tigersrule4life
New member
WESTS Tigers coach Tim Sheens has no hesitation in nominating the spine as the most important structure in any football team.
And he's not alone. Most coaches acknowledge that the positions of fullback, five-eighth, halfback and hooker – rugby league's holy quartet -- dictate a side's ability to win a premiership.
And therein lies the quandary for Sheens. On one hand, he believes this squad is better on paper than the team that won the 2005 premiership. On the other, when the opening round begins in a matter of weeks, Sheens still doesn't know who will be his fullback, and his halfback is a work in progress.
"You need grunt up front and you need speed out wide," Sheens said. "You need people who can score a try and break the line. You still need the basics of a rugby league team. But there's no doubt that when the referee puts his hand up for the last tackle, the decisions from those people are the ones that make or break you.
"That is the spine."
Sheens has handed Tim Molt-zen the No 7 jersey for tonight's trial against Parramatta in Gos-ford and plans to stick with him at halfback.
At fullback he has plumped for teenager James Tedesco, although he has other options with Joel Reddy, Tom Humble and Mitch Brown.
"Fullback is your 14th man," Sheens said. "There is an old saying that a side with a good fullback looks like it's playing with 14 men but with an ordinary fullback you're playing with 12.
"The fullback is the decision-maker, works out the numbers, left or right, through the middle. He takes the ball under high pressure at the back end of the set to defuse situations. It is a very, very tough position."
Manly, last year's premier, has arguably the game's best spine. But if it's any consolation for Sheens, no one thought that at this time last season, with halfback Daly Cherry-Evans's emergence icing their cake.
Sheens is hoping Tedesco or someone else makes the fullback spot their own. If that happens, they will be a match for anyone.
"I am not saying I am not concerned, but I am comfortable with the fact that the kid (Tedesco) will make it eventually," Sheens said.
"On paper it is a better squad than '05.
"At the start of the year we were barely tipped to get in the eight and halfway through the year we were running 11th.
"The '05 squad stayed healthy and in doing so we had the right momentum and things went through for us. "On paper it is (a better squad). Whether it delivers is another thing."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/coach-tim-sheens-yet-to-crack-wests-tigers-backbone/story-e6frg7mf-1226268222102
And he's not alone. Most coaches acknowledge that the positions of fullback, five-eighth, halfback and hooker – rugby league's holy quartet -- dictate a side's ability to win a premiership.
And therein lies the quandary for Sheens. On one hand, he believes this squad is better on paper than the team that won the 2005 premiership. On the other, when the opening round begins in a matter of weeks, Sheens still doesn't know who will be his fullback, and his halfback is a work in progress.
"You need grunt up front and you need speed out wide," Sheens said. "You need people who can score a try and break the line. You still need the basics of a rugby league team. But there's no doubt that when the referee puts his hand up for the last tackle, the decisions from those people are the ones that make or break you.
"That is the spine."
Sheens has handed Tim Molt-zen the No 7 jersey for tonight's trial against Parramatta in Gos-ford and plans to stick with him at halfback.
At fullback he has plumped for teenager James Tedesco, although he has other options with Joel Reddy, Tom Humble and Mitch Brown.
"Fullback is your 14th man," Sheens said. "There is an old saying that a side with a good fullback looks like it's playing with 14 men but with an ordinary fullback you're playing with 12.
"The fullback is the decision-maker, works out the numbers, left or right, through the middle. He takes the ball under high pressure at the back end of the set to defuse situations. It is a very, very tough position."
Manly, last year's premier, has arguably the game's best spine. But if it's any consolation for Sheens, no one thought that at this time last season, with halfback Daly Cherry-Evans's emergence icing their cake.
Sheens is hoping Tedesco or someone else makes the fullback spot their own. If that happens, they will be a match for anyone.
"I am not saying I am not concerned, but I am comfortable with the fact that the kid (Tedesco) will make it eventually," Sheens said.
"On paper it is a better squad than '05.
"At the start of the year we were barely tipped to get in the eight and halfway through the year we were running 11th.
"The '05 squad stayed healthy and in doing so we had the right momentum and things went through for us. "On paper it is (a better squad). Whether it delivers is another thing."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/coach-tim-sheens-yet-to-crack-wests-tigers-backbone/story-e6frg7mf-1226268222102
