Rd 10 - WestsTigers v Knights

[TrueTiger]

Disappointing team. Only positive is Blore in.

Are we building for the future or are we trying to win now? This team is simultaneously managing to achieve neither.

We're 2 and 7. Admittedly we've had a tough schedule, but I think it's time to call a spade a spade. We're not going to win 10 games and lose only 5 to close the year out. Not with this squad. So let's try and build the best team for the future while being competitive.

Is Mbye our long-term 6? No. Is Doueihi? Quite possibly. A completely nonsensical move.

Why are we keeping Talau on the wing? Is that where we see his future? If we do, then fair enough, he's been adequate. But I don't think it's where he wants to play and I think he's got the skills to be a gun centre. If need be I'd rather run Cini out again and play Talau and Doueihi in the right positions rather than accommodate for Mbye. Sure Cini had a shocker and there's every chance he never ends up first grade standard, but the guy can clearly play well at reserve grade level. He's not going to make 5 errors again and he proved he can do a job vs. the Dragons, so what's there to really lose?

Why was Tamou made captain? I get the logic, but surely there had to be some kind of foresight that we'd be in a situation where not only aren't we competing for the finals, but he's also the weakest link in the pack. We've backed ourselves into a corner which is forcing us to play the oldest and worst player of our props because he's the captain. Poor decision. There's no reason whatsoever for Utoikamanu to not be in first grade given his age and the fact his performances haven't warranted being dropped.

I don't know how after 8 years of terrible performances, Brooks can't be dropped. Josh Papalii was the best prop in the game last year and has been dropped this year. Brooks has been the worst 7 in the game for the best part of 7-8 years and hasn't been dropped from first grade once. It's truly remarkable.

Geez I would have loved to watch your reaction when you first saw the team list. Sounds like you are a bit disgruntled. Welcome to the club.

Personally I think Madge is waving the white flag, I think behind closed doors he’s been trying to build a better roster but Wests Tigers in their current iteration just can’t do it. One more flogging and he’ll pack up his things and collect 600K.

Supported the team through the Sheens lineup selections. It won't get worse than seeing halfbacks moved to fullback and centres at prop lol.

I tend to agree re: Madge. I think he's happy to cop the sack at this stage and leave while he can blame the club rather than stay for the next 2 years and the cat's out the bag that he's got nothing as a coach.

He is trying to get the rabble to win games,no easy feat with youth and under performing seniors...

2 premierships say otherwise....

 

[hodgo]

It has to be a smokey surely. Mbye to bench madden to half.

 

[Tim Sheens]

**Doueihi tries his guts out and almost drags us back in Sunday's game**, meanwhile brooks and Mbye were rubbish and brooks keeps his spot, Mbye gets essentially promoted and Doueihi shifted form his preferred position

That'll really encourage the team ?

That’s all well and good but we were down 18-0 in the first 15 mins last game

I hope we practice tackling this week because it sure as hell doesn’t look like we did any practice in the off season.

Doueihi still played well, a lot better than Mbye and brooks that's for sure. Shifting him to centre has no purpose.

You didn’t read my post did you ?
We’re also trying to offload mbye ..
No point hiding him in the garage like a garage queen .
We need to show he’s the universal soldier of footy to potential suitors.

Winning games is more important...

Not at this stage ..
We ain’t making the 8

If that’s the case we should be giving our youth as much game time as possible. Play Madden in the halves with AD, keep Stef in the side. But instead he keeps Brooks, Tamou, Mbye and all the other plodders. He said in the press conference the senior players were the issue, but he sacked none of them. Madge is all fart and no poo. Absolutely no idea and a complete myth.

He’s showcasing Mbye to potential suitors.
And I’d rather have Mbye in the halves with Madden than with Brooks .
I hoping Brooks gets hooked ..
Save the wrist slitting until after the game .. ? ..it’s only Tuesday!

I don't know how offloading Mbye is going to help us
We would be lucky to get $400,000 for him
Who can we get for that
We had plenty of $ and probably still do
And what elite olayer have we signed
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

According to Twitter his off to a Sydney club next year.

????????

 

[Demps]

**Doueihi tries his guts out and almost drags us back in Sunday's game**, meanwhile brooks and Mbye were rubbish and brooks keeps his spot, Mbye gets essentially promoted and Doueihi shifted form his preferred position

That'll really encourage the team ?

