Confirmed: Matterson released from Wests Tigers.

[tigeress]

Put yourself in Madge's shoes right now and consider the conversation with Matto. Bit of role-play.

**Matto**: Madge I think I've performed very well this year and I'm on a relatively modest deal, I'd like to talk upgrades. I'm sorry my manager went to the press so quickly, I didn't realise it would come out in a negative light just after the season finished. I'd like to genuinely discuss options with you.

**Madge**: I appreciate that mate and I do wish we could have kept this conversation within the club. Here's the deal - Ivan signed a number of players to long-term deals, but as the new head coach, they aren't in my plans. They are good fellows but this is a business and we have overspent without seeing a return.

Right now, including the penalty we are still carrying for 2020, this organisation is at 95% of our salary cap. You are aware that we have very little money to offer Chris Lawrence and similarly couldn't adequately compete for the mid-season contract of DWZ.

I definitely want to clear some salary cap space. I think it's going to work out for the better, but it takes months to work out how players can be moved on. **You see, we are contractually obliged to pay these underperforming players at the rate we agreed when they signed on. Similarly, you are contractually obliged to play football at the rate you agreed to when you signed on.**

I totally agree with you that I think your performance this season warrants a contract upgrade, but also we will expect an ongoing consistency of your output every season. We see you as a key pillar to our long-term strategy for on and off-field success.

But, fundamentally, I can't commit to giving you more money until I can definitely free up salary cap space.

I appreciate you being forthright with me, so I want to be equally transparent with you: we finished 9th this year. Maybe we can perform better as a team and make the finals, but also we need to seriously consider improving the roster. **If I free up salary cap space and give it straight to you and other upgrades, or roster does not change.** I am sure you can understand, how can I improve the roster when the current players want to eat up any salary cap space that becomes available? Isn't the definition of madness doing the same thing and expecting a different result?

A very well put together scenario :+1:

 

[tigeress]

Yeah good article.

At the risk of stirring up home ground stuff again, i think half the problem with this club is we just don't have an identity. What do we stand for? What does it mean to play for Wests Tigers? Where is our home? What makes us stand out from the rest as an attractive option to play footy?

When i ask those questions, i don't like the answers to many of them. All of our issues have been created from the front office, every single one of them. Until some of the hard decisions are made especially about home grounds i just don't see it changing. Madge will do his best, anyone can see the man has principles and backbone. Doesn't look for the easy way out, but i'm not sure the right people are in charge to lead this club out of our never ending torment.

:+1:

 

[tigeress]

Wests Tigers the doormat of the NRL
BRENT READ
Follow @brentread_7

55 MINUTES AGO SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

In the days leading up the Wests Tigers’ premiership win in 2005, former chief executive Steve Noyce — high on emotion and ambition — banged his chest and talked about the club wanting to become the Manchester United of the NRL.

All these years later, they are more akin to Accrington Stanley. The 2005 title was meant to be a turning point in the joint venture’s history.

Instead, it has become a distant sepia-toned memory that Tigers fans and officials cling to as they reminisce about the good old days and claim they can still be a force.


Truth is, the Tigers have been a light touch ever since, a doormat for rival clubs, players and their agents.

Michael Maguire said it best after his side’s inglorious exit from the finals race before a packed house at Leichhardt Oval last weekend.

For too long, near enough has been good enough for the Tigers. They talk a good game but play a soft one.

The club has been played off a break for more than a decade and they now reach a fork in the road as they contemplate the loss of backrower Ryan Matterson, arguably their best player this season.

Matterson is apparently upset with Maguire — there has been talk of a testy conversation a few weeks ago — yet the coach has spoken to the player and insists there are no issues.

Believe what you will. Some would suggest the problems have more to do with the club’s salary cap and the legacy of a past that has clouded their future, leaving them in a position where they must move players if they are to accommodate the likes of Benji Marshall and Chris Lawrence next season.


The Tigers have made a series of poor decisions with their cap, but Matterson has been one they got right. Too right it seems.

On his form this year, when he went close to cracking the NSW side, he is worth more than the Tigers are paying him.

He has two years remaining on a deal that now appears a bargain for the Tigers. As is so often the case in these situations, the player — or at least someone close to him — now appears to be agitating for change.

Maguire has extracted the best from Matterson and personally lobbied NSW coach Brad Fittler to have him as part of the Blues set-up.

His reward for going into bat for his player? Rumours that Matterson is exploring his options. Thanks for nothing.

The time has come for the Tigers to make a stand. They need to decide what sort of club they want to be.

They have made a series of poor decisions in recent years. They parted with their future when they lost Aaron Woods, James Tedesco and Mitchell Moses.

