This post is not to detract from the wonderful years of enjoyment provided by Benji & Robbie and the amazing skills that both players bring to Rugby League and the Wests Tigers! Before I go on further I will also acknowledge that I witnessed both these special players taking the field tonight playing wounded, with Marshall clearly hampered by his injured left knee and Farah a shadow of his past with a groin problem that obviously requires surgery.
Over the past approximate 7 years Tiger supporters have been subjected to the silky touch football skills and adhoc play of Marshall and clever dummy half plays of Farah with both players at times demonstrating talent that most players could only dream of! But all that aside we have also witnessed far too regularly both players believing that they can pull of the impossible plays on just about every 2nd-3rd play, and this in turn has gifted possession to the opposition and in most cases the Tigers end up on the wrong side of the scoreboard.
As a result the Wests Tigers inconsistency and failure to make the semis in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 (and not looking good for 2011) is I believe the result of the coaching staff building the annual game plan around both these talented footballers. It does make sense for any coach to use these players as the go to guys but if they are injured or off their game the Tigers look like lost sheep. Yes a number of clubs are not the same without their stars e.g.Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater etc, but when these players take the field for their clubs their mistakes are minimal yet their skills are still there for all to applaud!
I can hear Tigers supporters saying that it is a team game and that plenty of other players have cost the club 2 points and on occasions this is correct, but because Marshall and Farah handle the ball far more than any other player if they fail to pull off the miracle plays we invite the the opposition back into the game. There is no doubt that coach Sheens has encouraged these plays but seemingly on a yearly basis the Tigers lose more games than we win!
Whilst as supporters we should never give up hope of the season still being fruitful it may be time for Tim Sheens to rest Marshall until his knee has healed (it may take another 3-4 weeks rest) and send Robbie Farah off to the surgeon for a groin operation and start planning for 2012? With McKinnon, Payten, Moltzen, Gibbs, Fifita and possibly Ryan and Heighnington moving on then the Tigers coaching staff are in tough situation to find a top 17 each week that are actually playing for each other and the club!
Regardless, I just hope that an off-season can see the coaching staff spending hours and hours with Marshall and Farah and drumming into them to limit the miracle passes that go over the sidelines and pull back on the ridiculous kicks that come off seemingly one or twice out of every ten attempts. Both players are enjoyed by thousands of footy followers but their inconsistency is breaking the hearts year in and year out for Tigers fans.
PS: Yes I also acknowledge that the Tigers have had numerous long term injuries that have affected the club but so too have a number of other clubs yet the game plan is the same, just give it to Robbie and Benji and hope they pull of the miracles otherwise we resemble a club being coached devoid of alternative ideas.
Over the past approximate 7 years Tiger supporters have been subjected to the silky touch football skills and adhoc play of Marshall and clever dummy half plays of Farah with both players at times demonstrating talent that most players could only dream of! But all that aside we have also witnessed far too regularly both players believing that they can pull of the impossible plays on just about every 2nd-3rd play, and this in turn has gifted possession to the opposition and in most cases the Tigers end up on the wrong side of the scoreboard.
As a result the Wests Tigers inconsistency and failure to make the semis in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 (and not looking good for 2011) is I believe the result of the coaching staff building the annual game plan around both these talented footballers. It does make sense for any coach to use these players as the go to guys but if they are injured or off their game the Tigers look like lost sheep. Yes a number of clubs are not the same without their stars e.g.Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater etc, but when these players take the field for their clubs their mistakes are minimal yet their skills are still there for all to applaud!
I can hear Tigers supporters saying that it is a team game and that plenty of other players have cost the club 2 points and on occasions this is correct, but because Marshall and Farah handle the ball far more than any other player if they fail to pull off the miracle plays we invite the the opposition back into the game. There is no doubt that coach Sheens has encouraged these plays but seemingly on a yearly basis the Tigers lose more games than we win!
Whilst as supporters we should never give up hope of the season still being fruitful it may be time for Tim Sheens to rest Marshall until his knee has healed (it may take another 3-4 weeks rest) and send Robbie Farah off to the surgeon for a groin operation and start planning for 2012? With McKinnon, Payten, Moltzen, Gibbs, Fifita and possibly Ryan and Heighnington moving on then the Tigers coaching staff are in tough situation to find a top 17 each week that are actually playing for each other and the club!
Regardless, I just hope that an off-season can see the coaching staff spending hours and hours with Marshall and Farah and drumming into them to limit the miracle passes that go over the sidelines and pull back on the ridiculous kicks that come off seemingly one or twice out of every ten attempts. Both players are enjoyed by thousands of footy followers but their inconsistency is breaking the hearts year in and year out for Tigers fans.
PS: Yes I also acknowledge that the Tigers have had numerous long term injuries that have affected the club but so too have a number of other clubs yet the game plan is the same, just give it to Robbie and Benji and hope they pull of the miracles otherwise we resemble a club being coached devoid of alternative ideas.
