Blair see premiership on the horizon

[happy_tiger]

Good article on the NRL.com

Blair talking about his future and on Potter

Fairly insightful interview actually

 

[Nors05]

About time we see article's like this, rather than the "We all have to improve, our form has dropped but we are trying etc".

Apart from maybe Tedesco, Blair has to be the most improved player for WT this year. Bodene isn't too far behind aswell.

 

[wtigers]

Blair's my favourite player ATM, a statement u never thought would be possible

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[GNR4LIFE]

Re-sign this man

 

[alexaki]

And here is the article…..

Blair sees Tigers premiership on horizon
By Matt Encarnacion, Western Sydney Correspondent
NRL.com
11:37am Thu 22nd May, 2014
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**Wests Tigers forward Adam Blair predicts a very successful future at the Wests Tigers.**

Wests Tigers forward Adam Blair predicts a very successful future at the Wests Tigers. Credit: Colin Whelan. Copyright: NRL Photos.
He's been to hell and back when it comes to his form, and now reborn Wests Tigers forward Adam Blair wants to extend his future at Concord.

With 18 months still left to serve on the hefty contract he received since moving from Melbourne in 2012, it might be too early to sit down with club officials to talk about 2016.

But having seen first-hand what the promising batch of youngsters at Tigertown is capable of, the current Kiwi international is now intent on starting the conversation.

"We're heading in the right direction. All these young kids coming through are good talents. They've come from a winning culture in the -20s. As long as we're winning footy, everyone's happy around here," Blair told NRL.com.

"We're pushing each other to the limits and it helps me prolong my career. That's the main thing. I want to stay around for a couple more years, three years or so. If I'm doing the right things and we're winning footy, I think that'll happen."

Heading into this weekend's 15th anniversary clash for the joint venture club against the Broncos in Campbelltown, the Tigers occupy sixth spot on the ladder on the back of an underrated forward pack that has this year brazenly bared its claws.

Rookie halfback Luke Brooks and injured fullback James Tedesco have showed glimpses of why they're considered future Origin stars, while current Blues hooker Robbie Farah was arguably the hottest player in the competition before his elbow injury.

And while Blair says there's still a long way to go in 2014, he believes premierships will eventually be on the radar of the club – and it might come sooner than everyone thinks.

"If we're playing really well, I think we're a chance of doing anything this year. This year we've got the squad that can compete up there with the best. We've shown that in the early stages of the season and we're still fighting at the end here now," he said.

"If we keep doing those things, you never know what can happen. But I know in the future, this club will be playing for premierships."

Blair also credited coach Mick Potter for the club's early-season resurgence. The second-year coach was reportedly 24 hours away from being sacked by the club late last year, but Blair says a harder-line approach this year – one that began with Benji Marshall's exit last season – has helped the team grow.

"He's a bit like me, I guess. The last couple of years when we've had him in there and myself, anything could've happened at the time. He has just stuck in there and worked really hard," Blair said.

"He's obviously come from the UK, a little bit of a different style of footy, and he's obviously had a year there to prepare for himself and I think he's been better for it.

"He's worked really hard – the boys are getting a lot of respect from him and he's telling us what our roles are. That's the main thing. He's putting people on notice and letting them know how he wants it. It showed last year when he did."

The Tigers lock, who represented New Zealand against the Kangaroos last month, said that he too is finally over the struggles that plagued his first few years at the club and denied ever being told to take his bulging contract elsewhere.

"No one from the club told me that they wanted me to go. I had the support of the coach and the players. I never thought that I was going to leave," he said.

"I just needed things to go my way and I ripped in as I do every pre-season. Obviously I'm getting older, and these young boys are getting bigger and stronger so I had to step up.

"For me to be able to hold my spot, I had to work extra hard. There were times in the pre-season where we had a break, but I had to work because I knew there were young kids there that could have a holiday and come back bigger and stronger."

