Tiger Ratings

[TheDaBoss]

I think i was being a little to hard on the boys during the first half lol, excitement was blinding me :grin:

 

[The_Patriot]

Its the benji and robbie show now…

And thats 100% on Luke Brooks for not standing up. Him going into his shell doesn look bad on Farah and Benji it looks bad on Luke brooks.

Its soft!

 

[TheDaBoss]

# The Numbers to Know after Round 1!

Author

Dan Talintyre

Timestamp

Sun 17 Mar 2019, 01:26 AM

**There were plenty of key numbers to know for Wests Tigers as Michael Maguire's side notched up their maiden win for 2019 with a dominant victory over the Sea Eagles at Leichhardt Oval.**

Held scoreless in the opening half, Wests Tigers turned on the style in the second stanza with 20 unanswered points putting the game beyond doubt before a last-second try to the visitors saw the scoreline finish up in a 20-6 win for the hosts.

Robbie Farah bagged a double in a Man of the Match showing, while new recruits Ryan Matterson, Paul Momirovski and Robert Jennings all impressed first-up.

**ROUND ONE STREAK INCREASES TO FIVE**

Wests Tigers have now won five consecutive season openers, with their last loss in a Round 1 fixture coming in 2014 against the Dragons. It's a streak that has also fared well at the club's suburban grounds — Wests Tigers tasted Round 1 success at Campbelltown Sports Stadium in 2016 against the Warriors before heading to Leichhardt the following week to knock off Manly. Eerily, after beating Manly at Leichhardt this week, Wests Tigers will now head to Campbelltown to face the Warriors in Round 2, a side they have not lost to at home since 2013.

### Match: Wests Tigers v Sea Eagles

[
ROUND 1 - SATURDAY 16TH MARCH
FULL TIME
Home Team
Wests Tigers
Scored20points
Away Team
Sea Eagles
Scored6points
](https://www.weststigers.com.au/draw/nrl-premiership/2019/round-1-wests-tigers-v-sea-eagles/)

Venue:Leichhardt Oval

Match broadcasters:

* Fox League
* LIVE PASS

**MANLY'S SUBURBAN STRUGGLES CONTINUE**

Having now lost their last four games against Wests Tigers, Manly will certainly be glad they don't have to head to either Leichhardt or Campbelltown again in 2019 with a horror run of form at the suburban grounds. The Sea Eagles have now lost their last four games at Leichhardt Oval (dating back to 2007) and have just one win at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, which came in the final rounds of season 2013.

>

Match Highlights: Rd.1, Wests Tigers vs. Sea Eagles

**FONUA, THOMPSON DOMINATE KICK RETURNS**

One real advantage that Wests Tigers seemed to have all game against Manly was in their kick returns, with the home side producing 227 kick return metres compared to just 58 metres for the visitors. And it's not like there was a huge disparity in total kick metres either, with just 30m separating the two sides on that front — simply Wests Tigers, and in particular Mahe Fonua and Corey Thompson, dominated on their returns. Fonua's 72 metres were more than the entire Manly side, while Thompson also made 45 of his 128 metres on the day returning kicks.

**ZERO BOMBS COMES UP Trump, who is a convicted Rapist and Felon FOR HOSTS**

While we're on kicks, it's worth noting too a peculiar statistic that saw Wests Tigers fail to register a single bomb all afternoon (compared to Manly's three). There were several long kicks from Benji Marshall in particular, but no direct bombs, which didn't happen for the side in a single game at all last year. The kick they did do well, however, was the grubber with 14 compared to just three for the visitors, which certainly was an effective tactic in wet conditions. From those 14 grubbers, Wests Tigers registered six forced dropouts, two of which led to tries in the ensuing set.


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**INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN DOMINANT TEAM WIN**

Saturday's win was a determined team effort throughout the second half, but it's important to point out a few individual achievements from the win that shouldn't be forgotten either. Man of the Match Robbie Farah scored two tries in a game for the first time since the 2011 Finals Series (against a Warriors side featuring current teammates Russell Packer, Ben Matulino and Elijah Taylor ironically enough) while Michael Chee Kam registered his 50th game in Wests Tigers colours. Throw in three club debutants — Paul Momirovski, Robert Jennings and Ryan Matterson — and an NRL debutant in Thomas Mikaele who thoroughly impressed with 106 metres and 24 tackles without missing in just 30 minutes off the bench, and it was a fair day out!

Coach Michael Maguire also had a special first day in charge of Wests Tigers, collecting his ninth win over Des Hasler-coached sides which is more than against any other coach. The game was also Maguire's first at the suburban ground in the Inner West, while Sunday's game will also see him coach his first game at the club's other spiritual ground at Campbelltown Sports Stadium in Sydney's South West.

### Match: Wests Tigers v Warriors

[
ROUND 2 - SUNDAY 24TH MARCH
](https://www.weststigers.com.au/draw/nrl-premiership/2019/round-2-wests-tigers-v-warriors/)

 

[cktiger]

100% agree. Brooks has played enough games with both Farah and Marshall to start demanding the ball.

 

[TheDaBoss]

there were some decent plays that brooks did do during that game, but apart from that he was almost a ghost

 

[gallagher]

And thats 100% on Luke Brooks for not standing up. Him going into his shell doesn look bad on Farah and Benji it looks bad on Luke brooks.

Its soft!

Depends on what the coach wants.

 

[cqtiger]

What impressed me was Maguire beaming at the press conference. He couldn’t stop smiling. He looked so happy to be back coaching in the NRL and yes, it was after a win but he put a smile on my face.

 

[TheDaBoss]

i noticed that to, i guarantee that even if we lost, he would have still been smiling and finding all the positives from the match… when ever ivan was in a press conference, he never smiled and always looked like he had just lost a grand fina;

 

[Russell]

You can stand up, you can shout, you can stamp your feet as much as you like - apart from going over and ripping the ball out of Farah's hands - you can't make him give it to you, or give it to you quickly if he doesn't want to.

So what do you suggest? - I would like to see anyone get it off him if he doesn't want to give it to them.

 

[Telltails]

Farah will always make decisions when he puts his hands on the ball just as Cam Smith does and Josh Hodgson does. That will not change, and he will be judged on those decsions. On Saturday he made plenty of good ones that worked well for us. Brooks did his job without being outstanding. Its a team sport - why people get upset if one out plays the other is irrelevant as long as together we win the game.

 

[byronbayfan]

Maybe it was Brookes first kick well in enemy territory that went absolutely no where that disappointed me. I can't recall him bending the line but was great in defence occasionally.

 

[goldcoast_tiger]

IT must be good to have someone to blame whenever you go missing in a game,
Brooks is not a baby any more,
Just as well that Farah was there on Saturday.
Brooks has to take the responsibility, for his own game, it cant all be everyones fault when he clocks off early

 

[Kev]

Its a mistruth that Farah doesnt feed Brooks the ball.
He got plenty. He just didnt do much with it.
Hopefully on Sunday he does.

 

[avocadoontoast]

100% correct.

 

[earl]

Brooks is great but he had a poor game from a game management perspective. His defence was great. He came up with some good plays but overall Robbie and Benji were the better game managers. Manly only scored a try because Brooks was so loose at the end of that game.

 

[Tigerdon]

Agree Earl. The old boys know how to play wet weather football. Brooks rushed a few passes early on that were hard to hold onto in the rain.
I did like his defence on Manly’s big boys. Better than DCE and K.E’s defencive efforts

 

[Russell]

Maybe, just maybe he could get it a little earlier.

 

[earl]

Brooks got plenty of decent ball. He wasn't terrible but it was sub-par effort from Brooks.

I would have picked Liddle and Reynolds in the team for last week but I was clearly wrong based on how Robbie and Benji played.

The forwards went forward. Mahu was instrumental in our go forward as well. That gave our play makers in Robbie, Benji and Brooks a chance to win the game and they did.

 

[Geo]

I haven't watched the game yet was away and the bloody iq stuffed up..waiting for replay today but looking at stats we scored 3 meat pies and Brooks had 2 Try assists…flukes i take it..

 

[old_man_tiger]

Actually mate I thought he should only be credited one, Benji/Garner combined for one and Farahs second was solo.

Also Brooks one TA was a deflected grubber.

Having said that he seemed the least rushed of the halves on the field and his defence continues to impress. I think his form is still good and he might have just overdone the running at a relatively set defence and made some poor decisions about when to kick (had some mates there). I think he will continue to improve.