They followed that up with a series of shocking calls as they attempted to rebuild. It could be years before they recover from the mess they have made for themselves by handing inflated contracts to players when the club was in a state of mild panic.

Many of those responsible are now gone but those who remain are duty-bound to help the club find a way out of the malaise they are in.

The NRL is currently reviewing the game’s footprint as they determine what sort of shape they want the competition to take in years to come.

Fingers have been pointed at Manly and Cronulla. So too the Gold Coast. Yet the game’s greatest underachievers for the past decade have been the Tigers.

Since they last played finals footy in 2011, even the Titans have finished in the top eight. The Tigers have been an afterthought. Days like last Sunday, when the hill at Leichhardt Oval was packed and optimism filled the air, have been few and far between.

Year after year we hear about a sleeping giant with a huge supporter base. Year after year their soft underbelly is exposed.

Maguire has set about changing that and he has been met with resistance. He wants the Tigers to challenge for premierships and makes no apologies for attempting to alter a mindset of mediocrity that has infiltrated the club.

He has pushed the players and there are rumblings that some are restless. Maguire is a winner. A demanding one at that. The Tigers and their players need to buy what he is selling, Matterson among them.

If Matterson truly wants out, the Tigers need to play hardball. If they can get a player of similar ilk at Matterson’s price, give it some thought.

Otherwise, stand their ground and tell him if he isn’t playing with them, he isn’t playing at all. Tell him he will get an upgrade when the club can afford it and if he still isn’t happy, sit him out for 12 months.

The Tigers need to find their identity again. The days of being a doormat are over.

This article hits the nail on the head:+1: :clap: :clap:

 

[Snake]

@NT_Tiger News Flash ...the board are the PROBLEM they are not working together for the betterment of the club ...They all have there own agendas! There from different parts of the city and want the team playing in there areas hence multiple home grounds .. the leaks started once Ms Go was knifed and a couple of them blind sided her with the NRL .
The day they through Ms Go out the door it has been a spiral down hill..I still do not understand how Pascoe still has a job with the unprofessional way the Farah situation was dealt with not withstanding the $100’s. and the consequences it has had for the team moving forward . But I suppose when there is NO real leadership anywhere birds of a feather flock together .

 

[Telltails]

How quickly people forget the debacle that occured while Marina Go was chair.

 

[earl]

@Snake What does the board have to do with Matterson either not liking the coach or not being paid enough ?

 

[gallagher]

How quickly people forget the debacle that occured while Marina Go was chair.

Weve had a few. Which one in particular?

 

[Telltails]

How quickly people forget the debacle that occured while Marina Go was chair.

Weve had a few. Which one in particular?

Exactly.

 

[jirskyr]

@Cultured_Bogan You are spot on mate, she was doing a great job.

Marina learned a lot on the job. She also was the chair during the JT fiasco and I believe her judgement during that period was clouded.
She handled Clearys defection admirably and, I was really disappointed by the board not backing her over the ambassador' s role.

Look, I'm not anti-Marina at all, but as noted she was here for 4.5 years *including* the firing of Potter, the hiring of Taylor, the firing of Taylor, the ousting of Farah, the hiring of Ivan, the defection of Ivan, the Farah salary cap penalty.

Fans are very quick to point fingers at Pascoe and now O'Farrell for either being around during these crises, or not making enough noise when crises are occurring. Marina was chair when Pascoe was hired.

I'm sure Marina did do a good job, but the club's track record during her tenure was ordinary. The club's track record during all tenures has been ordinary!

I cannot say, from the outside, how well or otherwise she truly performed and how much success was attributable to her, or issues not attributable to her.

So IMO the same arguments that people level at Pascoe, for example, can apply equally to Marina. Or, like myself, just accept that most of us don't really known what Go / Pascoe / O'Farrell can really be credited or discredited for from the outside.

 

[Snake]

@Earl Well the ratification of recommendations of Cleary blindly to tick off on paying massive overs for players that were not worth half that much ! as a more professional and due diligent board would of NOT ! hence not enabling the club to offer Matterson more $ .. . It all revolves around the Board the Mediocrity cycle that our club finds itself in comes totally from the them.

 

[gallagher]

@Cultured_Bogan You are spot on mate, she was doing a great job.

Marina learned a lot on the job. She also was the chair during the JT fiasco and I believe her judgement during that period was clouded.
She handled Clearys defection admirably and, I was really disappointed by the board not backing her over the ambassador' s role.

Look, I'm not anti-Marina at all, but as noted she was here for 4.5 years *including* the firing of Potter, the hiring of Taylor, the firing of Taylor, the ousting of Farah, the hiring of Ivan, the defection of Ivan, the Farah salary cap penalty.

