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NSW Cup Preview: Old habits die hard for Paul Fletcher
By Wayne Cousins
Wests Tigers
Thursday 22 August 2013 4:28 PM
NSW Cup Preview: Old habits die hard for Paul Fletcher
Coach Paul Fletcher sits back and scratches his head when he reflects on the NSW Cup season to date.
To say Fletcher is frustrated is an understatement. With three rounds remaining before the finals series begin, Wests Tigers sit in seventh place.
“When I look at the competition ladder, we are two points off fourth position. I just think of the opportunities we have missed throughout the season where we could be sitting in the top four quite comfortably,’’ Fletcher said.
“Our for-and-against copped a hammering in our last two losses to Newtown and Cronulla. We were +79 going into those two games. We can still make fourth but not now on for and against.”
NSW CUP LADDER
Although happy to take the two points with a win over Manly at Brookvale Oval last Saturday, Fletcher says the old habit of falling asleep after half-time continues allowing sides to get back into the game after his men recorded a big lead.
“In weeks gone by, we started poorly in the second half and capitulated.
Against Manly, we led 18-6 at half-time and started slowly again but fortunately we fought our way back into it so there was a bit of character there,’’ Fletcher said.
“I was a lot happier than I had been. We needed to win. The old habits go back to the youth. Some of the boys have the attitude where if the opposition scores two tries, we score three. That’s healthy to a point but sometimes it doesn’t always work.
“In one period, we made 7 errors in six sets. I need the older, experienced players to pull us together and settle us down when this happens. I can’t accept unforced errors. It is a bad habit.
“Our contact was better against Manly and we were aggressive. They didn’t roll through our middle like sides have done previously.”
Wests Tigers play third placed North Sydney at Campbelltown Sports Stadium at 3pm on Saturday, August 24.
By Wayne Cousins
Wests Tigers
Thursday 22 August 2013 4:28 PM
NSW Cup Preview: Old habits die hard for Paul Fletcher
Coach Paul Fletcher sits back and scratches his head when he reflects on the NSW Cup season to date.
To say Fletcher is frustrated is an understatement. With three rounds remaining before the finals series begin, Wests Tigers sit in seventh place.
“When I look at the competition ladder, we are two points off fourth position. I just think of the opportunities we have missed throughout the season where we could be sitting in the top four quite comfortably,’’ Fletcher said.
“Our for-and-against copped a hammering in our last two losses to Newtown and Cronulla. We were +79 going into those two games. We can still make fourth but not now on for and against.”
NSW CUP LADDER
Although happy to take the two points with a win over Manly at Brookvale Oval last Saturday, Fletcher says the old habit of falling asleep after half-time continues allowing sides to get back into the game after his men recorded a big lead.
“In weeks gone by, we started poorly in the second half and capitulated.
Against Manly, we led 18-6 at half-time and started slowly again but fortunately we fought our way back into it so there was a bit of character there,’’ Fletcher said.
“I was a lot happier than I had been. We needed to win. The old habits go back to the youth. Some of the boys have the attitude where if the opposition scores two tries, we score three. That’s healthy to a point but sometimes it doesn’t always work.
“In one period, we made 7 errors in six sets. I need the older, experienced players to pull us together and settle us down when this happens. I can’t accept unforced errors. It is a bad habit.
“Our contact was better against Manly and we were aggressive. They didn’t roll through our middle like sides have done previously.”
Wests Tigers play third placed North Sydney at Campbelltown Sports Stadium at 3pm on Saturday, August 24.
