Jason Taylor’s Wests Tigers defy the odds with $1.5 million talent sidelined

[GNR4LIFE]

HOW on earth did a team with $1.5 million less talent beat the defending premiers?

Missing Robbie Farah (reserve grade), Luke Brooks (knee injury) and Matt Ballin (knee injury), the Tigers put North Queensland to the sword.

They also lost Elijah Taylor to a concussion early in Sunday’s victory.

What makes the win and the fact they’re now in the top eight so remarkable is the fact that it was only 12 months ago that Wests Tigers chairwoman Marina Go confessed it could take the club three years to fix their salary cap mess.

This is a team with multiple excuses to fall short at their fingertips.

This is the team whose biggest star, their highest paid player, has had a public falling out with the coach and been banished to reserve grade.

The same team who played a winger in the hooking role throughout stages of their round 20 win over the Dragons and this weekend’s win over the Cowboys.

Yes, the team now without their halfback for at least the next month due to a PCL injury.

To put Jason Taylor’s success into perspective you need only look to last-placed Newcastle.

The Knights have their money tied up in overpaid players and are operating with a very little wriggle room in their salary cap.

Sounds familiar doesn’t it?

Yet unlike the Knights who have tasted victory only once this season, the Tigers have won three straight and sit in eighth spot on the table.

Essentially operating off the fumes of an oily rag, the Tigers are defying the odds.

They have $900,000 of their salary cap sitting in reserve grade yet Taylor has a plan and it’s paying dividends.

With four rounds remaining, the Tigers are on track to feature in the finals for the first time since 2011.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/tigers/nrl-2016-jason-taylors-wests-tigers-defy-the-odds-with-15-million-talent-sidelined–highs-lows-and-big-blows/news-story/7ad1b438cc6a24c2c28e2b4cdbe005b1

 

[Eddie]

We have a talented and under rated squad and Taylor and the coaches are starting to get the best out of them. They deserve credit but need to remember with all this positive press a week can be a long time in Rugby League.

 

[TrueTiger]

Jason Taylor has made some tough and hard decisions all for the benefit of the team and club,he also shoulders the blame for those decisions and has stuck by them,we are now seeing the positive result's… The young players are now developing into very good NRL players thanks to the diligent coaching staff..

Congratulations on a superb effort all round in getting a much needed confidence booster win against a very talented and seasoned Cowboys outfit..

 

[foreveratiger]

One thing that is for certain now is…...

There is no way a win would of been achieved yesterday if there was disharmony amongst the playing group or Coaching staff, Mentally you simply don't get up for these games if there is chaos in the Club....well there has been but didn't play like there is.

We had a group of players that believed in everything there trying to do.....they had Passion, Desire, commitment, Courageous, even call it against the odds when we lost E.T but they had a desire not to let there Man next to them down.
Even Rankin was brilliant 😱pen_mouth:.

My voice and excitement was back yesterday.....Giddy up!!!!

 

[Tigerdave]

It's pretty much all in our hands, we're playing 3 teams all vying for basically the 7th and 8th spots, win all 3 and that should be done. The last game for us against the Raiders, potentially, may not have any bearing on where we sit on the table…...........hope we win it though :slight_smile:

 

[galea_11]

Coach should not be head of the social club I look back now all the coaches I hated Was because he put more pressure on me and discipline as young fella.

Then watch Bellamy Bennett Hasler Make decisions and push players

 

[NT_Tiger]

One thing that is for certain now is…...

There is no way a win would of been achieved yesterday if there was disharmony amongst the playing group or Coaching staff, Mentally you simply don't get up for these games if there is chaos in the Club....well there has been but didn't play like there is.

We had a group of players that believed in everything there trying to do.....they had Passion, Desire, commitment, Courageous, even call it against the odds when we lost E.T but they had a desire not to let there Man next to them down.
Even Rankin was brilliant 😱pen_mouth:.

My voice and excitement was back yesterday.....Giddy up!!!!

Well said

 

[Geo]

One thing that is for certain now is…...

There is no way a win would of been achieved yesterday if there was disharmony amongst the playing group or Coaching staff, Mentally you simply don't get up for these games if there is chaos in the Club....well there has been but didn't play like there is.

We had a group of players that believed in everything there trying to do.....they had Passion, Desire, commitment, Courageous, even call it against the odds when we lost E.T but they had a desire not to let there Man next to them down.
Even Rankin was brilliant 😱pen_mouth:.

My voice and excitement was back yesterday.....Giddy up!!!!

Great post FT..

:astonished: Compare yesterday to the Raiders Game and it's chalk n cheese…It's been the last 2 months IMO ...everyone is on the same page..it's a credit to them and the Coaching staff...