That’s all well and good but we were down 18-0 in the first 15 mins last game

I hope we practice tackling this week because it sure as hell doesn’t look like we did any practice in the off season.

Doueihi still played well, a lot better than Mbye and brooks that's for sure. Shifting him to centre has no purpose.

You didn’t read my post did you ?
We’re also trying to offload mbye ..
No point hiding him in the garage like a garage queen .
We need to show he’s the universal soldier of footy to potential suitors.

Winning games is more important...

Not at this stage ..
We ain’t making the 8

If that’s the case we should be giving our youth as much game time as possible. Play Madden in the halves with AD, keep Stef in the side. But instead he keeps Brooks, Tamou, Mbye and all the other plodders. He said in the press conference the senior players were the issue, but he sacked none of them. Madge is all fart and no poo. Absolutely no idea and a complete myth.

He’s showcasing Mbye to potential suitors.
And I’d rather have Mbye in the halves with Madden than with Brooks .
I hoping Brooks gets hooked ..
Save the wrist slitting until after the game .. ? ..it’s only Tuesday!

I don't know how offloading Mbye is going to help us
We would be lucky to get $400,000 for him
Who can we get for that
We had plenty of $ and probably still do
And what elite olayer have we signed
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

According to Twitter his off to a Sydney club next year.

????????

Roosters ? I doubt it...
Dogs? Maybe
Sharks? Maybe
Souths? Maybe Josh leaves.
Penrith? No
Parramatta? No

Sharks are doing some shopping.
Maybe if they miss out on Reynolds, they will take a punt.

Doggies halves are a mess currently.
He could return there, play 6 outside Burton next year. Rumours is they're shopping Flannagan and Lewis.

Souths? They might lose Reynolds and Hawkins looks like a dud tbh and the other 2 young guns Ilias and Taaf aren't quite ready.

 

[Tim Sheens]

So if you believe what Hooper said last night on 360

Our 3 pulling their fingers out are Laurie ,Douehi and Simpkin

One dropped to extended bench ,one moved to the centres

Surely expect changes .....@Geo

Hooper and many others are seeing them and some others as glossy shiny new toys, abandoning their realities.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Guys lighten up, I get how in love you all are with doueihi but there are positives with this team:

- madden to debut
- blore is back
- Liddle gets a crack
- mikale improving

Tune in and support these players.

dropping Stefano and simpkin is dumb move
Putting unsigned Liddle back in and not both hookers is strange along with moving Douhie and putting in Mmbye
Seriously dumb selections this week

So you’re just ignoring the positives?

I don't see to many positives this week
Blore seems unfit still
Madden probably not ready
Liddle goes ok
Mikaele goes ok
the moving on douhie weakens the position in the team

 

[jirskyr]

Moving him is ludacris.

The rapper? What does he have to do with Tigers?

 

[jirskyr]

Where he differs from Brooks is he’s a less incisive runner, a bit slower, but he appears to my eye at least to just take better options. He picks better passes and better kicks. He’s better on the last. He’s a better game manager.

OK but judgement reserved until he takes on an NRL-level defensive line.

 

[Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan]

It has to be a smokey surely. Mbye to bench madden to half.

You're on to something there. No one is talking about Madden. Everyone is talking about how Madge is crazy! No one is talking about how one of our kids is debuting. A kid who has had great hopes on him from the moment he signed a few years ago.

Madge has learned his lesson from Simpkin. There was too much hype and expectation on Simpkin's shoulders, and Madge didn't do anything to protect him from it. Maybe he thought that Jake could handle it and it would make him play better. He got it wrong that time. This time he will protect Madden from criticism.

 

[Demps]

Moving him is ludacris.

The rapper? What does he have to do with Tigers?


 

[jirskyr]

It's a bit like Sheens with Morris or shifting Robbie to half etc

That's what I was going to say. This thread takes me back to the glory days of Sheenius selections, of Farah at half, Johnny Cronk and never ever being capable of dropping Fitzhenry.

Madge's selections have been so obvious and tame by comparison, I'm kind of glad he's thrown us all a curve ball and generated a bit of discussion. These official team threads are usually dull as the "name your side for this week" threads.

I think it's a mug side but it cannot be argued that the "more obvious" selections have not been generating Ws, and whilst maybe controversial (wrong) changes have been made, changes were needed. The real question is - are unexpected changes better than no changes at all?

