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Potter faces anguishing choice to replace Moltzen
April 27, 2013 - 10:56PM
Michael Chammas
Rugby league reporter
Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter has to decide whether to take a gamble on 18-year-old sensation Luke Brooks or recall Jacob Miller for Friday's showdown with Canterbury.
With halfback Tim Moltzen set to miss the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against the Broncos on Saturday night – and Benji Marshall and Braith Anasta out injured – Potter has a huge decision to make before the clash against the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium.
Robbie Farah could slot into the No.7 jersey with Masada Iosefa his likely replacement, but the genuine halfback options stop at Miller and Brooks.
Brooks, considered by the Tigers to be the club's long-term halfback, has played six of the seven games in the Holden Cup this season, and also represented NSW in the under-20s State of Origin game in Penrith last weekend. While Potter refused to rule him out of contention to replace Moltzen in the No.7, he admits it will be a big ask to throw him to the dogs in such a pressure-cooker match for the Tigers.
He said he would talk to under-20s coach Todd Payten before making a decision on the talented teenager. "I'd have to talk to Todd a bit more," Potter said. "Luke's had some little assignments to complete in the game's previous to this. He's progressing okay. I'm not sure if he's ready for that jump yet but he'd probably grab it with open arms and do his best and probably do an OK job.
"I want to get him physically ready otherwise he's going to be a real target just with that step up. He's certainly got some real good skill, there's no doubting that."
Miller, who was dropped to the NSW Cup after the Tigers' round-four loss to Manly, played against the Auckland Vulcans in New Zealand on Saturday, and by all reports, struggled to set the world alight.
"He's only had one game and he played in Auckland today," Potter said. "I'm going to have a look at that vision and see how he's gone there."
The Tigers have 10 first-grade players in the club's rehabilitation ward. Chris Lawrence (hamstring), Blake Ayshford (ankle tendon) and Moltzen (knee) on Saturday night joined Marshall, Anasta, Marika Koroibete, Matt Bell, Matt Groat, Keith Galloway and Lote Tuqiri on the injured list.
But Potter refused to use his side's growing injury toll as an excuse for their lacklustre performance against the Broncos in the 20-10 loss at Campbelltown Stadium.
"We're disappointed we didn't get the result," Potter said. "I don't want to focus on the injuries as much as our performance. Although they came up with some poor stuff, there was some really brave stuff. I made a decision with nine minutes to go that we need to play a bit of footy to snatch the game and get some players on that could offload and pass and unfortunately three minutes later we lose a player with an ankle injury [and we had to play with 12 men].
"You have a bit of a gamble there and it didn't pay off for us tonight."
April 27, 2013 - 10:56PM
Michael Chammas
Rugby league reporter
Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter has to decide whether to take a gamble on 18-year-old sensation Luke Brooks or recall Jacob Miller for Friday's showdown with Canterbury.
With halfback Tim Moltzen set to miss the rest of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against the Broncos on Saturday night – and Benji Marshall and Braith Anasta out injured – Potter has a huge decision to make before the clash against the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium.
Robbie Farah could slot into the No.7 jersey with Masada Iosefa his likely replacement, but the genuine halfback options stop at Miller and Brooks.
Brooks, considered by the Tigers to be the club's long-term halfback, has played six of the seven games in the Holden Cup this season, and also represented NSW in the under-20s State of Origin game in Penrith last weekend. While Potter refused to rule him out of contention to replace Moltzen in the No.7, he admits it will be a big ask to throw him to the dogs in such a pressure-cooker match for the Tigers.
He said he would talk to under-20s coach Todd Payten before making a decision on the talented teenager. "I'd have to talk to Todd a bit more," Potter said. "Luke's had some little assignments to complete in the game's previous to this. He's progressing okay. I'm not sure if he's ready for that jump yet but he'd probably grab it with open arms and do his best and probably do an OK job.
"I want to get him physically ready otherwise he's going to be a real target just with that step up. He's certainly got some real good skill, there's no doubting that."
Miller, who was dropped to the NSW Cup after the Tigers' round-four loss to Manly, played against the Auckland Vulcans in New Zealand on Saturday, and by all reports, struggled to set the world alight.
"He's only had one game and he played in Auckland today," Potter said. "I'm going to have a look at that vision and see how he's gone there."
The Tigers have 10 first-grade players in the club's rehabilitation ward. Chris Lawrence (hamstring), Blake Ayshford (ankle tendon) and Moltzen (knee) on Saturday night joined Marshall, Anasta, Marika Koroibete, Matt Bell, Matt Groat, Keith Galloway and Lote Tuqiri on the injured list.
But Potter refused to use his side's growing injury toll as an excuse for their lacklustre performance against the Broncos in the 20-10 loss at Campbelltown Stadium.
"We're disappointed we didn't get the result," Potter said. "I don't want to focus on the injuries as much as our performance. Although they came up with some poor stuff, there was some really brave stuff. I made a decision with nine minutes to go that we need to play a bit of footy to snatch the game and get some players on that could offload and pass and unfortunately three minutes later we lose a player with an ankle injury [and we had to play with 12 men].
"You have a bit of a gamble there and it didn't pay off for us tonight."