P.S. I hope Hobbo doesn't see these posts... 😕

 

[Spartan117]

References to the Top 8 might be short lived depending on tonights results Penrith Vs Roosters

8. Wests Tigers 24
9. Titans 23
10. Panthers 22 Better +/- %

 

[Spartan117]

<big>Next Week</big>

Panthers Vs Newcastle

Tigers Vs Titans
<big>Next Next week</big>

Tigers vs Panthers

Titans Vs Newcastle

Lets hop we can get a couple of wins …. Semis may..... Actually Im not going to type it.

 

[strrretch]

It's " Jason Taylor's" Wests Tigers?
Haha, gotta laugh. No doubt some of the muppet coach knockers on this site are feeling a bit uncomfortable
The team and club is suddenly looking kinda hot, the last few weeks being a tigers fan is a good feeling

 

[bigsiro]

It's " Jason Taylor's" Wests Tigers?
Haha, gotta laugh. No doubt some of the muppet coach knockers on this site are feeling a bit uncomfortable
The team and club is suddenly looking kinda hot, the last few weeks being a tigers fan is a good feeling

It's a great feeling. Am wearing my colours today with pride.

I'm a JT knocker but can't dispute what a great victory that was. It was arguably Taylor's greatest win and he absolutely engineered it. Kudos.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

TEDESCO: "Whatever team strategy JT comes up with for any game we are all confident in that. We all buy into that and it shows. To beat the Cowboys will give us a massive boost heading into the end of the season. I don’t think I have won three in a row here before at the Tigers. Everyone is just excited to play with each other, there is a good mood and a good vibe around the place."

Not a bad quote from a guy who the majority of clubs would be willing to trade a first born for this time next yr.

 

[Sco77y]

TEDESCO: "Whatever team strategy JT comes up with for any game we are all confident in that. We all buy into that and it shows. To beat the Cowboys will give us a massive boost heading into the end of the season. I don’t think I have won three in a row here before at the Tigers. Everyone is just excited to play with each other, there is a good mood and a good vibe around the place."

Not a bad quote from a guy who the majority of clubs would be willing to trade a first born for this time next yr.

Yeah great to hear. And I think yesterdays performance is proof of that good vibe. Unfortunately took some people a performance like that to believe what was going on, and there it is. Tigers Facebook probably a little quiet now.. Don't think we'll hear too many more "Scarecrow" or similar references for a while.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

TEDESCO: "Whatever team strategy JT comes up with for any game we are all confident in that. We all buy into that and it shows. To beat the Cowboys will give us a massive boost heading into the end of the season. I don’t think I have won three in a row here before at the Tigers. Everyone is just excited to play with each other, there is a good mood and a good vibe around the place."

Not a bad quote from a guy who the majority of clubs would be willing to trade a first born for this time next yr.

Yeah great to hear. And I think yesterdays performance is proof of that good vibe. Unfortunately took some people a performance like that to believe what was going on, and there it is. **Tigers Facebook probably a little quiet now**.. Don't think we'll hear too many more "Scarecrow" or similar references for a while.

Some posters here very conspicuous by their absence too.

 

[Sco77y]

TEDESCO: "Whatever team strategy JT comes up with for any game we are all confident in that. We all buy into that and it shows. To beat the Cowboys will give us a massive boost heading into the end of the season. I don’t think I have won three in a row here before at the Tigers. Everyone is just excited to play with each other, there is a good mood and a good vibe around the place."

Not a bad quote from a guy who the majority of clubs would be willing to trade a first born for this time next yr.

Yeah great to hear. And I think yesterdays performance is proof of that good vibe. Unfortunately took some people a performance like that to believe what was going on, and there it is. **Tigers Facebook probably a little quiet now**.. Don't think we'll hear too many more "Scarecrow" or similar references for a while.

Some posters here very conspicuous by their absence too.

Yep, and that!

 

[greatodensraven]

Exciting times aren't they. The job isn't finished yet tho, still need to get to the semis & do well there.

Was it JT who once said, "you're never going as good or as bad as what the press make out"?

I really hope we keep the momentum going!!

 

[supercoach]

A winning team is a happy team. You win games and you get positive press, loose a couple of games and the knives come out in force.

All year barring Farah I have not heard one player say something negative about Taylor and his methods and a few have been quoted as being behind him 100%.

Taylor is a hard nosed guy who has not taken a backward step, I admire him
BUT
I still think we would be a better side with Farah coming off the bench

 

[ricksen]

The kids are becoming men. I love it.

 

[TopTiger]

A winning team is a happy team. You win games and you get positive press, loose a couple of games and the knives come out in force.

All year barring Farah I have not heard one player say something negative about Taylor and his methods and a few have been quoted as being behind him 100%.

Taylor is a hard nosed guy who has not taken a backward step, I admire him
BUT
I still think we would be a better side with Farah coming off the bench

X2