Stats show extent of Wests Tigers' poor midfield defence

[alexaki]

Telegraph Article

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/stats-show-extent-of-wests-tigers-poor-midfield-defence/story-e6frexnr-1226316933739

MEET the softest centre in rugby league - the Wests Tigers' midfield defence that looks more like a turnstile this season.

The struggling Tigers, who started season 2012 as premiership favourites, have missed 103 tackles through the middle third of the field, Fox Sports statistics reveal.

And, alarmingly, 23 of those missed tackles have occurred coming off their own tryline - an area where Souths hooker Issac Luke ran from dummy half for two tries last Sunday in the Rabbitohs' 17-16 golden point win.

The Tim Sheens-coached side has also conceded the most penalties in the opening five rounds of the competition.

Luke's two tries were "unacceptable", former premiership winning coach and player Michael Hagan said.

"They obviously have some defensive issues which need to be fixed immediately," he said.

"Issac Luke scored two tries for Souths, both from dummy half. That is unacceptable in the modern game. Wests Tigers' goal-line defence is poor - and that comes down to attitude."

The Tigers have missed 36 tackles on their left side and 44 on the right. But right through the guts is the club's biggest problem.

And the news only got worse last night for the team with just one win this year - powerful second-rower Gareth Ellis is out for two to three months with a fractured left foot.

Ellis will see a specialist today, but is likely to go under the knife to continue his final season in the NRL.

The Tigers are hoping Keith Galloway makes an earlier-than-expected return for Friday's match against the Broncos.

Wests Tigers are averaging 36 missed tackles a game - nine more than the average of all rivals teams.

Tigers legend Steve Roach reckons Aaron Woods and Matt Groat are too young to be starting props while former Tigers champion Garry Jack thinks the club underestimated the loss of tough forwards Andrew Fifita and Bryce Gibbs to Cronulla.

Groat and new buy Adam Blair have each missed 19 tackles this year - the most of any player at the club. Blair has also conceded five penalties.

Benji Marshall has committed 13 errors - the most of any Tigers player - but he does take the necessary risks.

One former Australian player said yesterday: "And Wests Tigers play Brisbane this Friday night. The Broncos use their quick, athletic players through the middle.

"They blast holes in you. Brisbane test your mobility more than any side in the competition. Wests Tigers only have a few days to tidy up this area."

But Jack said: "I have to question the Tigers' retention policy. I really think they under-estimated the loss of Fifita and Gibbs.

"Benji is a great player but he can't do it all when opposition sides are coming through the guts.

"Fifita and Gibbs are hard-heads. When they were there, opposition sides knew if they came through the middle they would get smashed. That's Wests Tigers' problem.

"I just don't think you can have rookie props playing NRL."

Jack also questioned the selection of back-rower Liam Fulton to replace suspended hooker Robbie Farah.

"They lost Robbie Farah and tried to convert a back-rower," Jack said. "That is hard to do because hooker/dummy half is a specialist position. Where is the second grade hooker?"
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**Stats prove Blair is a DUD!**
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Edit 117.

 

[Guest]

Fair calls made by roach and Jack IMO, although with all due respect, I think Woods has handled himself well this season so far - He has been the Tigers best forward along with Ellis but young Groat has struggled. I just hope the Tigers can become a stronger side when they put these on field dramas behind them.

 

[Joel Helmes]

Fair calls made by roach and Jack IMO, although with all due respect, I think Woods has handled himself well this season so far - He has been the Tigers best forward along with Ellis but young Groat has struggled. I just hope the Tigers can become a stronger side when they put these on field dramas behind them.

I agree, Woods has shined - Groat needs a bit more time.

Look I don't think it's an area that we aren't coaching the guys properly on, its not that these guys cant tackle - the issue is a poor kicking game, poor handling, poor discipline (penalties), and a lack of penetration from the forwards (in other words the metres we are making with the ball).

When you stuff up almost every other area of the game you put yourself under pressure and eventually the players get tired and we see tries like we did on the weekend.

 

[system]

Calling Fifita a hardhead is laughable. Jack has spent too much time around AFL or trying to convince clubs that young Rhys is anything more than a speehump if he believes that.

We have problems across the board, the defence is symptomatic of all of that.

My main problem is that I just don't like worthless, gormless Ritchie, never have, never will

 

[happy_tiger]

Fair calls made by roach and Jack IMO, although with all due respect, I think Woods has handled himself well this season so far - He has been the Tigers best forward along with Ellis but young Groat has struggled. I just hope the Tigers can become a stronger side when they put these on field dramas behind them.

I agree, Woods has shined - Groat needs a bit more time.

Look I don't think it's an area that we aren't coaching the guys properly on, its not that these guys cant tackle - the issue is a poor kicking game, poor handling, poor discipline (penalties), and a lack of penetration from the forwards (in other words the metres we are making with the ball).

When you stuff up almost every other area of the game you put yourself under pressure and eventually the players get tired and we see tries like we did on the weekend.

Yeah agree Helmesy

Isn't it a surprise we come up with our best long kicking game of the season (not that it was fantastic , but it was 100% better) and we play much better

Our short kicking game was dreadful though

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Calling Fifita a hardhead is laughable. Jack has spent too much time around AFL or trying to convince clubs that young Rhys is anything more than a speehump if he believes that.

