Story from the 'real' captain...plus Hastings out for 3 weeks

‘Look of boys not putting in’: Doueihi weighs in as Hastings banned for three weeks​

Fan favourite Adam Doueihi has spoken like a true captain by delivering his Wests Tigers teammates a few blunt home truths, declaring they lacked effort against Newcastle and even “had that look of boys not putting in”.

On the same day as the Tigers failed in their bid to have five-eighth Jackson Hastings’ dangerous-throw charge downgraded at the judiciary on Tuesday night, Douehi told the Herald: “It’s not a good look to have.

The Tigers desperately need some wins, which they will have to get without star recruit Hastings, who will miss the next three games after the decision to challenge the charge for the tackle on Newcastle’s Tex Hoy failed to pay off.

If Hastings had taken the early plea, he would have missed just two matches but the Tigers believed they had a strong enough case to have the charge downgraded. They were unable to convince the judiciary, however, and Hastings will now be unavailable to face the Warriors, the Titans and the Sharks.
It caps off a disappointing few days for the Tigers, who were completely outplayed and out-enthused by the Knights on Sunday afternoon.

“To go to Newcastle on the weekend and dish that up, it wasn’t good enough,” Douehi said. “The lack of effort [stood out for me]. It’s easy for me to say from the sideline and not being out there, but that look of boys not putting in, it’s not a good look to have.

“I know how hard they worked during the week, which is why it doesn’t make any sense. To go from putting in a good 40 minutes against Melbourne to dishing that up, it’s something we have to address quickly.”

Doueihi, who is eyeing a return from knee surgery in round 14 against Manly after the bye, can’t return quickly enough to a side looking to avoid a third successive loss against the New Zealand Warriors on Friday.

The playmaker said under-siege halfback Luke Brooks was more than happy at the club, but the criticism from fans and the media would continue until the club started winning. Brooks was linked to a move - twice - to Newcastle during the off-season, while Canterbury could do with a halves partner for Matt Burton.
The Herald asked Brooks if he still wanted to be at the Tigers after the trial against the Roosters, to which he replied: “I’m here.” When pressed if he intended going elsewhere, he said: “Not that I know of.”

Doueihi said of Brooks: “He’s a local junior, so am I, and when you’re local junior, you have a lot more passion and care for the club.
“People don’t see that about Brooksy. He tries hard. It’s disappointing the criticism he gets, but it’s deserved for all of us at the moment, not just him.

“You get annoyed, but it comes with his position, it comes with my position, it comes with losing for so many years. He cops more than other players, which I feel isn’t fair.

“We have chats. He always comes in with a smile on his face. When he stops working hard at training I’ll have a conversation with him, but he’s always ripping in and leading the way. Nobody is questioning that.”
Doueihi had a two-year deal on the table at the Roosters before choosing a four-year contract to return home to the Tigers. He has not once regretted the decision.
“There are no regrets at all,” said Doueihi, a proud Lebanese-Australian who helped launch the NRL’s Multicultural Round in Belmore on Tuesday.

“I’m glad I signed here. I knew it would be a bumpy ride, but I’m keen to get success at this club, it’s a big goal of mine - it’s a goal for the boys here - and until that happens I’ll be staying.
Laurie Daley mentioned on his Big Sports Breakfast radio program Tuesday how the Tigers should look to shift Brooks to dummy-half if things continued to falter at halfback.

Daley said Brooks was not helped playing behind a beaten pack most weeks, but the positional switch had merit in the short term.

“He’s a good defender, has good speed out of dummy-half, he has a good left-foot kick ... I think he’d make a really good No. 9,” Daley told the Herald.
 
I don’t know why the club tried to fight the dangerous throw charge. I don’t think there was any intent to injure from Hastings and he didn’t have his hands between the legs but I thought the tackle was very dangerous and now he is out for an extra week.

