Dear Tim
I write this letter to you as a result of the recent match against the Raiders in Rd 4 of the 2012 NRL season.
Firstly, I want to say that I am a big fan of yours. As a fellow St Dominic’s College student, I’ve always had an interest wherever you coached, and was very excited when you agreed to coach the Tigers from 2003 onwards. That excitement was justified when you coached the team to a premiership in 2005, and for that I will be forever grateful.
I want to wish you luck this week in what is your 650th First Grade game as a coach, a feat which shows what a great coach you are.
But in saying all that, I, like many other Wests Tigers fans and members of the club, were left scratching our heads when the team was revealed at 6pm Monday Night in the game against Canberra.
I understand what effect injuries and suspensions have on teams, and in the first 3 games this year we have copped enough to last a season, but I, and many Tigers fans, would like an explanation as to why we went into the match with a bench containing a fullback turn halfback, and a winger turn centre.
Canberra boast the biggest pack in the NRL. They are big, strong, powerful, and given the performance of the team in the previous round against St George Illawarra, would have been confident of running over the top of our young pack.
Aaron Woods and Matt Groat are both going to be accomplished NRL front rowers, in years to come. They are young, they are green, and against the Dragons were severely exposed. Most assumed that this area would be rectified against the Raiders, but you went into the next game by dropping another Front Rower from the bench (who for the record offered the most impact and was one of our best performers against the Dragons), and adding a specialist back line player.
Over the years, the game has changed dramatically, and gone are the days where you only need a strong starting 13 to compete. The game is so fast, that a strong squad of 17 is a must to compete, especially in games where the opposition is as big as that raiders pack is.
I cannot question the effort or commitment of the team on Monday night. Their goal line defence which was so shaky the previous week was much improved, and the scramble defence in denying the raiders numerous tries was outstanding. We went into halftime with a lead on the back of this effort, despite the Raiders having numerous opportunities to score, and despite some of the players starting to look tired.
Then came the second half, and the tiredness of only using a squad of 15 players really showed. Instead of having fresh players on the field, our forwards were tired, there was no line speed at all, players started dropping off tackles, and after being completely dominated in the ruck by a raiders team that was aggressive and strong in the play the ball, they had plenty of time to spread the ball wide and let Campese run the show.
Canberra were able to make easy metres, and I can only put that down to our players being tired. We were coming off a 10 day turn-a-round, so fatigue should not have been an issue. It was however, because of the squad and in particular bench you selected.
I am not sure how you expected or more likely hoped the game would pan out, and would love to hear your reasoning behind picking 2 backline players on the bench, but looking from afar, there was ever only going to be one outcome with a bench like we had.
The game has changed Tim, and it’s time you change with it.
Good luck on Sunday, good luck in 2012, and GO THE TIGERS.
I write this letter to you as a result of the recent match against the Raiders in Rd 4 of the 2012 NRL season.
Firstly, I want to say that I am a big fan of yours. As a fellow St Dominic’s College student, I’ve always had an interest wherever you coached, and was very excited when you agreed to coach the Tigers from 2003 onwards. That excitement was justified when you coached the team to a premiership in 2005, and for that I will be forever grateful.
I want to wish you luck this week in what is your 650th First Grade game as a coach, a feat which shows what a great coach you are.
But in saying all that, I, like many other Wests Tigers fans and members of the club, were left scratching our heads when the team was revealed at 6pm Monday Night in the game against Canberra.
I understand what effect injuries and suspensions have on teams, and in the first 3 games this year we have copped enough to last a season, but I, and many Tigers fans, would like an explanation as to why we went into the match with a bench containing a fullback turn halfback, and a winger turn centre.
Canberra boast the biggest pack in the NRL. They are big, strong, powerful, and given the performance of the team in the previous round against St George Illawarra, would have been confident of running over the top of our young pack.
Aaron Woods and Matt Groat are both going to be accomplished NRL front rowers, in years to come. They are young, they are green, and against the Dragons were severely exposed. Most assumed that this area would be rectified against the Raiders, but you went into the next game by dropping another Front Rower from the bench (who for the record offered the most impact and was one of our best performers against the Dragons), and adding a specialist back line player.
Over the years, the game has changed dramatically, and gone are the days where you only need a strong starting 13 to compete. The game is so fast, that a strong squad of 17 is a must to compete, especially in games where the opposition is as big as that raiders pack is.
I cannot question the effort or commitment of the team on Monday night. Their goal line defence which was so shaky the previous week was much improved, and the scramble defence in denying the raiders numerous tries was outstanding. We went into halftime with a lead on the back of this effort, despite the Raiders having numerous opportunities to score, and despite some of the players starting to look tired.
Then came the second half, and the tiredness of only using a squad of 15 players really showed. Instead of having fresh players on the field, our forwards were tired, there was no line speed at all, players started dropping off tackles, and after being completely dominated in the ruck by a raiders team that was aggressive and strong in the play the ball, they had plenty of time to spread the ball wide and let Campese run the show.
Canberra were able to make easy metres, and I can only put that down to our players being tired. We were coming off a 10 day turn-a-round, so fatigue should not have been an issue. It was however, because of the squad and in particular bench you selected.
I am not sure how you expected or more likely hoped the game would pan out, and would love to hear your reasoning behind picking 2 backline players on the bench, but looking from afar, there was ever only going to be one outcome with a bench like we had.
The game has changed Tim, and it’s time you change with it.
Good luck on Sunday, good luck in 2012, and GO THE TIGERS.