Fifita seems to have benefited from being let go at the same times as Gibbs, now he gets lumped in with Bryce when the reality was his defense around the ruck is one of the weakest parts of his game. As is the fact he runs across the field instead of straight.

I'm sick of the calls saying we shouldn't have let Fifita go. Has anyone watched the Sharks this year? **HE HAS DONE NOTHING**. The Sharks are paying him almost 300K, good luck to them.

Gibbs, well that's a different story. But please stop lumping Fifita in with him.

 

[happy_tiger]

Calling Fifita a hardhead is laughable. Jack has spent too much time around AFL or trying to convince clubs that young Rhys is anything more than a speehump if he believes that.

Fifita seems to have benefited from being let go at the same times as Gibbs, now he gets lumped in with Bryce when the reality was his defense around the ruck is one of the weakest parts of his game. As is the fact he runs across the field instead of straight.

I'm sick of the calls saying we shouldn't have let Fifita go. Has anyone watched the Sharks this year? **HE HAS DONE NOTHING**. The Sharks are paying him almost 300K, good luck to them.

Gibbs, well that's a different story. But please stop lumping Fifita in with him.

Yep the only time he goes forward is when he can see the tryline

 

[rossop]

We were all hopeful that the young guns would go well but you didn't have to be Einstein to predict that we would struggle up front. The Saint George forwards showed us up badly. We are improving, though, and only stupidity cost us the Souths game. The size and pace of the Brisbane side will be very hard to overcome and I wont be betting we toss them. Its not impossible, I just hope we play smart, hard footy. 😛ray:

 

[851]

Tim and the boys can't hide from the facts now,they face up to them or our season is dead after round 6,pretty simple,also picking players in their right spot will help considerably.

 

[Spartan117]

Calling Fifita a hardhead is laughable. Jack has spent too much time around AFL or trying to convince clubs that young Rhys is anything more than a speehump if he believes that.

Fifita seems to have benefited from being let go at the same times as Gibbs, now he gets lumped in with Bryce when the reality was his defense around the ruck is one of the weakest parts of his game. As is the fact he runs across the field instead of straight.

I'm sick of the calls saying we shouldn't have let Fifita go. Has anyone watched the Sharks this year? **HE HAS DONE NOTHING**. The Sharks are paying him almost 300K, good luck to them.

Gibbs, well that's a different story. But please stop lumping Fifita in with him.

Solid Post Hybrid. 100% on the money

We are missing Gibbs and Payten at the mo.

Another point to remind people is that our young props will be better for these runs.

 

[Irvine]

But Jack said: "I have to question the Tigers' retention policy. I really think they under-estimated the loss of Fifita and Gibbs.

Jack also questioned the selection of back-rower Liam Fulton to replace suspended hooker Robbie Farah.

"They lost Robbie Farah and tried to convert a back-rower," Jack said. "That is hard to do because hooker/dummy half is a specialist position. Where is the second grade hooker?"

All good questions what are the answers.

Who's idea was it to buy Blair ?
Why don't we use the reserve hooker ?

 

[cktiger]

Calling Fifita a hardhead is laughable. Jack has spent too much time around AFL or trying to convince clubs that young Rhys is anything more than a speehump if he believes that.

Fifita seems to have benefited from being let go at the same times as Gibbs, now he gets lumped in with Bryce when the reality was his defense around the ruck is one of the weakest parts of his game. As is the fact he runs across the field instead of straight.

I'm sick of the calls saying we shouldn't have let Fifita go. Has anyone watched the Sharks this year? **HE HAS DONE NOTHING**. The Sharks are paying him almost 300K, good luck to them.

Gibbs, well that's a different story. But please stop lumping Fifita in with him.

Solid Post Hybrid. 100% on the money

We are missing Gibbs and Payten at the mo.

Another point to remind people is that **our young props will be better for these runs**.

Even though we're getting clobbered now we will reap the benefit of this experience being forced on them.
This will fastrack their game - if it doesn't burn them out.
With Ellis gone again and still no Galloway it's a tough way to learn your trade!

 

[simonthetiger]

Wow,the boys at the tele are loving us ATM.

 

[VX225]

Wow,the boys at the tele are loving us ATM.

Yep, every day there's another article calling the tigers soft.

Last years premiers have managed to stay under the radar a bit, they are only one place above the tigers on the ladder.

 

[LaT]

Fifita is not a huge loss defensively, Gary Jack is going senile.

 

[simonthetiger]

Wow,the boys at the tele are loving us ATM.

Yep, every day there's another article calling the tigers soft.

Last years premiers have managed to stay under the radar a bit, they are only one place above the tigers on the ladder.

Yes,funny that.

Imagine if we had lost to Parra?

Front and back page for sure,and vouchers for free marshmallows in Cambo and Rozelle.

 

[Knuckles]

The Tele have a thing against us I'm sure ….. I think they got ticked off when Benji decided to write for the Herald.

The standard of journalism is pretty poor and half the time they are wrong anyway.

 

[simonthetiger]

The Tele have a thing against us I'm sure ….. I think they got ticked off when Benji decided to write for the Herald.

The standard of journalism is pretty poor and half the time they are wrong anyway.

Great call Sherlock!!!

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: