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STRONG START A HIGH PRIORITY FOR CHRIS LAWRENCE
By Wayne Cousins
6/10/2011 4:47:30 PM
Chris Lawrence believes Wests Tigers must be dominant from the 2012 Telstra Premiership kick-off to ensure the Club capitalises on its opportunities in trying to secure their second title.
Lawrence is adamant Wests Tigers will be a major force again given the depth of the Club as well as the arrival of new signings Adam Blair, Joel Reddy, prop Matthew Bell, Tom Humble and rugby convert John Grant.
“I wouldn’t say we have blown chances of winning the premiership, rather opportunities that have been missed,’’ Lawrence insisted.
“This year there were opportunities that were there for the taking. For different circumstances, we were just not good enough to take it.
“When I look at the next 2-3 years, we have got a pretty similar squad. Barring a ridiculous amount of injuries, we will be there again. It is just a matter of whether we are good enough at the business end of the year to step up and take that opportunity.”
Lawrence says the team must lay a strong foundation early to send a clear message to their premiership rivals.
“We need to start well. The middle part of this season wasn’t good at all,’’ Lawrence said.
“It doesn’t matter what injuries we have, if we want to be a dominant club who is always in the top 4 each year, we just can’t have lapses in the middle and then rely on having a nine game winning streak to just get there.
“From round one, we need to be dominant like the Storm are and be in that top four.
"It may even mean we have to adjust the way we play for the first 6-8 weeks of the competition when it is a different style of footy compared to later in the season.”
By Wayne Cousins
6/10/2011 4:47:30 PM
Chris Lawrence believes Wests Tigers must be dominant from the 2012 Telstra Premiership kick-off to ensure the Club capitalises on its opportunities in trying to secure their second title.
Lawrence is adamant Wests Tigers will be a major force again given the depth of the Club as well as the arrival of new signings Adam Blair, Joel Reddy, prop Matthew Bell, Tom Humble and rugby convert John Grant.
“I wouldn’t say we have blown chances of winning the premiership, rather opportunities that have been missed,’’ Lawrence insisted.
“This year there were opportunities that were there for the taking. For different circumstances, we were just not good enough to take it.
“When I look at the next 2-3 years, we have got a pretty similar squad. Barring a ridiculous amount of injuries, we will be there again. It is just a matter of whether we are good enough at the business end of the year to step up and take that opportunity.”
Lawrence says the team must lay a strong foundation early to send a clear message to their premiership rivals.
“We need to start well. The middle part of this season wasn’t good at all,’’ Lawrence said.
“It doesn’t matter what injuries we have, if we want to be a dominant club who is always in the top 4 each year, we just can’t have lapses in the middle and then rely on having a nine game winning streak to just get there.
“From round one, we need to be dominant like the Storm are and be in that top four.
"It may even mean we have to adjust the way we play for the first 6-8 weeks of the competition when it is a different style of footy compared to later in the season.”