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Funny how he's come good under a coach who has introduced a bit of structure and discipline in the team. We're far from perfect still but Blair has improved drastically under Potters tutelage.

 

[supercoach]

Most of our go forward is coming from Blair's lighting play the balls and Farah's guile. They are setting a great platform for Brooks to weave some magic.

I Like to see Potter given some public raps by the players, as we are still hearing the odd rumor from unreliable sources that he and the senior players still have problems. Lets hope articles like this will put some of these rumors to bed.

I would be more than happy to keep Blair on our books, maybe his contract has to be pegged back a little or at least kept about the same level so we can maintain as many of the young kids as possible.

 

[Nors05]

To me, Blair is one of those players who needs to know what he is supposed to be doing. Players like Brooks, Teddy or Farah do not need to. They just play on their instincts and do very well.
Blair seems like the type of bloke that you give him a job to do and he will do it to the tee. Give him a shit job and he will be consistently shit. Give him a highly valuable role and he will consistently be highly valuable.

On another note, correct me if I'm wrong but Blair has played every game since he came to the club? If not, it is damn close.

 

[pHyR3]

To me, Blair is one of those players who needs to know what he is supposed to be doing. Players like Brooks, Teddy or Farah do not need to. They just play on their instincts and do very well.
Blair seems like the type of bloke that you give him a job to do and he will do it to the tee. Give him a shit job and he will be consistently shit. Give him a highly valuable role and he will consistently be highly valuable.

On another note, correct me if I'm wrong but Blair has played every game since he came to the club? If not, it is damn close.

yes, has not missed a game. 2.5 years and continuing

 

[Demps]

Blair 2014 is top notch,
Back to his amazing form and doing a great job on and off the field.
Having a nice little family he really wants to work hard for em, i think

 

[851]

I always thought blair was OK,he was being poorly used and had unfair expectations placed upon himself,we never utilised Blair's strengths until Potter came along.

 

[prattenpark]

Blair is doing a great job this year.

 

[Mona_Lolesi]

Blair has been fine since we signed him, the expectations of him were ridiculous.

No surprise once we have 13 players putting in on the field he is starting to stand out.

 

[Old_Maggie]

surprise, surprise, he has 18 months to go and is playing well.

maybe I am too cyncial, over the years we have seen this happen from a lot of players.

when their contract is up for renewal they play well to earn another contract, is anyone surprised how Jared Hayne and Chris Sandow are going?

 

[GNR4LIFE]

**surprise, surprise, he has 18 months to go and is playing well.**

maybe I am too cyncial, over the years we have seen this happen from a lot of players.

when their contract is up for renewal they play well to earn another contract, is anyone surprised how Jared Hayne and Chris Sandow are going?

By that wonderful logic, anyone who signs a 2 yr contract at a new club and plays well their first yr is only playing well cos they want a new contract 18 months down the line. His contract is too far away for him to be playing well for that reason. Ever thought maybe he's just found his niche? Doubt you have cos that would require swallowing your pride and giving the guy credit.

 

[tig_prmz]

He's done exceptionally well this year but you can't just ignore 2 years of underperformance.
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You can blame lack of structure or other players but at the end of the day Blair looked lazy and disinterested for a good part of the 2 years.

Hope he kills it next couple of years and can stay with us long term. There is no way we should renew his contract until halfway next year.

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[stevetiger]

He has been so good this year but the last 2 years have been real bad. I hope he stays if he plays like he has been this year but you'd have to think we will pay him less.

 

[TurnStyle]

He has been probably the most notable improver this season. Whether he is simply a big benefactor of the tigers' new play style, revelling in having a leadership role, playing for his family or just boosted by the new forwards in the side, I don't know.

But when you sign a big contract as a club's premier signing the fans are going to expect value for money, and straight away. And that means he has been expected to play like he is right now since tigers game 1 - which he obviously hasn't.

Well done to him for keeping at it and battling through to where he is now: giving good return for investment and establishing himself as an integral part of the tigers both on field and off.