Old Wests Tigers Grand Finalists

[Tucker]

Since there was a bit of old Wests Tigers flavour in the GF last night, I was wondering how many ex Tigers players have been involved in Grand Finals since leaving us.
Over the past 10 years whilst we’ve been flopping about like dying fish, not even making the 8, the following have achieved this;

2013 - Luke O’Donnell Premier @ Roosters
2013 - David Gower Runner Up @ Manly
2014 - Lote Tuqiri Premier @ Souths
2014 - Ben Teo Premier @ Souths
2014 - Mitch Brown Runner Up @ Canterbury
2015 - Adam Blair Runner Up @ Brisbane
2016 - Andrew Fifita Premier @ Cronulla
2016 - Chris Heighington Premier @ Cronulla
2016 - Marika Koroibete Runner Up @ Melbourne
2017 - Josh Addo-Carr Premier @ Melbourne
2017 - Te Marie Martin Runner Up @ Cowboys
2018 - James Tedesco Premier @ Roosters
2018 - Josh Addo-Carr Runner Up @ Melbourne
2019 - James Tedesco Premier @ Roosters
2020 - Ryan Papenhyuzen Premier @ Melbourne
2020 - Josh Addo-Carr Premier @ Melbourne
2021 - Paul Momorovski Premier @ Penrith
2021 - Junior Tatola Runner Up @ Souths
2021 - Benji Marshall Runner Up @ Souths
2022 - Mitchel Moses Runner Up @ Parramatta
2022 - Ryan Matterson Runner Up @ Parramatta
2022 - Nathan Brown Runner Up @ Parramatta
2023 - Luke Garner Premier @ Penrith
2023 - Tyrone Peachey Premier @ Penrith
2023 - Billy Walters Runner Up @ Brisbane

It should be noted that this list would be a lot longer if it included every player to leave this club and play finals footy.
Three cheers for our retention crew….

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Adam Blair never was involved in winning a NRL trophy?

 

[Tucker]

Adam Blair never was involved in winning a NRL trophy?

What do you mean?

 

[hank37w]

Blair was runner up in the 2008 Grand Final that Melbourne lost 40-0 to Manly and won 23-16 against Parramatta in 2009, but they was more than 10 years ago.

 

[Tucker]

Blair was runner up in the 2008 Grand Final that Melbourne lost 40-0 to Manly and won 23-16 against Parramatta in 2009, but they was more than 10 years ago.

Yeah they were both before he played here with us.
The list is of people who left us and went on to play a GF elsewhere.

 

[hank37w]

Realised that and also that you stipulated last 10 years.

Just mentioned it because @AmericanHistoryX was asking the question about Blair winning an NRL trophy and these were what he was probably thinking about.

 

[Flippedy]

If somebody had the time and inclination I’m sure they could draw up similar lists from other clubs, most notably Canterbury. May not be as large, but still it happens to just about every club.

 

[TieDye]

If somebody had the time and inclination I’m sure they could draw up similar lists from other clubs, most notably Canterbury. May not be as large, but still it happens to just about every club.

The point is; it’s either common trend or complex anomaly? The numbers don’t lie and roster mgmt has performed well under par… whether or not we end up being cherry-picked and cannot compete salary cap-wise is another issue.

 

[Tucker]

If somebody had the time and inclination I’m sure they could draw up similar lists from other clubs, most notably Canterbury. May not be as large, but still it happens to just about every club.

The difference is, most of them will be good sides who had to shed players after becoming successful.
We deemed a lot of these guys not good enough then watched them play in GF teams for better clubs.

 

[Flippedy]

The difference is, most of them will be good sides who had to shed players after becoming successful.
We deemed a lot of these guys not good enough then watched them play in GF teams for better clubs.

Yeah I guess so, still it would be interesting to break down some of the other teams’ discards also for comparison. Bad situations are often magnified more in our own backyard because we’re not really focusing on others.

For mine I reckon the biggest faux pas‘s in recent memory have been the Dogs letting Thurston go because was too small, us letting Tedesco go…because well..we just couldn’t hold him and Souths moving Reynolds on because he was getting old and injury prone!

 

[twentyforty]

Yeah I guess so, still it would be interesting to break down some of the other teams’ discards also for comparison. Bad situations are often magnified more in our own backyard because we’re not really focusing on others.

For mine I reckon the biggest faux pas‘s in recent memory have been the Dogs letting Thurston go because was too small, us letting Tedesco go…because well..we just couldn’t hold him and Souths moving Reynolds on because he was getting old and injury prone!

We have a clean out every year. Don’t know what the numbers are but we seem to release more players than most clubs and not all go to ESL.

 

[kiwitiger]

Since there was a bit of old Wests Tigers flavour in the GF last night, I was wondering how many ex Tigers players have been involved in Grand Finals since leaving us.
Over the past 10 years whilst we’ve been flopping about like dying fish, not even making the 8, the following have achieved this;

2013 - Luke O’Donnell Premier @ Roosters
2013 - David Gower Runner Up @ Manly
2014 - Lote Tuqiri Premier @ Souths
2014 - Ben Teo Premier @ Souths
2014 - Mitch Brown Runner Up @ Canterbury
2015 - Adam Blair Runner Up @ Brisbane
2016 - Andrew Fifita Premier @ Cronulla
2016 - Marika Koroibete Runner Up @ Melbourne
2017 - Josh Addo-Carr Premier @ Melbourne
2017 - Te Marie Martin Runner Up @ Cowboys
2018 - James Tedesco Premier @ Roosters
2018 - Josh Addo-Carr Runner Up @ Melbourne
2019 - James Tedesco Premier @ Roosters
2020 - Ryan Papenhyuzen Premier @ Melbourne
2020 - Josh Addo-Carr Premier @ Melbourne
2021 - Paul Momorovski Premier @ Penrith
2021 - Benji Marshall Runner Up @ Souths
2022 - Mitchel Moses Runner Up @ Parramatta
2022 - Ryan Matterson Runner Up @ Parramatta
2022 - Nathan Brown Runner Up @ Parramatta
2023 - Luke Garner Premier @ Penrith
2023 - Tyrone Peachey Premier @ Penrith
2023 - Billy Walters Runner Up @ Brisbane

It should be noted that this list would be a lot longer if it included every player to leave this club and play finals footy.
Three cheers for our retention crew….

