Benji 2025 and Beyond

Benji being an attractive proposition for good players to come to this club and for (even more importantly) young players to stay - beats any tactical profundity that you (assume) we would get by replacing him. Having better players beats having coaching nous. That's why Mick Hagan has a premiership and Brian Smith doesn't.

Benji can coach. He's currently coaching by far the toughest job in the league. He knows the club, he knows the DNA and the politics. He's also really, really comfortable handling the media which is massively important for this job. He has moral clarity over what he wants to accomplish, and he certainly knows what's involved in getting it done. He's a superstar and legend to most current players, he's supposedly remarkably intelligent. He's doing ok. I certainly think he shanked the spoon bowl game, but its not like we got relegated, and that side was stacked with teenagers.

The results didn't come through this year. But it was still an improvement. Api, Luai, Galvin, Bula. What-a-spine-for-next-season.

We will be able to defend better next season with Luai steering us around the park, (better average field position, less defensive sets), and ideally we'll a have more consistent starting side as well. (Roster changes are the death of defensive coaches - that's a fact) If creaky old Adam Sezer wasn't as suspended or as injured as much as he was this season we wouldn't have won the spoon. If the teenagers we graded this year kick on after another preseason we'll have very good competitive depth our spine as well. (We couldn't compete without Sezer in the side this season, so go figure)

Some things to work on, but it'll come good.
 
I don’t think it is fair that he is held responsible in circumstances where we are in the first year of a re-build and blooding juniors.

Sure this year was a failure in most respects but it was a success in others.

If we come last next year then that is a concerning sign and we need to look elsewhere.

Anywhere above 12th is a good season and is reasonable progress IMO
 
Milky said:
I don’t think it is fair that he is held responsible in circumstances where we are in the first year of a re-build and blooding juniors.

Sure this year was a failure in most respects but it was a success in others.

If we come last next year then that is a concerning sign and we need to look elsewhere.

Anywhere above 12th is a good season and is reasonable progress IMO
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I follow Hawthorn in the AFL. New coach Sam Mitchell in 2022, won 8 games, focus was on blooding young talent & new game plan. In 2023, won 7 games, finished 1 win above the spoon, the young talent showed their talent sporadically but at times was men v boys.

This season started 0-5 and then the game plan clicked & focus on youth expressing themselves came to the fore. Made some astute trades for experienced players + players with attributes we lacked in the pre-season. They probably should be playing in a prelim this year.

Whilst it's apples & oranges, all I'm saying is ... our focus is giving our elite youngsters experience, recruiting experience & players with attributes we lack & sticking to the plan.

As long as there are signs & we stick strong, the hope is it will click!
 
Jolls said:
I have no evidence to suggest that Benji is part of the problem. I'm not saying that he isn't just that there is no evidence that support it. Let's put aside how he was appointed and the emotion behind that. He is here now, he is contracted and he is doing a job. Let's look at that objectively.

The club has been in turmoil for a decade plus and, thanks to some external pressure from fans, made a decsion to put in place a seasoned CEO. Richo and the interim board, along with the coaching staff, put together a strategic plan to develop the club into a top tier NRL club. This involves developing a system that enables winning on and off the field. Richo's succcess is tied as much to the football side of the house as bringing in $ for HBG. Let's face it the big corporate $ won't come if we continue to languish at the bottom of the ladder.

Richo and Benji have consistently spoken about the plan and sticking to it. This plan is clearly based on developing our juniors. Benji has definitely accelerated the development of many juniors this year. While outwardly they state that this was a deleiberate decision I expect that much of it was a result of our lack of skills and depth.

Let's use the Dogs as a comparision. Not to compare rosters or coaching skills; but to look at the journey of both clubs.
  • Dogs performance was on par with ours, bottom of the table with an unbalnced roster.
  • Dogs sign a proven administrator in Gus - we sign a proven administrator, but later in the timeline.
  • Dogs signed a bunch of quality players and a new experienced coach but performance does not improve - we sign Api, Papalii, Klemmer and Olam and unearth Bula, the Fainus and Galvin and appoint Beni as the coach - no change.
  • Dogs have heaps of internal dramas as culture is addressed; fans and the media label Ciraldo as a dud and want him sacked - Tigers fans and media question Benji's coaching ability
  • Dogs sign a bunch of fringe FG quality players from other clubs and add a couple of top tier players - and make the eight. Tigers make it clear they are offloading deadwood and sign Luai, Taruva, Skelton, Hunt and Bird along with a bunch of cup level players as depth.
While the clubs have done things differently in the the respect of player selections we are clearly locked in step, just behind the Dogs in terms of rebuilding.

