WestsBenTigers
New member
@ said:
Because Parra & Souths had a massive advantage playing sides 3 times this year with themselves not missing anyone
OFFICIAL: Ben Matulino to join Wests Tigers
- Thread starter vlad
- Start date
Because Parra & Souths had a massive advantage playing sides 3 times this year with themselves not missing anyone
GNR4LIFE
Well-known member
@ said:
Different player. Packer's aggressive, a hit man. Matulino relies on skill. Good ball skills for a big man. Very similar to Todd Payten.
WestsBenTigers
New member
@ said:
imo there is a wing spot up for grabs this year
Brett Morris won't play so Mansour will take his spot
After an underwhelming season I don't think Ferguson will retain his spot on the wing. The main candidates are: Nofo, L Mitchell, T Trbojevic, JAC
So depending on injuries and depending how the nes coach goes, Nofo is in a chance for selection
GNR4LIFE
Well-known member
@ said:
Mate, please. Noffa and JAC's defence, or lack thereof immediately takes them out of the equation. All JAC has is speed. Noffa is a strong ball runner, but that's about it. You need to spend more time watching them without the ball.
Balmainbred
Active member
Totally agree with the general both players defence is pretty ordinary
I don't think Ben Matulino will make the team either..
Tim Sheens
Well-known member
@ said:
Most definitely not as a winger, though Tamou showed a turn of speed.
Tweed_Tiger
Well-known member
**Ben Matulino retires from New Zealand duties to focus on rebuilding the Wests Tigers**
_MATT LOGUE, The Daily Telegraph_
BEN Matulino says he has retired from New Zealand duties to focus on helping Ivan Cleary build an NRL superpower at the Wests Tigers.
Matulino, who has played 23 Tests for the Kiwis between 2009-2015, decided the time was right to walk away from the representative ranks.
He personally called New Zealand coach Michael Maguire last week to inform him of his decision to put club footy before his country.
“I spoke to Maguire and told him I just want to put all my energy into one team now and focus on that,” Matulino, 29, told The Daily Telegraph.
“My ageing body played a role, but it was more about what is happening at the Tigers.
“They have been good to me and looked after me really well, so I thought it would be best to repay them by putting all my energy into club level.”
Matulino believes the Tigers are on the cusp of big things.
He says the joint-venture club’s culture is similar to the Warriors in 2011 when Cleary guided the New Zealanders to the grand final against Manly.
“We are definitely building something special,” he said.
“I can see a lot of similarities at the Tigers now to when we were at the Warriors.
“Ivan also took the Penrith team to the semi-finals when he was there. I know that he will rebuild this Tigers team the same way.
“That is why I wanted to get on the back of it.”
Matulino concedes the Tigers are far from the polished product after 13 rounds, but he remains optimistic about their chances this season.
Despite claiming two wins in their past seven games, Cleary’s men are only two points outside the top eight.
“I know we haven’t won as many games as we’d like, but our defence has been going really well,” he said.
“Our attack has been struggling, but I’d rather our defence be on track and we can work on our attack.
“If we can improve our attack, we’ll move up the ladder for sure and it’s pretty scary to think where we will get.”
Matulino also wants to devote more time to his two children — Kyla (five) and Braxton (two).
“It’s harder now my family is in Australia,” he says.
“If I was to go on a tour overseas at the end of the year, it would have put a lot of pressure on my family being stuck in Sydney.
“That wouldn’t be fair on them. It would have been OK when I was in New Zealand because I have a lot of family over there.
“But I’ve had a good representative career.”
Matulino has retired from representative football, but he’ll never forget his seven-year tenure in a New Zealand jumper.
He nominated the Kiwis’ 2015 Anzac Test triumph as his highlight.
“We were coming up against a tough Aussie team and we managed to win,” he said.
“The game got flooded and cancelled, but we ended up winning the replay 26-12.
“I’m glad I was a part of that team.”
_MATT LOGUE, The Daily Telegraph_
BEN Matulino says he has retired from New Zealand duties to focus on helping Ivan Cleary build an NRL superpower at the Wests Tigers.
Matulino, who has played 23 Tests for the Kiwis between 2009-2015, decided the time was right to walk away from the representative ranks.
He personally called New Zealand coach Michael Maguire last week to inform him of his decision to put club footy before his country.
“I spoke to Maguire and told him I just want to put all my energy into one team now and focus on that,” Matulino, 29, told The Daily Telegraph.
“My ageing body played a role, but it was more about what is happening at the Tigers.
“They have been good to me and looked after me really well, so I thought it would be best to repay them by putting all my energy into club level.”
Matulino believes the Tigers are on the cusp of big things.
He says the joint-venture club’s culture is similar to the Warriors in 2011 when Cleary guided the New Zealanders to the grand final against Manly.
“We are definitely building something special,” he said.
“I can see a lot of similarities at the Tigers now to when we were at the Warriors.
“Ivan also took the Penrith team to the semi-finals when he was there. I know that he will rebuild this Tigers team the same way.
“That is why I wanted to get on the back of it.”
Matulino concedes the Tigers are far from the polished product after 13 rounds, but he remains optimistic about their chances this season.
Despite claiming two wins in their past seven games, Cleary’s men are only two points outside the top eight.
“I know we haven’t won as many games as we’d like, but our defence has been going really well,” he said.
“Our attack has been struggling, but I’d rather our defence be on track and we can work on our attack.
“If we can improve our attack, we’ll move up the ladder for sure and it’s pretty scary to think where we will get.”
Matulino also wants to devote more time to his two children — Kyla (five) and Braxton (two).
“It’s harder now my family is in Australia,” he says.
“If I was to go on a tour overseas at the end of the year, it would have put a lot of pressure on my family being stuck in Sydney.
“That wouldn’t be fair on them. It would have been OK when I was in New Zealand because I have a lot of family over there.
“But I’ve had a good representative career.”
Matulino has retired from representative football, but he’ll never forget his seven-year tenure in a New Zealand jumper.
He nominated the Kiwis’ 2015 Anzac Test triumph as his highlight.
“We were coming up against a tough Aussie team and we managed to win,” he said.
“The game got flooded and cancelled, but we ended up winning the replay 26-12.
“I’m glad I was a part of that team.”
Tigerstruck
Active member
Great to see that commitment, proof of IC's culture coming through
851
Well-known member
What a selfless act, hope the boys see this and lift, 2018 is alive
Would he have been picked…?
Nice gesture anyway..
Nice gesture anyway..
innsaneink
Well-known member
@ said:
:unamused: Thats irrelevant….whats important is his commitment to our team
jirskyr
Well-known member
@ said:
Sarcasm and cynicism your two preferred retorts?
Members online
- Jimmy Jazz
- Westoz
- NT_Tiger
- Don Kershane
- Merlot
- Tiger4life43
- jirskyr
- jrtiger
- watersider
- Red88_Tiger
- GNR4LIFE
- Buttface
- rusted-on
- Hbom
- jadtiger
- Sheenius
- Tigerstigerstigers
- JB9918
- JWR
- BlackWhiteGold
- Leichhardt_Logger
- hsvjones
- stephen
- snopez
- Dennisspicer1
- innsaneink
- Roar_Power
- mctiger
- liltiger
- mtd#2
- Jolls
- Betterdays22
- Jedi_Tiger
- Muffstar