G
Guest
Guest
Potter happy with young cubs
November 10, 2012
Brad Walter
Chief Rugby League Writer
RECENT appearances at Western Suburbs and Balmain junior presentation nights has helped convince new Tigers coach Mick Potter that the club has a bright future.
While the performance of the NRL team may have cost Potter's predecessor Tim Sheens his job at the end of last season, Wests Tigers have never been in as good shape.
Contrary to speculation about the Tigers financial position, they have one of the most profitable football operations of any Sydney club and were third in the NRL this year for merchandise sales - despite failing to make the finals.
On the field, Wests Tigers won the Under 20s grand final, Balmain was SG Ball premiers and Balmain Ryde-Eastwood made the NSW Cup decider.
In addition, two of the three high schools aligned to the Tigers - Holy Cross Ryde and Keebra Park - made the semi-finals of the GIO Cup national schoolboys competition.
''There is quite an optimism around the place about the young fellows and I share that view,'' Potter said.
''The recruitment has been pretty good over the last few years, and having the dual areas of Balmain and Western Suburbs has been quite good for the club as a whole.''
Bringing the likes of NYC halfback Jacob Miller, winger Marika Koroibete and props Jesse Sue and Mosese Fotuaika, who both played for the Junior Kiwis two weeks ago, into the top team will be a task for Potter next season and there are a host of other promising players coming through the Tigers ranks.
SG Ball halves Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks and centre Paul Simona played for Australian schoolboys this year, while hooker Manaia Cherrington represented NSW Under 18s.
Potter has already met some of the next batch of Tigers stars as he handed out the trophies at the Balmain presentation evening last Saturday and attended the Western Suburbs awards night the week before.
''I just stuck my head in to have a look,'' he said. ''There was some good kids at both of them.
''Wests Tigers have got Keebra Park, St Gregorys College at Campbelltown and Holy Cross as well so they will keep producing them. It is just making sure that the club holds on to as many as they can.''
It is for that reason that Tigers officials get frustrated by criticism over the departure of Chris Heighington and Beau Ryan to Cronulla.
''Given the strength of our Under 20s and Under 18s that does force you into making some decisions because you have got to find space and opportunities for those kids,'' Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys said. ''That is a tricky thing to manage at times and often people who aren't close to it can't see that part of the puzzle but we certainly do and we are very conscious of it.
''I know people are saying it is a rabble or whatever but internally we feel that we are in for a really strong year in 2013\. We've got everything happening.
''We started premiership favourites this year because of the strength of our roster and that has not really changed. We have got two or three guys who have moved on but wherever you look we have got talent coming through.''
Wests Tigers recruitment manager Warren McDonnell added: ''I dare say there are 15 other clubs who would love to be in the dire straits that we are in at the moment.''
Off the field, Wests Tigers are also in a strong position and do not rely on the huge leagues club grants that rivals such as Canterbury, Parramatta and Sydney Roosters receive.
With Balmain Leagues Club currently closed and Wests Campbelltown not in a strong position, the Tigers would require additional funding from Wests Leagues at Ashfield to payout Sheens for the remaining two years of his $450,000 a season contract.
But as a football operation, they are one of the most profitable in the NRL due to ticketing, sponsorship and merchandise sales.
''We always make the eight and more often the top four,'' Humphreys said.
''This year we have had a more difficult year because performances on the field have such an impact but our financial results over the last three or four years have been relatively very strong and as a consequence we have not had to rely on the same grants from leagues clubs that a number of other Sydney clubs do.
''Our leagues clubs will always invest in the business as is required but if you look now at 2013 and beyond, with the high level funding that clubs will receive [from the NRL] and the fact we manage our business carefully, we won't be relying on funding from leagues clubs.''
November 10, 2012
Brad Walter
Chief Rugby League Writer
RECENT appearances at Western Suburbs and Balmain junior presentation nights has helped convince new Tigers coach Mick Potter that the club has a bright future.
While the performance of the NRL team may have cost Potter's predecessor Tim Sheens his job at the end of last season, Wests Tigers have never been in as good shape.
Contrary to speculation about the Tigers financial position, they have one of the most profitable football operations of any Sydney club and were third in the NRL this year for merchandise sales - despite failing to make the finals.
On the field, Wests Tigers won the Under 20s grand final, Balmain was SG Ball premiers and Balmain Ryde-Eastwood made the NSW Cup decider.
In addition, two of the three high schools aligned to the Tigers - Holy Cross Ryde and Keebra Park - made the semi-finals of the GIO Cup national schoolboys competition.
''There is quite an optimism around the place about the young fellows and I share that view,'' Potter said.
''The recruitment has been pretty good over the last few years, and having the dual areas of Balmain and Western Suburbs has been quite good for the club as a whole.''
Bringing the likes of NYC halfback Jacob Miller, winger Marika Koroibete and props Jesse Sue and Mosese Fotuaika, who both played for the Junior Kiwis two weeks ago, into the top team will be a task for Potter next season and there are a host of other promising players coming through the Tigers ranks.
SG Ball halves Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks and centre Paul Simona played for Australian schoolboys this year, while hooker Manaia Cherrington represented NSW Under 18s.
Potter has already met some of the next batch of Tigers stars as he handed out the trophies at the Balmain presentation evening last Saturday and attended the Western Suburbs awards night the week before.
''I just stuck my head in to have a look,'' he said. ''There was some good kids at both of them.
''Wests Tigers have got Keebra Park, St Gregorys College at Campbelltown and Holy Cross as well so they will keep producing them. It is just making sure that the club holds on to as many as they can.''
It is for that reason that Tigers officials get frustrated by criticism over the departure of Chris Heighington and Beau Ryan to Cronulla.
''Given the strength of our Under 20s and Under 18s that does force you into making some decisions because you have got to find space and opportunities for those kids,'' Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys said. ''That is a tricky thing to manage at times and often people who aren't close to it can't see that part of the puzzle but we certainly do and we are very conscious of it.
''I know people are saying it is a rabble or whatever but internally we feel that we are in for a really strong year in 2013\. We've got everything happening.
''We started premiership favourites this year because of the strength of our roster and that has not really changed. We have got two or three guys who have moved on but wherever you look we have got talent coming through.''
Wests Tigers recruitment manager Warren McDonnell added: ''I dare say there are 15 other clubs who would love to be in the dire straits that we are in at the moment.''
Off the field, Wests Tigers are also in a strong position and do not rely on the huge leagues club grants that rivals such as Canterbury, Parramatta and Sydney Roosters receive.
With Balmain Leagues Club currently closed and Wests Campbelltown not in a strong position, the Tigers would require additional funding from Wests Leagues at Ashfield to payout Sheens for the remaining two years of his $450,000 a season contract.
But as a football operation, they are one of the most profitable in the NRL due to ticketing, sponsorship and merchandise sales.
''We always make the eight and more often the top four,'' Humphreys said.
''This year we have had a more difficult year because performances on the field have such an impact but our financial results over the last three or four years have been relatively very strong and as a consequence we have not had to rely on the same grants from leagues clubs that a number of other Sydney clubs do.
''Our leagues clubs will always invest in the business as is required but if you look now at 2013 and beyond, with the high level funding that clubs will receive [from the NRL] and the fact we manage our business carefully, we won't be relying on funding from leagues clubs.''
