Daily Telegraph Article
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/salary-cap-drama-means-wests-tigers-must-clear-the-decks-for-future-success/story-fnp0lyn3-1227449445315
IT is unacceptable for Wests Tigers to expect their fans to wait three years for the club to fix their salary cap mess.
The sad reality is that’s the very real prospect facing the supporters of the struggling club.
It doesn’t take a genius to point out that things aren’t going well in Tigerland.
With only five wins this year and massive salary cap woes to contend with, the joint venture faces an awfully steep climb to get out of the hole they’re in.
So how do they get their act together?
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Unfortunately it’s a long process which is sure to see a few high-profile casualties along the way.
But it’s a necessary evil.
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CREATING ROOM
When Taylor first came into the club he knew he had to create some wiggle room under the salary cap which led to the club offloading Adam Blair to Brisbane.
That was the first step in their long-term plan with Blair’s contract taking up a large portion of their cap as he signed from Melbourne in 2012 on a deal worth roughly $500,000 a season.
“The decisions we made at the start of the year of letting players go was purely based around the position with our salary cap at that point in time,” Taylor told Fairfax Media on the weekend.
Robbie Farah of the Wests Tigers looks dejected.
Robbie Farah of the Wests Tigers looks dejected.
“In a word, it was horrendous. We had to start by letting some players go straight away, not so that it would make a difference this year or even next year.”
With a view to the future the club was not in a position to offer veteran winger Pat Richards a new deal.
Instead he will finish his career in France.
Losing one of their favourite sons was a bitter pill for many fans to swallow.
Richards has consistently been one of the club’s best performers since returning to the club last year, following a stint in England.
TOUGH CALLS
Two more fan favourites are in the firing line with Keith Galloway and Chris Lawrence given permission to look elsewhere for next season.
A former Test centre, Lawrence is one of the club’s highest paid players and has the back half of the season playing out of position.
Instead Taylor has favoured the centre partnership of Tim Simona and a combination of Delouise Hoeter, Nathan Milone and David Nofoaluma.
Galloway has played 15 games this season, starting two off the bench including Sunday’s game against Brisbane.
A number of Super League clubs have already been linked with the 29-year-old forward.
Both players are off contract at the end of 2016.
Utility Dene Halatau is off contract this year and hopeful of extending for one more season, while young forwards Jack Buchanan, Kyle Lovett, Brenden Santi and Ava Seumanufagai are also without a deal for 2016.
The club has some tough decisions to make with star lock Martin Taupau off contract at the end of next season along with Robbie Farah’s back-up hooker Manaia Cherrington.
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Farah doesn’t come off contract until the end of 2017 and is the club’s highest paid player.
With Taylor’s eye focused on the future, does he attempt to move their 31-year-old skipper on? Cherrington has shown in his five first grade appearances he is an extremely talented young player. It’s hard to imagine a player of that potential re-signing only to play second fiddle until 2018.
KEY LOSSES
It must feel like a sharp stab to the heart each time Tigers fans witness a piece of Blake Austin brilliance on the highlight reel.
After James Tedesco backflipped on his decision to join Canberra last year, the Raiders made the signing of the season by plucking Austin from the den.
With Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks viewed as the future of the club, Austin was granted a release from the final year of his contract to sign a three-year-deal with the Raiders.
It’s a decision Tigers fans are ruing, with the 24-year-old considered a future NSW Origin half.
Austin has continued to excel this season while the young pairing of Brooks and Moses struggles to perform.
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Moses has also had a difficult year in defence, missing 61 tackles, the second worst in the competition.
To rub more salt into the wounds, Austin is one behind the competition leader for most one-on-one tackles with 65 this season.
On top of his defence, Austin has been electric in attack, scoring 13 tries and playing a hand in eight.
Moses has set up three tries and scored three of his own.
Having let Austin slip, the club has also let go of Junior Kiwis five-eighth Te Maire Martin.
Martin has signed with Penrith for 2016 after the Tigers chose not to exercise an option in their favour to keep him for only $85,000 next season.
The 2014 Under 20s five-eighth of the year is regarded as one of the most promising players in the game.
VERDICT
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Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor shouts instructions.
The salary cap is clearly a big issue.
With hardly any wriggle room Jason Taylor is limited in what he can do in the open market. Unless the club is able to free up some cash, which would mean culling some fan favourites who are on the big money, then the Tigers are shackled.
Waiting until 2018 to transform the club into a successful franchise is ridiculous.
The club needs to act now, no matter how unpopular the decisions may be.
Thank you for voting!
Yes - Farah and Lawrence should go 47.2% (380 votes)
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Yes - Chris Lawrence should go 24.84% (200 votes)
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Yes - Robbie Farah should go 21.24% (171 votes)
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No - you don't mess with club champions 5.84% (47 votes)
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Other: 0.87% (7 votes)
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Total Votes: 805
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/salary-cap-drama-means-wests-tigers-must-clear-the-decks-for-future-success/story-fnp0lyn3-1227449445315
IT is unacceptable for Wests Tigers to expect their fans to wait three years for the club to fix their salary cap mess.
