir mid-season for wanting to apply an annual key performance indicator - aka accountability - to the football club sent out the wrong message to everyone. It also opened old wounds as the joint-venture partners Wests (Ashfield), Wests (Campbelltown) and Balmain took sides. Longmuir's demise suggested a CEO who sticks his neck out risks having his head lopped off. On the field, inconsistency robbed the team of a finals berth.

WORST LOSS: On the scoreboard, a 42-14 defeat to North Queensland in Townsville. Losing to Parramatta in round 24 was the most hurtful. Victory would have assured the Tigers a place in the final eight, and but for a spate of silly penalties, they could have won.

BEST WIN: The 34-12 final-round win against the Bulldogs was sensational. The victory denied the Dogs the minor premiership but made the year another what-could've-been …

WHO AIMED UP: Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah enhanced their reputations but Gareth Ellis (pictured) proved he is world class. Club's marketing department - best in the NRL.

WHO DIDN'T: The team when it failed to put opposing sides away in the close games, especially Souths at the SCG.

WHO'S COMING: Mitch Brown (Cronulla), Geoff Daniela (Penrith), Arana Taumata (Brisbane Easts), Tame Tupou (Bradford), Mark Flanagan (Wigan).

WHO'S GOING: Shannon Gallant (North Queensland), Dean Collis and John Morris (both Cronulla), Peni Tagive (St George Illawarra), Dene Halatau (Bulldogs).

PHIL GOULD'S VERDICT: Should be disappointed they didn't make the finals. When you have the ability to beat the best and don't qualify, tough questions need to be asked.

 

[Geo]

Did Gus write that…..geez he nailed it for once.....bit kind to Robbie.....

 

[GlennC]

I think the loss to the Broncos hurt me more than the Souths one did.

I also think, despitye the later blowouts, we should of beaten Penrith both times.

We should of been a top 4 side this year.

 

[NJLM78]

I think the loss to the Broncos hurt me more than the Souths one did.

I also think, despitye the later blowouts, we should of beaten Penrith both times.

We should of been a top 4 side this year.

Part of me still feels angry about that fourth round Panthers game. We had that game and then offered nothing in the last 10 mins when we should have put them away.

 

[Tap_Twist_Snap]

I keep thinking back to the game against the storm in melb as the one that really cost us. If laurie caught that ball we would have won and i think our run might have started just that bit earlier which would have been enough to get us into well into the finals.

 

[westTAHger]

In 2007, 2008 & 2009 had the chance to make the finals in each season.
players stated they were disappointed about not making the finals and would go better next season.
I was sucked and believed what they said, and was convinced they would be in the finals.
no use sugar coating the ninth placing.
they have not made the finals.
were not good enough to take the wins in certain games.
it was meant to be sorted out in pre season of '08 and ' 09.
in season 2010 are wests-tigers going to deliver a finals berth or falter yet again :brick:
yes I do believe that wests-tigers can finish in top 8 in season 2010\. 😛ray:
but its not up to me, as I am a supporter.
.
only time will tell.

 

[Balmain_Bug]

Gould is saying what every competent League observor knows.

He is 100% right.

 

[crouching_tiger]

In 2007, 2008 & 2009 had the chance to make the finals in each season.
players stated they were disappointed about not making the finals and would go better next season.
I was sucked and believed what they said, and was convinced they would be in the finals.
no use sugar coating the ninth placing.
they have not made the finals.
were not good enough to take the wins in certain games.
it was meant to be sorted out in pre season of '08 and ' 09.
in season 2010 are wests-tigers going to deliver a finals berth or falter yet again :brick:
yes I do believe that wests-tigers can finish in top 8 in season 2010\. 😛ray:
but its not up to me, as I am a supporter.
.
only time will tell.

I wouldn't be so harsh on the players THIS season. 2007 and 2008 were very disappointing most of all as there were PLENTY of games in which they did not show up to play or had a poor attitude. 2006 was understandable, due to other teams out to "GO AFTER" the reigning premiers which lead to a massive injury toll.
2009 has been a success in it's own way with Sheens actually being more pro-active than recent years, the players(especially Farah) LEARNING to close out the tighter games with smarter football, and the blooding of several young kids who deserved their crack.
In 2006 WT were worthy of a top 6 spot. 2007 a top 8 spot. 2008 a top 6 spot, and 2009 a top 4 spot. They have blown each season, but i put it ALL solely on Sheens' head as he has had the depth and talent to survive each year's setbacks. His stubbornness is what has led to the demise of the team missing out on finals footy and the supporter's faith.
2010 once again proves that WT has enough talent to survive and likely become another top 4 contender, but this will only be achievable if Sheens pulls his head out of the sand.

