Wests Tigers' heavy hitters throw weight behind coach

[Guest]

Wests Tigers' heavy hitters throw weight behind coach
July 3, 2013
Daniel Lane - SMH
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Wests Tigers forwards Adam Blair and Aaron Woods have offered first-year NRL coach Michael Potter their support, with Blair proclaiming Potter had the ''balls'' to make tough calls.

There has been speculation Potter may be replaced next year and that he is offside with star five-eighth Benji Marshall.

''I think he's been thrown straight into the deep end and obviously it doesn't help when a few of your top players are injured and you don't have your full squad on the field,'' Blair said. ''What he's done with those young blokes, he's had the balls to put people into positions they don't normally play or give a young bloke a run that hasn't had a game yet. To do that you have to have confidence. Every coach should be like that. There were kids who had to be thrown in there and he's backed them and given them good opportunities … good coaches do that.''

While Blair didn't discuss why Marshall was dropped to the bench in round 10 - it's been suggested he breached a club rule that forbids injured players from drinking alcohol - he thought Potter had proved his mettle. ''That was a tough decision to make,'' he said. ''Obviously Benji is well known, well publicised and to do what he did was a very tough thing to do.''

Blair, who hit form after there was speculation he, too, was set to be punted at season's end, had not forgotten how Potter stood by him when he insisted the Kiwis international was too valuable a player to release to Parramatta or anyone else. ''It gives you confidence when you have your coach sticking up for you,'' he said. ''I have to take my hat off to the coach, he's stuck really tight with me. He knows what I can bring and he made a decision to play me in the middle and that's where I started to played some better footy. It's a simple job. You catch the ball and run hard and tackle hard and that suits me better at this club.''

Woods couldn't understand why anyone would be critical of Potter who, despite a terrible run of injuries, had the team within reach of the top eight. ''I get along with him really well,'' he said. ''I suppose he's finding it hard because he's had to come to the club with none of his own coaching staff, he just got given the job. Obviously he was going to struggle with the first seven losses, but the injury toll was crazy.''

 

[LCA]

"Speculation that Potter may be replaced…"?

More like "I have no angle for a WT article so I will make something up".

Who is this clown?

The thing that struck me more than anything after the win over Melbourne was just how unified, strong and committed the squad was....and I mean the entire squad....playing for each other, celebrating success together. In my opinion, Potter's explicit focus on rewarding talent, not reputation, has led to that sense of stability. His methods are starting to have a very positive effect on attitude, morale and performance. I think he needs to have his contract extended immediately.

Unlike Daniel Lane of SMH. He needs to start writing fiction somewhere else. And, this on the day when the SMH are asking up to subscribe for future reading?? Good luck!

 

[2041]

"Speculation that Potter may be replaced…"?

More like "I have no angle for a WT article so I will make something up".

Who is this clown?

The thing that struck me more than anything after the win over Melbourne was just how unified, strong and committed the squad was....and I mean the entire squad....playing for each other, celebrating success together. In my opinion, Potter's explicit focus on rewarding talent, not reputation, has led to that sense of stability. His methods are starting to have a very positive effect on attitude, morale and performance. I think he needs to have his contract extended immediately.

Unlike Daniel Lane of SMH. He needs to start writing fiction somewhere else. And, this on the day when the SMH are asking up to subscribe for future reading?? Good luck!

I wouldn't be too hard on the writer. It's quite possible that a couple of his contacts have seen the rubbish about Potter written elsewhere (the Telegraph) and rung him up to say "we're behind this guy". In those circumstances it's perfectly legitimate journalism to report what you've been told; even if he rang the players the fact that they're willing to go on the record to defend their coach effectively green lights the story.

Actually this is as good an example as any of why not commenting is often the preferred option. What we have here is a bunch of unsourced rubbish dredged up by the Tele which other papers really are obliged to follow up on. If the Tigers close ranks and no-one adds anything, on or off the record, the story might go away. By denying it, arguably, these players are adding legitimacy and keeping it in the public eye. But that isn't the reporter's fault.

 

[LCA]

2041, there's only ever a "story", as you put it, if enough people allow that standard of reporting to go unchallenged. Repeating "rubbish" from another source is not journalism. It is the reporter's fault, and he should be challenged, if he is stupid enough to build his article around rubbish published elsewhere.

 

[Eye_Of_Da_Tiger]

What a load of absolute crap.There should be a law about making anything that's sells papers up.

 

[innsaneink]

Wow some have gone off on a tangent here…..the author's only setting the tone for the article.

Good read.

