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Tigers' young guns re-sign as Folkes puts heat on squad
Greg Prichard | November 20, 2009
Wests Tigers high-performance manager Steve Folkes has been in the job for barely two weeks, but the players already feel he is challenging them to reach new levels of physical fitness.
And if a fitter body leads to a sounder mind and helps turn a few of those narrow losses that were the difference for the Tigers last season into wins next season - getting them to the finals - then the former Bulldogs premiership-winning coach will have done his job.
Three Tigers players - Tim Moltzen, Beau Ryan and Blake Ayshford - yesterday spoke of their decisions to extend their contracts with the club, and provided an insight into the effect Folkes is having with his highly disciplined approach.
The trio was off contract at the end of next season, but are now committed until the end of 2012.
''We're seeing it with little things, like in the gym the music's off at the moment, and there's no talking in the gym, which is about encouraging you to concentrate on doing your work,'' Moltzen said. ''You can talk when you're not working.
''It's tough, but every pre-season is. 'Folkesy' has been really good. I'm enjoying what we're doing. We're getting through it with his help. You know, it's our job and we do what we've got to do.
''Some of the stuff we've done has challenged us, but we're getting through it, and at this time of the year you've got to expect to be put through some challenging things. It's enjoyable, it's good fun.''
The Tigers trained under the midday sun yesterday. The smell was of sun cream rather than liniment.
''Yeah, it's been pretty hard,'' Ryan said. ''We've been doing a lot of running, and Folkesy likes training in the middle of the day, for some reason. We all had to get bikes, and tomorrow we've got swimming. I think we're going to be the Wests greyhounds, not the Wests Tigers.
''He's straight down the line. He's good in the gym for us, we've got a lot of new techniques and new methods since he's been on-board. Everyone's excited with him, and there's a mutual respect. It's the second week, and it already feels like I've been here for eight weeks. He's got a knack for bringing out the best in people, that's for sure.''
The Tigers hope they will eventually impress Folkes enough with their attitude to be allowed to turn the music back on.
''There's no music and no air-conditioner,'' Ayshford said. ''So we're sweating up a bit. I think he's just trying to get us into the pre-season mentality - he's really working us hard and stamping his authority at the moment, which is good. It's working on us.
''Hopefully, we'll start getting the music in and the air-conditioner will start to work soon. One of the boys asked him whether the air-conditioner could be turned on, and he said it was broken. I don't know whether it's broken or not - we're too scared to try it at the moment.''
The Herald has it on reliable authority that the air-conditioner does work, but none of the players are likely to be silly enough to test Folkes's authority by switching it on.
Greg Prichard | November 20, 2009
Wests Tigers high-performance manager Steve Folkes has been in the job for barely two weeks, but the players already feel he is challenging them to reach new levels of physical fitness.
And if a fitter body leads to a sounder mind and helps turn a few of those narrow losses that were the difference for the Tigers last season into wins next season - getting them to the finals - then the former Bulldogs premiership-winning coach will have done his job.
Three Tigers players - Tim Moltzen, Beau Ryan and Blake Ayshford - yesterday spoke of their decisions to extend their contracts with the club, and provided an insight into the effect Folkes is having with his highly disciplined approach.
The trio was off contract at the end of next season, but are now committed until the end of 2012.
''We're seeing it with little things, like in the gym the music's off at the moment, and there's no talking in the gym, which is about encouraging you to concentrate on doing your work,'' Moltzen said. ''You can talk when you're not working.
''It's tough, but every pre-season is. 'Folkesy' has been really good. I'm enjoying what we're doing. We're getting through it with his help. You know, it's our job and we do what we've got to do.
''Some of the stuff we've done has challenged us, but we're getting through it, and at this time of the year you've got to expect to be put through some challenging things. It's enjoyable, it's good fun.''
The Tigers trained under the midday sun yesterday. The smell was of sun cream rather than liniment.
''Yeah, it's been pretty hard,'' Ryan said. ''We've been doing a lot of running, and Folkesy likes training in the middle of the day, for some reason. We all had to get bikes, and tomorrow we've got swimming. I think we're going to be the Wests greyhounds, not the Wests Tigers.
''He's straight down the line. He's good in the gym for us, we've got a lot of new techniques and new methods since he's been on-board. Everyone's excited with him, and there's a mutual respect. It's the second week, and it already feels like I've been here for eight weeks. He's got a knack for bringing out the best in people, that's for sure.''
The Tigers hope they will eventually impress Folkes enough with their attitude to be allowed to turn the music back on.
''There's no music and no air-conditioner,'' Ayshford said. ''So we're sweating up a bit. I think he's just trying to get us into the pre-season mentality - he's really working us hard and stamping his authority at the moment, which is good. It's working on us.
''Hopefully, we'll start getting the music in and the air-conditioner will start to work soon. One of the boys asked him whether the air-conditioner could be turned on, and he said it was broken. I don't know whether it's broken or not - we're too scared to try it at the moment.''
The Herald has it on reliable authority that the air-conditioner does work, but none of the players are likely to be silly enough to test Folkes's authority by switching it on.