My question is how many of them shift the needle. Who makes us a top side?
Teddy best in the game...
Luke O'donnell quality but he had to leave...happy how he turned his carear around but was a liability for us.
Moses and matterson but they wanted out...
Fafita is the problem. Good player...
The rest are just a drummer in the band.

 

[gregjm87]

Yeah I guess so, still it would be interesting to break down some of the other teams’ discards also for comparison. Bad situations are often magnified more in our own backyard because we’re not really focusing on others.

For mine I reckon the biggest faux pas‘s in recent memory have been the Dogs letting Thurston go because was too small, us letting Tedesco go…because well..we just couldn’t hold him and Souths moving Reynolds on because he was getting old and injury prone!

See I'd argue all the facts pas you've listed are highly debatable.
Dogs did not let Thurston go because he was to small. He was let go because Anasta was a highly regarded junior that had just dominated the NRL and Sherwin had just won a comp and put together a record (and cap) breaking season a couple years earlier. Obviously it ended up the wrong decision but at the time it was justifiable.
Tedesco, well we didn't help the situation but you can't chain the bloke to the Concord fence to keep him here. If players want to leave, they'll leave.
Reynolds was getting old and injury prone and that was why the likes of Cook, Walker, Mitchell and Murray were prioritised. Who would the Rabbitohs have likely lost if Reynolds had stayed? They went deep in the finals last year and looked likely to do the same this year for much of the year, leading many to speculate the issues were off field. Who knows if Reynolds could have solved their problems.

 

[Tucker]

My question is how many of them shift the needle. Who makes us a top side?
Teddy best in the game...
Luke O'donnell quality but he had to leave...happy how he turned his carear around but was a liability for us.
Moses and matterson but they wanted out...
Fafita is the problem. Good player...
The rest are just a drummer in the band.

Good drummers make the band.

 

[Tucker]

See I'd argue all the facts pas you've listed are highly debatable.
Dogs did not let Thurston go because he was to small. He was let go because Anasta was a highly regarded junior that had just dominated the NRL and Sherwin had just won a comp and put together a record (and cap) breaking season a couple years earlier. Obviously it ended up the wrong decision but at the time it was justifiable.
Tedesco, well we didn't help the situation but you can't chain the bloke to the Concord fence to keep him here. If players want to leave, they'll leave.
Reynolds was getting old and injury prone and that was why the likes of Cook, Walker, Mitchell and Murray were prioritised. Who would the Rabbitohs have likely lost if Reynolds had stayed? They went deep in the finals last year and looked likely to do the same this year for much of the year, leading many to speculate the issues were off field. Who knows if Reynolds could have solved their problems.

They went all in on Illias to replace Reynolds. Hasn’t worked out so far.

 

[gregjm87]

They went all in on Illias to replace Reynolds. Hasn’t worked out so far.

Yeah, but did they do it because they truly believe in Ilias or simply because they needed to back someone after prioritising the rest of the spine?

 

[Tucker]

Yeah, but did they do it because they truly believe in Ilias or simply because they needed to back someone after prioritising the rest of the spine?

Dont know for sure.
Most teams don’t get rid of the halfback who has led them to a premiership and a stack of finals games, simply to upgrade the rest of the spine. You need a leader and Souths don’t have one. It was a mistake.

 

[gregjm87]

Dont know for sure.
Most teams don’t get rid of the halfback who has led them to a premiership and a stack of finals games, simply to upgrade the rest of the spine. You need a leader and Souths don’t have one. It was a mistake.

Agree it was a mistake but considering all factors it wasn't the terrible decision it has been made out to be.
I consider it a justifiable decision that was eventually proven to be wrong, rather than an outrageously poor decision.
Similar to how I view Thurston leaving Dogs.

 

[Tucker]

Agree it was a mistake but considering all factors it wasn't the terrible decision it has been made out to be.
I consider it a justifiable decision that was eventually proven to be wrong, rather than an outrageously poor decision.
Similar to how I view Thurston leaving Dogs.

Couple of differences between JT being let go and Reynolds.
1. JT was a relative unknown. Skinny kid, with footwork who tried hard. Their established halves were doing the job. Turned out an awful decision but at the time it raised very few eyebrows.
2. Reynolds was established, was proven, was playing well. He led them to the GF without Mitchell the year this decision was made.
3. JT wasn’t a leader at that club. Reynolds was and he was a fan favourite as well. Local junior, played his whole career there…was a spiritual player there like Benji and Robbie were here.
4. Reynolds was the captain, JT was on the bench at best, extended bench usually.
5. There were players ahead of JT in the pecking order and his performances were not pushing them out. Reynolds was top dog and no one was demanding his position was untenable.

 

[Fallen Angel]

I will stick to the boot into this club, maybe more than anybody, but you could through most clubs and they’d have this many players. Non story.