Someone also please tell me what Madge sees in Seyfarth? Yeah he can tackle a bit and plod about the field for minutes, but the guy has as much dynamism as a sloth. I get it, a bench of Stefano, Blore, Madden, Mikaele is super junior, but it's not as if Seyfarth has much FG experience.

Interesting stat of the day - Blore never had a win in his career: 0 and 5.

 

[jirskyr]

Bruke Looks must know someone at the IUCN, because the brother is a protected species.

You may have to look up what the IUCN is.

 

[TigerBlood93]

It has to be a smokey surely. Mbye to bench madden to half.

You're on to something there. No one is talking about Madden. Everyone is talking about how Madge is crazy! No one is talking about how one of our kids is debuting. A kid who has had great hopes on him from the moment he signed a few years ago.

Madge has learned his lesson from Simpkin. There was too much hype and expectation on Simpkin's shoulders, and Madge didn't do anything to protect him from it. Maybe he thought that Jake could handle it and it would make him play better. He got it wrong that time. This time he will protect Madden from criticism.

Mybe did an interview about it and they kept asking him about playing in the halves, he looked so confused and didn’t believe what he was saying lol. You could be onto something ... or he’s just shocked Adam got moved for him haha

 

[happy_tiger]

Moving him is ludacris.

The rapper? What does he have to do with Tigers?

Well it is Madgic Round ....

 

[The_Patriot]

That said only a poor coach moves his best player.

Bennett has Cody Walker playing fullback

Yes still in a play making role. Thats the difference.

 

[twentyforty]

If Madge thinks Douehi inside Nofo will yield us more points fair enough, but how he can justify Brooks and Mbyes kicking games as superior is a mystery greater than the holy trinity. Surely Madden starts for his kicking game.

And that’s what will happen....sheez we’ve seen it so many times before yet we still believe the Tuesday team sheet...Madge is simply protecting the rookie from the media spotlight in his NRL debut. Madden and Mbye to swap...Douhei would be a good lock in the Angus Crichton mold

Protecting the rookie from the media? Sounds like a theory from an empty whiskey bottle.
If he needs protecting then is he ready to grab his opportunity? I hope so.

 

[sleeve]

Always thought Doueihi looked like a centre. Not fast enough off the mark for a 6 or 7. Mbye is probably a better 6?
Great to see Blore back.

He would have to be one of the tallest five eighths but that is not so much a problem as his lack of pace and his slow passing techique.

You nailed it. Long term he was not what is needed in the 5/8 spot,. Speed is everything in the halves, and opposing sides would find him an easy target,. But a good wholehearted footballer.

 

[sleeve]

Let's be serious , Brooks has been OK, but needs to be better.
His defence alone makes him valuable. Douehie tries hard but has not got the speed needed for a 5/8.
If both players were on the open market Brooks would be snapped up , Douehie would not get an offer at 5/8 .

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Do you guys think he will drop Brooks and play Madden and Mmbye with simpkin as 14 ?

I don't think so. Simpkin looked cooked last week - he needs to learn the ropes about what it takes to play NRL week in, week out. Having said that, I would have kept him on the bench to interchange Liddle.

Saw Mbye on the news, he was genuinely surprised to be named at 6 so it sounds like it was very much a surprise to him...But he sucked in the centres last week and it may be strategic to line Doueihi up against Best. The forward pack will have its hands full. We were lucky to beat the Knights last time and their forward pack dominated ours. I see the same thing happening again here unfortunately.

Willow,

Do you believe there is a lack of communication between Maguire and team?

I ask this because despite all the darts being thrown at Mbye, he is a senior member of the team. For him not to be aware of a significant positional change is extraordinary. I wonder if players are fully aware of what is required of them and maybe this is one of the reasons we are performing indifferently. The disconnect between Tamou and Maguire on Doueihi is another example.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Always thought Doueihi looked like a centre. Not fast enough off the mark for a 6 or 7. Mbye is probably a better 6?
Great to see Blore back.

He would have to be one of the tallest five eighths but that is not so much a problem as his lack of pace and his slow passing techique.

You nailed it. Long term he was not what is needed in the 5/8 spot,. Speed is everything in the halves, and opposing sides would find him an easy target,. But a good wholehearted footballer.

I always thought and still do that Doueihi is a 13 in waiting. We're looking for a mobile, ball playing lock well he is your man.