Fans are very quick to point fingers at Pascoe and now O'Farrell for either being around during these crises, or not making enough noise when crises are occurring. Marina was chair when Pascoe was hired.

I'm sure Marina did do a good job, but the club's track record during her tenure was ordinary. The club's track record during all tenures has been ordinary!

I cannot say, from the outside, how well or otherwise she truly performed and how much success was attributable to her, or issues not attributable to her.

So IMO the same arguments that people level at Pascoe, for example, can apply equally to Marina. Or, like myself, just accept that most of us don't really known what Go / Pascoe / O'Farrell can really be credited or discredited for from the outside.

Probably shared blame, but either both the board and the CEO or one of them should be accountable.

People love to rattle off how well we are travelling off the field but I can see no difference in the club since Go or Pascoe turned up.

 

[earl]

@Snake do you think the board makes those decisions and were they clearly that poor decisions at the time ? I think if you employ a coach, a footy manager and a recruitment manager these guys should be providing you with good recommendations. Plus we were in a mess.

 

[hodgo]

Hasn't this gone way off topic

 

[Bula]

Regarding the continuing training - I agree it’s probably over the top but these blokes just have to suck it up. The mentality of some young elite athletes drives me nuts. I love listening to stories of blokes who went the extra yards. Recently listened to Matty Johns talking about him and Joey spending more time doing extras than in training. Craig Johnstone hitting 10000 balls a day. Brett Finch saying how he was better prepared than anyone because his natural talent was low. Great stuff. WE HAVE A COACH MADE OF THIS STUFF. If he says train - then friggen we’ll train because if you do you might actually win some games and stop disappointing thousands of loyal fans!!!

Ricky Stuart overtrained Canberra and they burnt out every year.

He let them have more time off this time and they are top4.

This is not 1963. More training / summer heat does not equal success.

We should look at NFL and how they do it.

More time off? This club is on holiday every year second week of September for eight years. Anymore time off and they might as well go on the dole.

They will only go on the dole if its upgraded.

A few of them would be on the DSP.

 

[BZN]

I have only ever had one bet on a horse @happy_tiger and that was when I was in my last year of high school in 1962. One of the kids was taking bets so I placed 3 pence on Even Stevens???? and won 9 pence.
I'm absolutely certain if you are comparing Matterson to a horse you will find Matterson is much more complex than a horse.
I'm absolutely certain if you are comparing Matterson to a horse you will find he has different needs and desires to a horse.
But in saying that, I remember seeing a news item on tv a few years back where a horse during a race jumped the rail throwing its jockey off and was out the gate and off down the road.
I'm sure with it being a racehorse, it would have been fed and housed in a proper manner with all its needs supplied, but it just wasn't happy for some reason. Maybe it just didn't like its trainer and was trying to tell the trainer to back off. Or, maybe it was expressing its desire to be a steeple jumper rather than a track racer? Who knows? Do you?
You seem to be the type of guy that loves horses or at least loves to bet on horses. But at the same time, it 'seems' you want to just run roughshod over Matterson by just accepting Madge saying 'if you don't do it my way bugger off'.
IMO, I feel there is much more going on in the background than we are privy to. IMO we are going to hear a lot more about this as the days go by.

 

[BZN]

G'day @fair-dinkum: when did Sheens make our team train up till the GF, as I have forgotten? Was it before or after our amazing 2005 GFW? Have a great day :fa-smile-o:

 

[BZN]

G'day @Telltails: Please refresh my memory as to Marina Go's opinion of 'Farah for Ambassador'.:fa-smile-o:

 

[newtiger]

Hasn't this gone way off topic

That's unusual to wander off topic.

 

[Tigerboy]

Regarding the continuing training - I agree it’s probably over the top but these blokes just have to suck it up. The mentality of some young elite athletes drives me nuts. I love listening to stories of blokes who went the extra yards. Recently listened to Matty Johns talking about him and Joey spending more time doing extras than in training. Craig Johnstone hitting 10000 balls a day. Brett Finch saying how he was better prepared than anyone because his natural talent was low. Great stuff. WE HAVE A COACH MADE OF THIS STUFF. If he says train - then friggen we’ll train because if you do you might actually win some games and stop disappointing thousands of loyal fans!!!

Ricky Stuart overtrained Canberra and they burnt out every year.

He let them have more time off this time and they are top4.

This is not 1963. More training / summer heat does not equal success.

We should look at NFL and how they do it.

More time off? This club is on holiday every year second week of September for eight years. Anymore time off and they might as well go on the dole.

They will only go on the dole if its upgraded.

A few of them would be on the DSP.

Lmao that’s an insult to them

 

[tigeress]

Fantastic article by Brent Read, we should all email that to the club and demand change.

:+1: