Wests Tigers are divided, says Fifita

Luke

Member
Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall have emphatically denied it, but according to their former teammate Andrew Fifita, the rumours are true: the Wests Tigers are a divided club.

Along with fellow prop Bryce Gibbs, Fifita was unwanted by the Tigers for this season, and the pair have quickly found their feet with resurgent Cronulla, who are now on a four-match hot streak.

The Tigers, 1-5 to start the season, have struggled with form and injuries in the forwards this year, with many suggesting they made a big mistake by turning their back on game-breaking Fifita and players' favourite Gibbs.

Speaking after the Sharks' win over St George Illawarra on Saturday night, Fifita didn't sugarcoat what he perceives are the differences between his old club and the Sharks.

"We have an unbelievable bond, we're so tight. Compared to the Tigers everyone is so tight," Fifita told Channel Nine's Sunday Footy Show.

"We have the same dressing rooms, it's just more of a friendship. We're all just brothers and it's no split groups, no nothing, it's who we are."

Fifita's comments won't impress the senior playing group at the Tigers, who have publicly taken offence on numerous occasions to innuendo suggesting the squad is broken into factions.

The underrated Gibbs has been quietly going about his business for the Sharks since returning from injury and like Fifita, had arguably his best performance in Cronulla colours against the Dragons.

Gibbs was a passionate clubman for the Tigers, popular among teammates and a front-rower with good line-speed and a willingness to get his hands dirty.

"He's the glue to any team he'll be in," responded Gibbs' front-row partner Ben Ross when asked if the Tigers would regret letting the Western Suburbs junior go given their current predicament.

"He gets the boys together and we have a lot of fun around him and he makes us more of a team than people would really see.

"He's that guy that will put on that sneaky little hit that you need or do the little crappy things that other people don't want to do.

"He's there and doing that and it's good to have him by my side."

Source: http://www.nrl.com/wests-tigers-are-divided,-says-fifita/tabid/10874/newsid/66772/default.aspx

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Interesting comments… if it is true then wouldn't Fifita have been happy to leave the Tigers instead of being upset about it? Not sure how much we can take out of this but does really get you thinking again after all the rumours we've heard, unfortunately. I really hope it's not true.
 
Yea I dont think it's true he is just a disgruntled former employee
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Fifita is another Ben Teo.

When his contract negotiations were in place he sooked and stopped putting in.

First opportunity that presents itself he slips the boot into his old club.
 
He never fitted in with the tigers group, that's a fact. Heard it all before he got punted by the tigers. Sounds like a whole lot of sour grapes to me. Players never wanted Gibbs gone, that's a fact. But maybe Robbie wanted him gone….... One too many pranks maybe
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wait till the sharks fall to the wayside once again, and then we'll see who has a dressing room divided.

Difference between the two playing rosters - Our guys WILL eventually find form. Thats the rule rather than the exception, where as the sharks are currently playing the exception rather than the rule at the moment.

The sharks will eventually end up on a losing streak, Gibbs will further injure his knees, and Fifita will continue doing the large amount of nothing he's already been doing at the sharks - it's as predictable as death and taxes really.
 
@underdog said:
wait till the sharks fall to the wayside once again, and then we'll see who has a dressing room divided.

Difference between the two playing rosters - Our guys WILL eventually find form. Thats the rule rather than the exception, where as the sharks are currently playing the exception rather than the rule at the moment.

The sharks will eventually end up on a losing streak, Gibbs will further injure his knees, and Fifita will continue doing the large amount of nothing he's already been doing at the sharks - it's as predictable as death and taxes really.

Gibbs will further injure his knees, Remember dog,, Karma has no deadline…
 
Was a passing comment about a previous time at another club. Not factual based on current day WT team
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June 2011 Fifita kept talking about how disappointed he was to be pushed out because "all the boys are really close".

I linked a quote in the other thread.

This isn't the first time Fifita has lobbed bombs at our club, probably won't be the last. It reflects more on him as a person then it does about us as a team.
 
This is again a case of a journo picking up on a one-liner and making a mountain out of a molehill. A throwaway comment that doesn't deserve the publicity it is getting. It's good for Fifita that he is a happy shark but I don't think it is the reason we are struggling atm. What goes around comes around :blah :blah
 
@LaT said:
June 2011 Fifita kept talking about how disappointed he was to be pushed out because "all the boys are really close".

I linked a quote in the other thread.

This isn't the first time Fifita has lobbed bombs at our club, probably won't be the last. It reflects more on him as a person then it does about us as a team.

Yep. Pretty unprofessional.
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Wonder if he would have had the guts to say something if the Tigers and Sharks played again in 2012

Can't wait til the Tigers v Sharks in 2013 Bet it will get ugly or will Fifita pull out with a niggly injury (heart issue)
 
He is probably right, Theres been that much smoke, there has to be fire somewhere. Despite this, our results have been pretty good the last couple of years. Apart from a couple of games, we really haven't played all that bad this year, we just have injuries and haven't quite got there in the end.

By the way, our golden point victory over the sharks doesn't look so bad now given their form this year
 
The thing is, we don't know what to believe from him, last year he said all the boys were really close and that he didn't want to go.
 
@Furious1 said:
He is probably right, Theres been that much smoke, there has to be fire somewhere. Despite this, our results have been pretty good the last couple of years. Apart from a couple of games, we really haven't played all that bad this year, we just have injuries and haven't quite got there in the end.

By the way, our golden point victory over the sharks doesn't look so bad now given their form this year

I'd say there is at best some half truths in it.

Like if some of our guys split off for lunch, or some of them go to the movies on a day off they might not call everyone in the team to tag along. Where as the Sharks might be eating lunch as a group and txt'ing each other like highschool girls etc.

I'd say Fifita would have found himself not getting the invites last after his form dropped and he wasn't getting a run in 1st grade.

I've put Fifita firmly into the "who gives a shit" pile tbh. He needs to move on, this constant axe grinding is getting old.
 
More motivation for our boys.Sheens must ensure player solidarity it's a must.If there are problems we must remember no individual is bigger than our club and our team. That comes from the top.The only truth I can see to his statement is it is more than likely no one liked him. If he keeps carrying on I think his new team mates will work out what a dog he is. Start winning boys the rumours and talk will fade.By the way what a great bet at 17 to 1.Few wins surge towards the 8 and our wounded warriors will be back before you know it. No team wants to play a full strength Wests Tigers team come semis.No even Melbourne . Go Tiges and good luck to you Mr Fafita
 
Andrew Fifita ‏ @andrewfifita
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Great day with the family and found out my two brothers are signing with wests magpies. #bothbroshavethepotentialtogoalltheway
 
@Mothermagpie said:
Old news, not true…umm the tigers have the same dressing room dont they??

Well at Campbelltown it is split into 3 rooms.lockerschair/warm up.
middle rooms toilets /showers/spa.
then another room with chairs for after the game .
Is THAT WHAT fIFITA IS REFERRING TO ?
 
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