 

[NJLM78]

Disagree that the Bulldogs win was our best win of the season. A good win yes, but I thought wins over Storm, Knights and Manly were better wins than the Bulldogs game last week.

 

[stryker]

Disagree that the Bulldogs win was our best win of the season. A good win yes, but I thought wins over Storm, Knights and Manly were better wins than the Bulldogs game last week.

Yeah your dead right I agree

 

[Guest]

Disagree that the Bulldogs win was our best win of the season. A good win yes, but I thought wins over Storm, Knights and Manly were better wins than the Bulldogs game last week.

Yeah your dead right I agree

I third that call. Just a shame we couldn't knock over Souths at the SCG and Melbourne down in Melbourne. Those games were there for the taking and we blew it.

 

[Mafeeli]

Gotta say the worse loss had to be 14 - 0 against the Warriors, after plenty of close losses. We were looking good when we were losing, and I thought the warriors game was going to be a real acid test. Once we lost that game, I didn't think we could make the top 8\. Being beaten (and kept to nil) by a terrible team has to be the season low.

 

[Jazza]

Gotta say the worse loss had to be 14 - 0 against the Warriors, after plenty of close losses. We were looking good when we were losing, and I thought the warriors game was going to be a real acid test. Once we lost that game, I didn't think we could make the top 8\. Being beaten (and kept to nil) by a terrible team has to be the season low.

Yeh I agree there.

It wasnt as if we had no ball or territory in that game, we actually dominated those areas but we just couldnt break through.

It was so bad that I was basically couldn help but laugh everytime we blew another chance.

 

[Jazza]

Not sure if anybody noticed this but this is about Penrith from the rest of the article:

**WHO AIMED UP:** Michael Jennings, Civoniceva, Luke Lewis, Luke Walsh, Trent Waterhouse, Michael Gordon's goal-kicking boot and Frank Pritchard.
**WHO DIDN'T:**_Frank Pritchard._ Barnstorming one day, benched the next. Unstoppable on his day, but went AWL when his team needed him the most.

:laughing:

 

[king_sirro]

I keep thinking back to the game against the storm in melb as the one that really cost us. If laurie caught that ball we would have won and i think our run might have started just that bit earlier which would have been enough to get us into well into the finals.

The Storm game was a bad one, but i think the Bulldogs game was worse. They were flying and we took them on without Marshall and scored more tires than them only to be beat by goal kicking. :frowning:

Getting robbed by Brisbane didnt help either. :brick:

 

[tiger4ever]

I keep thinking back to the game against the storm in melb as the one that really cost us. If laurie caught that ball we would have won and i think our run might have started just that bit earlier which would have been enough to get us into well into the finals.

The Storm game was a bad one, but i think the Bulldogs game was worse. They were flying and we took them on without Marshall and scored more tires than them only to be beat by goal kicking. :frowning:

Getting robbed by Brisbane didnt help either. :brick:

There was about 6 games this year we shouldve won and we woudve with a ounce more luck.Just so close it hurts.

Round 8,10,11,15,21,and 24 against the eels were the games we should have won .

More importantly the worst game we had score wise was cowboys 42-14 on a hot sat night in the early rounds.Panthers gave us a touch up as well but it wasnt until near the end of game.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

When you have the ability to beat the best and don't qualify, tough questions need to be asked.

I find it hypocritical that this has come from Gould - after all he spends most of his time lavishing praise on Sheens and not once has he questioned anything about the man.

 

[innsaneink]

Questions from those that dont matter are as valuable as the praise lavished from the same people, the questions arent being asked by the right people.

 

[Torbizlo]

after years of jussst missing out, i think 2010 the tigers will be deeply buried in the top 8, if not top 4 next season.

 

[supercoach]

after years of jussst missing out, i think 2010 the tigers will be deeply buried in the top 8, if not top 4 next season.

I think we can take heart in light of our last two months efforts, but I learnt many years ago that what happens the previous years has very little bearing on the next. Every year is a new one and the previous one counts for jack!! What Iam excited about is we are starting to build some depth and that is what you need and not many teams have it.