The Chad
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2022
- Messages
- 1,064
I've seen the frustration levels rising with every week & every loss. I'm not here to say anybody is wrong, but looking at things in a slightly different way...
To me it currently feels like Sheens is sifting through his current Top 30 to see who stays on & who moves on. I don't think anyone at the club expects the team to win a premiership UNDER Sheens. I'd say the whole role for Sheens now is to get the best combination of players together in order for Benji to step into a squad ready to compete.
Nofoaluma has been dropped. Laurie is dropped. Mamaulo is moved on. Doueihi has been shifted to fullback. Some might see this as desperation, some might question why these moves were not made before the season started. My take- I don't think the coaching staff know EXACTLY who is to keep or not. They have recruited well, despite the results. And the players brought in will help in the development of players I think are already earmarked as long-term solutions: Utoikamanu, Pole, Matamua, Toupo, Kepoeoa & Simpkin.
I expect we see more of Pole, Matamua & Simpkin as the year goes on. Bula is already being talked about, and I'd say we see him before the year is out. Toupo & Kepoeoa are already locked in.
Where are we in terms of club development? I know everyone thinks of 2005. I'd say we are somewhere between 2003-2004, where Sheens removed a bunch of the longer term players & made room for the Marshall's, Farah's, Gibbs, Fulton, Halatau's while bringing in the likes of Hodgson, Prince etc to balance out what we already had.
He's now stated they want an 'experienced half' (I read either #7 or #6 when they say that). Moses was THE target. Pearce was a fallback option. The answer MIGHT be George Williams. Or Sezar. Or Luke Keary. But that doesn't mean they give up on Brooks immediately either. I strongly believe that Sheens/Marshall/Farah BELIEVE in club spirit & keeping 'the old boys' around. Brooks has always been a Tiger. Moses & Tedesco have already been targeted for a return. You build a club spirit through players coming through a club, and despite his struggles, Brooks IS a Tigers player. I think they value that. I don't believe you can question his dedication on the field. His results? Sure. But it's not a lack of effort. That's the difference between him & the other long-term Tiger, Nofoaluma, who you CAN question his efforts of late.
Doueihi's extension for a year & shift to fullback kind of looks perfect for the timeframe for Bula to become the starter. He may then move on, or even be looked at as a future centre or even an eventual shift back to 5/8. But for mine, he's now a place holder (and a good enough option TBH) at fullback until Bula is ready.
I think it will be interesting to see which players get extended playing time over the next few weeks. I'm pretty confident we will start seeing the younger players incorporated into the squad more & more.
I'm still not giving up on a solid 9th finish once the players get a handle on the newer style of play. The club isn't ONLY combatting the failures of youth in the squad, but the ghosts of 5-6 years of having focused on one style of play (that didn't work) and has seemingly eroded the confidence of players completely (here's looking at YOU Luke Brooks).
They look like a team that needs unshackling. They play frustrated, because they know what they want to do, but it's not clicking. The day it does- the Tigers will put a SCORE on someone. They move up & down the field well now. The forwards are laying that foundation. It's not a huge jump to go from there to adding additional pressure, to breaking teams resolve & then to taking advantage of that. Good sides get all of that together. We are not there yet. But, we NOW have the ability to move up & down the field.
To me it currently feels like Sheens is sifting through his current Top 30 to see who stays on & who moves on. I don't think anyone at the club expects the team to win a premiership UNDER Sheens. I'd say the whole role for Sheens now is to get the best combination of players together in order for Benji to step into a squad ready to compete.
Nofoaluma has been dropped. Laurie is dropped. Mamaulo is moved on. Doueihi has been shifted to fullback. Some might see this as desperation, some might question why these moves were not made before the season started. My take- I don't think the coaching staff know EXACTLY who is to keep or not. They have recruited well, despite the results. And the players brought in will help in the development of players I think are already earmarked as long-term solutions: Utoikamanu, Pole, Matamua, Toupo, Kepoeoa & Simpkin.
I expect we see more of Pole, Matamua & Simpkin as the year goes on. Bula is already being talked about, and I'd say we see him before the year is out. Toupo & Kepoeoa are already locked in.
Where are we in terms of club development? I know everyone thinks of 2005. I'd say we are somewhere between 2003-2004, where Sheens removed a bunch of the longer term players & made room for the Marshall's, Farah's, Gibbs, Fulton, Halatau's while bringing in the likes of Hodgson, Prince etc to balance out what we already had.
He's now stated they want an 'experienced half' (I read either #7 or #6 when they say that). Moses was THE target. Pearce was a fallback option. The answer MIGHT be George Williams. Or Sezar. Or Luke Keary. But that doesn't mean they give up on Brooks immediately either. I strongly believe that Sheens/Marshall/Farah BELIEVE in club spirit & keeping 'the old boys' around. Brooks has always been a Tiger. Moses & Tedesco have already been targeted for a return. You build a club spirit through players coming through a club, and despite his struggles, Brooks IS a Tigers player. I think they value that. I don't believe you can question his dedication on the field. His results? Sure. But it's not a lack of effort. That's the difference between him & the other long-term Tiger, Nofoaluma, who you CAN question his efforts of late.
Doueihi's extension for a year & shift to fullback kind of looks perfect for the timeframe for Bula to become the starter. He may then move on, or even be looked at as a future centre or even an eventual shift back to 5/8. But for mine, he's now a place holder (and a good enough option TBH) at fullback until Bula is ready.
I think it will be interesting to see which players get extended playing time over the next few weeks. I'm pretty confident we will start seeing the younger players incorporated into the squad more & more.
I'm still not giving up on a solid 9th finish once the players get a handle on the newer style of play. The club isn't ONLY combatting the failures of youth in the squad, but the ghosts of 5-6 years of having focused on one style of play (that didn't work) and has seemingly eroded the confidence of players completely (here's looking at YOU Luke Brooks).
They look like a team that needs unshackling. They play frustrated, because they know what they want to do, but it's not clicking. The day it does- the Tigers will put a SCORE on someone. They move up & down the field well now. The forwards are laying that foundation. It's not a huge jump to go from there to adding additional pressure, to breaking teams resolve & then to taking advantage of that. Good sides get all of that together. We are not there yet. But, we NOW have the ability to move up & down the field.