The sad reality is that’s the very real prospect facing the supporters of the struggling club.
It doesn’t take a genius to point out that things aren’t going well in Tigerland.
With only five wins this year and massive salary cap woes to contend with, the joint venture faces an awfully steep climb to get out of the hole they’re in.
So how do they get their act together?
\
\
Unfortunately it’s a long process which is sure to see a few high-profile casualties along the way.
But it’s a necessary evil.
\
\
CREATING ROOM
When Taylor first came into the club he knew he had to create some wiggle room under the salary cap which led to the club offloading Adam Blair to Brisbane.
That was the first step in their long-term plan with Blair’s contract taking up a large portion of their cap as he signed from Melbourne in 2012 on a deal worth roughly $500,000 a season.
“The decisions we made at the start of the year of letting players go was purely based around the position with our salary cap at that point in time,” Taylor told Fairfax Media on the weekend.
Robbie Farah of the Wests Tigers looks dejected.
Robbie Farah of the Wests Tigers looks dejected.
“In a word, it was horrendous. We had to start by letting some players go straight away, not so that it would make a difference this year or even next year.”
With a view to the future the club was not in a position to offer veteran winger Pat Richards a new deal.
Instead he will finish his career in France.
Losing one of their favourite sons was a bitter pill for many fans to swallow.
Richards has consistently been one of the club’s best performers since returning to the club last year, following a stint in England.
TOUGH CALLS
Two more fan favourites are in the firing line with Keith Galloway and Chris Lawrence given permission to look elsewhere for next season.
A former Test centre, Lawrence is one of the club’s highest paid players and has the back half of the season playing out of position.
Instead Taylor has favoured the centre partnership of Tim Simona and a combination of Delouise Hoeter, Nathan Milone and David Nofoaluma.
Galloway has played 15 games this season, starting two off the bench including Sunday’s game against Brisbane.
A number of Super League clubs have already been linked with the 29-year-old forward.
Both players are off contract at the end of 2016.
Utility Dene Halatau is off contract this year and hopeful of extending for one more season, while young forwards Jack Buchanan, Kyle Lovett, Brenden Santi and Ava Seumanufagai are also without a deal for 2016.
The club has some tough decisions to make with star lock Martin Taupau off contract at the end of next season along with Robbie Farah’s back-up hooker Manaia Cherrington.
\
\
Farah doesn’t come off contract until the end of 2017 and is the club’s highest paid player.
With Taylor’s eye focused on the future, does he attempt to move their 31-year-old skipper on? Cherrington has shown in his five first grade appearances he is an extremely talented young player. It’s hard to imagine a player of that potential re-signing only to play second fiddle until 2018.
KEY LOSSES
It must feel like a sharp stab to the heart each time Tigers fans witness a piece of Blake Austin brilliance on the highlight reel.
After James Tedesco backflipped on his decision to join Canberra last year, the Raiders made the signing of the season by plucking Austin from the den.
With Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks viewed as the future of the club, Austin was granted a release from the final year of his contract to sign a three-year-deal with the Raiders.
It’s a decision Tigers fans are ruing, with the 24-year-old considered a future NSW Origin half.
Austin has continued to excel this season while the young pairing of Brooks and Moses struggles to perform.
\
\
Moses has also had a difficult year in defence, missing 61 tackles, the second worst in the competition.
To rub more salt into the wounds, Austin is one behind the competition leader for most one-on-one tackles with 65 this season.
On top of his defence, Austin has been electric in attack, scoring 13 tries and playing a hand in eight.
Moses has set up three tries and scored three of his own.
Having let Austin slip, the club has also let go of Junior Kiwis five-eighth Te Maire Martin.
Martin has signed with Penrith for 2016 after the Tigers chose not to exercise an option in their favour to keep him for only $85,000 next season.
The 2014 Under 20s five-eighth of the year is regarded as one of the most promising players in the game.
VERDICT
\
\
Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor shouts instructions.
The salary cap is clearly a big issue.
With hardly any wriggle room Jason Taylor is limited in what he can do in the open market. Unless the club is able to free up some cash, which would mean culling some fan favourites who are on the big money, then the Tigers are shackled.
Waiting until 2018 to transform the club into a successful franchise is ridiculous.
The club needs to act now, no matter how unpopular the decisions may be.
Thank you for voting!
Yes - Farah and Lawrence should go 47.2% (380 votes)
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\
Yes - Chris Lawrence should go 24.84% (200 votes)
\
\
Yes - Robbie Farah should go 21.24% (171 votes)
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No - you don't mess with club champions 5.84% (47 votes)
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Other: 0.87% (7 votes)
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Total Votes: 805
