Baby Tigers to earn their stripes

[AmericanHistoryX]

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WESTS Tigers will tomorrow field one of the most inexperienced teams in rugby league's 105-year history with nearly half their squad having played less than 10 NRL matches.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal eight of the 17 players have contested a total of just 49 games.

They are: Jacob Miller (nine games), Marika Koroibete (nine games), Curtis Sironen (eight games), Jack Buchanan (seven games), Tim Simona (seven games), James Tedesco (five games), Shaun Spence (two games) and Sauaso Sue (two games). Tigers' 18th man, Ava Seumanufagai, has played only NRL three matches.

The young Tigers will confront a hardened Bulldogs side which includes veterans Frank Pritchard, Josh Morris, Michael Ennis, James Graham, Aiden Tolman, Dene Halatau and Greg Eastwood.

Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter has been forced to find replacements for injured stars Benji Marshall (toe), Tim Moltzen (knee), Chris Lawrence (hamstring), Braith Anasta (groin), Blake Ayshford (ankle), Keith Galloway (pectoral), Lote Tuqiri (arm) and Matt Bell (finger).
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"We're not bothered about stats and history," Potter said.

"This is the best team we can select. We're not in the business of making excuses; we are in the business of winning. "Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game. Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't."

Told the young players would at least bring plenty of enthusiasm, he said: "They do. And they haven't lacked that since they commenced fulltime training. Some of their progress has been more rapid than they thought or we thought. But they are good fellas and have a good future in the game. That future might be now."

Good vibes from Potter…..........

 

[Furious1]

"We're not bothered about stats and history," Potter said.

"This is the best team we can select. We're not in the business of making excuses; we are in the business of winning. "Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game. Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't."

Thats why i rate Potter highly. Not once has he looked for excuses this year in regards to who is available. He has a hard nosed approach which in the long run will certainly benefit this club, by forcing the players to take ownership of the results. It aint like the old days where the boys had a bit of adversity and just turned it up, if they are short on skill this year, apart from round one, they have never been short on courage.

 

[simonthetiger]

This is gonna sound whack,but there is something exciting when you get a stack of injuries in the sense that you get to see ur kids and if they can handle the top grade.

So far this year has been a write off…..but its been interesting watching our kids step up,and exciting in the fact that they look up to it.

IMO this could really help us in the future.These kids have been thrown in the deep end,and if they survive we have ready made first graders well ahead of schedule.

Bring it on I say.

 

[Juro]

Players like Koroibete, Tedesco, Buchanan have handled themselves very well. They may not have many games under their belts but there is no reason they can't get the job done.

 

[jirskyr]

You know whenever the DT write "The Daily Telegraph can reveal" you can be assured that the information is publicly available on the internet or lifted from a forum.

 

[alex]

They make it sound like its such a scoop

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_

 

[BenjiMagic96]

Cheering Benji is playing.

 

[barra]

"We're not bothered about stats and history," Potter said.

"This is the best team we can select. We're not in the business of making excuses; we are in the business of winning. "Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game. Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't."

Thats why i rate Potter highly. Not once has he looked for excuses this year in regards to who is available. He has a hard nosed approach which in the long run will certainly benefit this club, by forcing the players to take ownership of the results. It aint like the old days where the boys had a bit of adversity and just turned it up, if they are short on skill this year, apart from round one, they have never been short on courage.

Me too, Furious! It seemed that Sheens was forever giving excuses so this is very refreshing!

 

[stryker]

This is gonna sound whack,but there is something exciting when you get a stack of injuries in the sense that you get to see ur kids and if they can handle the top grade.

So far this year has been a write off…..but its been interesting watching our kids step up,and exciting in the fact that they look up to it.

IMO this could really help us in the future.These kids have been thrown in the deep end,and if they survive we have ready made first graders well ahead of schedule.

Bring it on I say.

Doesnt sound whack to me…this is what I expected this season...to see a whole heap of young players blooded. Didnt think I would see so many on the field at once but its the way it is unfortunately. I hope they take their chances because we could see a repeat of Penriths and our premierships with young guns again as early as 2015 as a result. It is going to be tough for them but they all seem to have the right attitudes so I also am excited to see how they go...even though I have tipped them to cop a hiding tomorrow night I think they will do their best and thats all we ask of them week to week. They will have a go which is in contrast to some of the blokes they are replacing.

 

[PYMBLEPETE]

This is gonna sound whack,but there is something exciting when you get a stack of injuries in the sense that you get to see ur kids and if they can handle the top grade.

So far this year has been a write off…..but its been interesting watching our kids step up,and exciting in the fact that they look up to it.

IMO this could really help us in the future.These kids have been thrown in the deep end,and if they survive we have ready made first graders well ahead of schedule.

Bring it on I say.

Yeh I see it as a long term positive as well.

And how refreshing to hear Potter not looking for excuses - when he has more than his predecessor ever had in my opinion.

 

[Eye_Of_Da_Tiger]

Today kids tonight men!!!