Bazzinator
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By Steve Jancetic AAP Sat, 26 Jun 2010 15:57:07
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The Tigers were thumped 34-10 by ladder-leaders St George Illawarra on Friday night, a result which no doubt flattered the Dragons thanks to two late tries but which also exposed the magnitude of the task facing the Tigers.
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Entering the final two months of the season, Wests have still only beaten one side currently in the top eight, a statistic giving ammunition to critics who believe Sheens' men to be flat track bullies.
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Trailing 14-10 and with all the momentum midway through the second half, the Tigers could have gone a long way to silencing those critics with a late charge, but as they had for most of the game, the visitors made things hard for themselves with poor options in attack.
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"I said to the guys 'if you're going to run with the big boys you're going to have to handle those sorts of games," Sheens said.
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"They're a very well drilled and very intense side, they're a physical side and they don't give much away.
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"So if you're going to win a semi-final, it doesn't matter if it's them or anyone, you're going to have to play better football.
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"That's ten weeks away - there's a lot of things that have got to happen in that period of time." But the Tigers can't afford to take ten weeks to find their A-game, with six of their last ten regular season games against sides in the top half of the ladder and one against Melbourne - who would be third if they were allowed to attain premiership points.
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Of utmost urgency is finding someone to wear the No.7, with the Tigers badly missing injured playmakers Robert Lui and Tim Moltzen. Lui is not due back for at least a fortnight and Moltzen is gone for the season.
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"It's not easy to go and replace both your halfbacks, without offering any excuses," Sheens said.
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"It did break our rhythm a bit plus the short week Sunday to Friday to manufacture a new player in that position."
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One player who definitely won't be an option for the Tigers is veteran Melbourne playmaker Brett Finch, despite reports on Melbourne radio on Saturday that a move back to Sydney was imminent.
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"No, the mail's wrong - he's not going there," Finch's manager Steve Gillis said.
>
The Tigers were thumped 34-10 by ladder-leaders St George Illawarra on Friday night, a result which no doubt flattered the Dragons thanks to two late tries but which also exposed the magnitude of the task facing the Tigers.
>
Entering the final two months of the season, Wests have still only beaten one side currently in the top eight, a statistic giving ammunition to critics who believe Sheens' men to be flat track bullies.
>
Trailing 14-10 and with all the momentum midway through the second half, the Tigers could have gone a long way to silencing those critics with a late charge, but as they had for most of the game, the visitors made things hard for themselves with poor options in attack.
>
"I said to the guys 'if you're going to run with the big boys you're going to have to handle those sorts of games," Sheens said.
>
"They're a very well drilled and very intense side, they're a physical side and they don't give much away.
>
"So if you're going to win a semi-final, it doesn't matter if it's them or anyone, you're going to have to play better football.
>
"That's ten weeks away - there's a lot of things that have got to happen in that period of time." But the Tigers can't afford to take ten weeks to find their A-game, with six of their last ten regular season games against sides in the top half of the ladder and one against Melbourne - who would be third if they were allowed to attain premiership points.
>
Of utmost urgency is finding someone to wear the No.7, with the Tigers badly missing injured playmakers Robert Lui and Tim Moltzen. Lui is not due back for at least a fortnight and Moltzen is gone for the season.
>
"It's not easy to go and replace both your halfbacks, without offering any excuses," Sheens said.
>
"It did break our rhythm a bit plus the short week Sunday to Friday to manufacture a new player in that position."
>
One player who definitely won't be an option for the Tigers is veteran Melbourne playmaker Brett Finch, despite reports on Melbourne radio on Saturday that a move back to Sydney was imminent.
>
"No, the mail's wrong - he's not going there," Finch's manager Steve Gillis said.