So is Benji part of the problem going forward? Clearly he lacks experience but he is not stupid. He, along with Richo, have stated all year that they have a plan and are executing it. They knew we had deficiencies and were focussed on looking at what we had in the pipeline to prioritise development and recruitment for 2025. I'm pretty sure that 2024 was not about winning!

I have not heard any concrete evidence to suggest that he can't coach. Let me clarify - I'm also not saying that he is a good coach. Less Bateman's comment about Benji's treatment of (underperforming) experienced players v junior players there has been nothing from members "in the know" or players, player managers stating he has no idea. I'm not close enough to the club, players or management to make a defining judgement (I wish I was), but the lack of commentary probably means that he is doing OK. Benji is playing a key role in the transitioning our young Wests Tigers side. Should we be talking about sacking him now? Not a chance; he deserves the opportunity to follow through with the plan and complete, in conjunction with Richo, the transition of our club from basket case to permiership contenders.

Does that mean we give him a free ride? Not at all. Regardless of what he thinks he needs the club should provide him with a quality mentor and a strong coaching staff as key enablers. A successful Benji will mean a successful club in the short to medium term. Sacking Benji now is Wests Tigers doing Wests Tigers shit and starting on yet another misguided adventure.

If there is hard evidence out there that suggests Benji isn't cutting it I'm all ears. But all I have heard so far is opinions from individuals as far removed from what is happening on the ground as I am.
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When he was appointed, I was far from convinced that Marshall would be successful as a head coach. But here we are with him as head coach and, I agree, I haven't heard anything solid saying he can't do the job. Give him his go, at least he seems genuinely committed to turning this club around. Sometimes I also think that the coach and team growing together could be a very good thing.
 
NT_Tiger said:
When he was appointed, I was far from convinced that Marshall would be successful as a head coach. But here we are with him as head coach and, I agree, I haven't heard anything solid saying he can't do the job. Give him his go, at least he seems genuinely committed to turning this club around. Sometimes I also think that the coach and team growing together could be a very good thing.
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Totally agree, no one would've got this current roster near the 8 this year. People saying this roster was better than last year are kidding, the only improvement was the juniors and guess who took a risk and gave them a chance.
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
I follow Hawthorn in the AFL. New coach Sam Mitchell in 2022, won 8 games, focus was on blooding young talent & new game plan. In 2023, won 7 games, finished 1 win above the spoon, the young talent showed their talent sporadically but at times was men v boys.

This season started 0-5 and then the game plan clicked & focus on youth expressing themselves came to the fore. Made some astute trades for experienced players + players with attributes we lacked in the pre-season. They probably should be playing in a prelim this year.

Whilst it's apples & oranges, all I'm saying is ... our focus is giving our elite youngsters experience, recruiting experience & players with attributes we lack & sticking to the plan.

As long as there are signs & we stick strong, the hope is it will click!
Click to expand...
I don't follow AFL as much as I used to back in the day. I do remember Sam Mitchell playing though, he must not have retired too long ago? Did he have much of an apprenticeship?

I'm only asking because in the sports/ teams that I follow, I don't know of any player going straight to head coach of the top side without trying his hand at Juniors.
 
tig_prmz said:
I don't follow AFL as much as I used to back in the day. I do remember Sam Mitchell playing though, he must not have retired too long ago? Did he have much of an apprenticeship?

I'm only asking because in the sports/ teams that I follow, I don't know of any player going straight to head coach of the top side without trying his hand at Juniors.
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Sam did an apprenticeship at West Coast Eagles after retiring from playing in 2017. He was an assistant coach there in 2018 before returning to Hawthorn as an assistant coach from 2019-2021.
 
NT_Tiger said:
When he was appointed, I was far from convinced that Marshall would be successful as a head coach. But here we are with him as head coach and, I agree, I haven't heard anything solid saying he can't do the job. Give him his go, at least he seems genuinely committed to turning this club around. Sometimes I also think that the coach and team growing together could be a very good thing.
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2 spoons in a row?
yeah not much evidence is there?
 