 

[stevetiger]

What we have here is a bunch of unsourced rubbish dredged up by the Tele which other papers really are obliged to follow up on. If the Tigers close ranks and no-one adds anything, on or off the record, the story might go away. By denying it, arguably, these players are adding legitimacy and keeping it in the public eye. But that isn't the reporter's fault.

The amount of stuff the Tele makes up is unbelievable.

 

[2041]

2041, there's only ever a "story", as you put it, if enough people allow that standard of reporting to go unchallenged. Repeating "rubbish" from another source is not journalism. It is the reporter's fault, and he should be challenged, if he is stupid enough to build his article around rubbish published elsewhere.

Sorry but that's just nonsense. Let's say, hypothetically, that the Tele reports today that Kevin Rudd is a war criminal based on the word of "insiders". If Chris Bowen then calls a journo at the Herald and explains, on the record, that the Tele story is a load of rubbish should the Herald not print anything?

 

[TIGERS]

Said Blair

**"It's a simple job. You catch the ball and run hard and tackle hard and that suits me better at this club.''**

As opposed to what? :brick:

I am pleased that he seems to be finding his mojo and getting fired up again. It'd be handy having the "worlds best forward" version of Adam Blair in the side rather than the "Worst Buy in living Memory". Better late than never.

 

[pHyR3]

Said Blair

**"It's a simple job. You catch the ball and run hard and tackle hard and that suits me better at this club.''**

As opposed to what? :brick:

I am pleased that he seems to be finding his mojo and getting fired up again. It'd be handy having the "worlds best forward" version of Adam Blair in the side rather than the "Worst Buy in living Memory". Better late than never.

As opposed to hitting holes, pressure on kickers, loose balls, running decoys, all the 1st percenters that people often talk about.

 

[TIGERS]

Said Blair

**"It's a simple job. You catch the ball and run hard and tackle hard and that suits me better at this club.''**

As opposed to what? :brick:

I am pleased that he seems to be finding his mojo and getting fired up again. It'd be handy having the "worlds best forward" version of Adam Blair in the side rather than the "Worst Buy in living Memory". Better late than never.

As opposed to hitting holes, pressure on kickers, loose balls, running decoys, all the 1st percenters that people often talk about.

Yeah we were really happy at the how much of a difference that was making for us. Its like being a crap tradesman who always showed up to work on time.

 

[izotope]

Said Blair

**"It's a simple job. You catch the ball and run hard and tackle hard and that suits me better at this club.''**

As opposed to what? :brick:

I am pleased that he seems to be finding his mojo and getting fired up again. It'd be handy having the "worlds best forward" version of Adam Blair in the side rather than the "Worst Buy in living Memory". Better late than never.

As opposed to hitting holes, pressure on kickers, loose balls, running decoys, all the 1st percenters that people often talk about.

Have to be honest even when out of form he almost always put pressure on kicker if within some reasonable distance.
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Funny they call them 1%'ers when really its a huge part of the game. There would be almost no breaks if people didn't run decoys.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

As long as Blair continues to make metres, complete tackles and not miss any through poor effort I will be happy.

 

[LCA]

2041, there's only ever a "story", as you put it, if enough people allow that standard of reporting to go unchallenged. Repeating "rubbish" from another source is not journalism. It is the reporter's fault, and he should be challenged, if he is stupid enough to build his article around rubbish published elsewhere.

Sorry but that's just nonsense. Let's say, hypothetically, that the Tele reports today that Kevin Rudd is a war criminal based on the word of "insiders". If Chris Bowen then calls a journo at the Herald and explains, on the record, that the Tele story is a load of rubbish should the Herald not print anything?

It's not nonsense if the Herald's story outs the Daily Astonisher as the source of the original story. What this guy could have done is say something like: "stories expressed ]in a rival newspaper would have us believe that Mick Potter's tenure as coach at WT is uncertain" or something to that effect.

Wouldn't a statement like that increase media accountability?? To be outed as a rumour monger which is ultimately denied by those who "should" know otherwise and who are quoted in his story? The strength of the WT players' response would have been just as strong and affirming.

By not saying that, the reporter is just perpetuating another rumour from another "journalist".

Can't you see the difference?

 

[PYMBLEPETE]

So they should throw their weight behind Potter. By my reckoning he has made one bad call since he has had the gig - the benching of Robbie in the Manly game. Seems to have the team showing more spirit than has been evident for years, and discipline in both attack and defence has improved a lot this year.

 

[Black_n_White]

So they should throw their weight behind Potter. By my reckoning he has made one bad call since he has had the gig - the benching of Robbie in the Manly game. Seems to have the team showing more spirit than has been evident for years, and discipline in both attack and defence has improved a lot this year.

well said… where the hell is this rep point system?