I remember a few years ago there was talk Brooks would shift to hooker. I’m not sure it would work but I think on paper Brooks would have the skills necessary for hooker. It would be pretty intriguing but obviously won’t happen while Hastings is suspended.

I really love what I’m hearing from AD as well. He was honest and is obviously trying to implement standards at the club.
 
TigerJunior4 said:
I don’t know why the club tried to fight the dangerous throw charge. I don’t think there was any intent to injure from Hastings and he didn’t have his hands between the legs but I thought the tackle was very dangerous and now he is out for an extra week.

I remember a few years ago there was talk Brooks would shift to hooker. I’m not sure it would work but I think on paper Brooks would have the skills necessary for hooker. It would be pretty intriguing but obviously won’t happen while Hastings is suspended.

I really love what I’m hearing from AD as well. He was honest and is obviously trying to implement standards at the club.
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They didn't fight the charge ..they challenged the Grading.. Hastings was gone for 2 week as he was charged with a grade 2 Dangerous Throw.. if they where successful in having it downgraded to Grade 1 and copped a fine but missed zero games..

Given you cop a fine for a cannonball these days which is potentially more dangerous I see why they did..plenty of blokes in different jersey's have had gradings challenged and been successful..
 
Geo said:
They didn't fight the charge ..they challenged the Grading.. Hastings was gone for 2 week as he was charged with a grade 2 Dangerous Throw.. if they where successful in having it downgraded to Grade 1 and copped a fine but missed zero games..

Given you cop a fine for a cannonball these days which is potentially more dangerous I see why they did..plenty of blokes in different jersey's have had gradings challenged and been successful..
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Yep, if Hastings played for a couple of different clubs he'd be free to play this week no doubt about it.
 
Tiger_Fanatic3 said:
I agree. We have to spice things up - trial and error
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When things aren't working currently, you need to change and think on the run. Our club doesn't seem able to address problems as they arise, it just sticks to its processes that aren't working until it hits rock bottom.
What have we got to lose by trialling a few variations to the squad, or at least a few positional switches?
 
Geo said:
They didn't fight the charge ..they challenged the Grading.. Hastings was gone for 2 week as he was charged with a grade 2 Dangerous Throw.. if they where successful in having it downgraded to Grade 1 and copped a fine but missed zero games..

Given you cop a fine for a cannonball these days which is potentially more dangerous I see why they did..plenty of blokes in different jersey's have had gradings challenged and been successful..
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My point is they disputed the charge and lost costing us an additional week without Hastings. I don’t disagree with you about the cannonball tackles and think it’s a joke that players are just getting fines particularly repeat offenders like Collins.

However I feel the Hastings tackle was pretty cut and dry. It was dangerous.
 
Adam Doueihi is the only player that has shown any resemblance to captain material the last two years and there is a big gap between second.

No player at this club, (bar Hastings in 2 games) has shown any desire to lead, speak up and play to WIN. every player we have, considered a leader or senior has either come from an unsuccessful losing system, never seen success here or is just happy to get paid.

I really hope when he returns we just name him sole captain every game, if the club wants to save face they can still publicly have their 'leadership group' but put the C next to Adam each time. Rotating captains in a team like ours is a joke, for a spineless team that cracks under pressure - cant be having players like Maumalo or Brooks who never say a word at the best of times leading you.

Leadership is earnt and having players vote in their mates who have been around for 2 seconds is why we are directionless.
 
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Geo said:
They didn't fight the charge ..they challenged the Grading.. Hastings was gone for 2 week as he was charged with a grade 2 Dangerous Throw.. if they where successful in having it downgraded to Grade 1 and copped a fine but missed zero games..

Given you cop a fine for a cannonball these days which is potentially more dangerous I see why they did..plenty of blokes in different jersey's have had gradings challenged and been successful..
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Hasn’t it been the case in the past where that a player pleads guilty but challenges the grading they get either a downgrade or the early guilty plea?
 
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