Oldman said:
Young Players
Benji has given a run this year that should be bigger and stronger next year.
Galvin
3x Latu
Luke (winger)
TDS
Mason


Richo said we are moving to be a development club and looking at the age of these KIDS above he is sticking to his word.
I think it will be a couple of years before we see the real benefit but I for one are happy with their vision for the future.
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I disagree , yes bring kids throw , but u have to pick 2-5 not every Tom , dick and Harry , try to bring too many hurts the club , on top of that u have to have a team that is winning 65%to 75% of ur games , and have roll models in positions of the kids ur bringing throw .
We have bula , mason , Galvin the 3 latu brothers , and maybe 2-3 others , that’s more than enough, as u need time and patience to get them to 1st grade standard
 
BAGNF05 said:
I’d say 2025/26 is a critical 2 year juncture. My honest opinion is that we won’t make finals next year (subject to any needle moving forwards coming along) but 9-10 wins is a must.
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If we don’t make the finals next year we will be starting from scratch in 2026 , Galvin will be gone and the rest of the talent will be screaming for a release , what we sign now will determine where we go from next season
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
I follow Hawthorn in the AFL. New coach Sam Mitchell in 2022, won 8 games, focus was on blooding young talent & new game plan. In 2023, won 7 games, finished 1 win above the spoon, the young talent showed their talent sporadically but at times was men v boys.

This season started 0-5 and then the game plan clicked & focus on youth expressing themselves came to the fore. Made some astute trades for experienced players + players with attributes we lacked in the pre-season. They probably should be playing in a prelim this year.

Whilst it's apples & oranges, all I'm saying is ... our focus is giving our elite youngsters experience, recruiting experience & players with attributes we lack & sticking to the plan.

As long as there are signs & we stick strong, the hope is it will click!
Click to expand...
I like your honesty and what you are saying, but following the AFL, shouldn't that be an automatic ban on here. 🤣
 
tig_prmz said:
I don't follow AFL as much as I used to back in the day. I do remember Sam Mitchell playing though, he must not have retired too long ago? Did he have much of an apprenticeship?

I'm only asking because in the sports/ teams that I follow, I don't know of any player going straight to head coach of the top side without trying his hand at Juniors.
Click to expand...
Did Billy Slater?, no coaching experience and took on the top job for Queensland.?
Same same but different
 
TIGERS said:
Benji being an attractive proposition for good players to come to this club and for (even more importantly) young players to stay - beats any tactical profundity that you (assume) we would get by replacing him. Having better players beats having coaching nous. That's why Mick Hagan has a premiership and Brian Smith doesn't.

Benji can coach. He's currently coaching by far the toughest job in the league. He knows the club, he knows the DNA and the politics. He's also really, really comfortable handling the media which is massively important for this job. He has moral clarity over what he wants to accomplish, and he certainly knows what's involved in getting it done. He's a superstar and legend to most current players, he's supposedly remarkably intelligent. He's doing ok. I certainly think he shanked the spoon bowl game, but its not like we got relegated, and that side was stacked with teenagers.

The results didn't come through this year. But it was still an improvement. Api, Luai, Galvin, Bula. What-a-spine-for-next-season.

We will be able to defend better next season with Luai steering us around the park, (better average field position, less defensive sets), and ideally we'll a have more consistent starting side as well. (Roster changes are the death of defensive coaches - that's a fact) If creaky old Adam Sezer wasn't as suspended or as injured as much as he was this season we wouldn't have won the spoon. If the teenagers we graded this year kick on after another preseason we'll have very good competitive depth our spine as well. (We couldn't compete without Sezer in the side this season, so go figure)

Some things to work on, but it'll come good.
Click to expand...
Im just curious how Liuai incoming is going to equate to less defense for us?
 
BAGNF05 said:
You get about a 2min rest if you turn a chance into a try.

Makes a big difference to energy.
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Yeah im aware of that...they all hug and breathe deeply

@TIGERS said less defensive sets

Even if by your reasoning Liuai helps us score 2 extra trys per game (which wont happen thats minor premiers stuff) thats a 4 min breather (that the opposition get as well) but two less defensive sets as we get the ball back

Naah
 
innsaneink said:
Yeah im aware of that...they all hug and breathe deeply

@TIGERS said less defensive sets

Even if by your reasoning Liuai helps us score 2 extra trys per game (which wont happen thats minor premiers stuff) thats a 4 min breather (that the opposition get as well) but two less defensive sets as we get the ball back

Naah
Click to expand...
Until we turn the ball over the set after we score ....gee we seemed to do that a lot in 2024
 
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