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Wests Tigers talk top-spot intentions ahead of St george Illawarra clash
By Brent Read
June 25, 2010
Wests Tigers captain Robbie Farah ups the stakes heading into Friday night's game against St George Illawarra, revealing he and his teammates are set on claiming a maiden minor premiership.
Farah, in doubt for the game against the Dragons with a leg injury, said the players had held a meeting last week and vowed to do all in their power to win the J J Giltinan Shield.
"We want to be minor premiers," Farah said.
"For us to do that we have to beat the Dragons. It's going to be a massive challenge for us no doubt - a good test to see where we're at.
"We're going to have to go another level to compete with the Dragons, especially at Kogarah."
The Tigers head into the game in third place, four points behind the table-topping Dragons but in the midst of a rich vein of form.
Since an embarrassing loss to South Sydney in round 10, the Tigers have won their past four games.
However, coach Tim Sheens will be forced to shuffle his backline as he contends with the loss of halfback Robert Lui. Benji Marshall is expected to play halfback, with Blake Ayshford shifting to five-eighth. Geoff Daniela will be recalled in the centres. The Dragons welcome back NSW prop Mick Weyman and lock Dean Young, meaning they are close to full strength.
That doesn't faze Farah. Nor does the prospect of having to go through the remainder of the season undefeated to achieve their aim of a minor premiership.
"Why not?" he said. "Why not go undefeated? We want to win every game. You're not going to look at the draw and say 'we can't beat the Dragons this week so why show up?'.
"We think we can win every game. We will go out to win every game.
"They're (the Dragons) pretty methodical in what they do - they complete their sets, they get to a kick and they force you into errors. They score points off the back of it. We're going to have to be controlled in our game. It's going to be a big battle of field position.
"I think we're starting to learn to win those games.
"Other than the win against the Warriors, the other three games have been pretty ugly really. We're learning how to get into the grind.
"Like I said, the Dragons are the best at it so it will give us a test of where we are at."
Assistant coach Royce Simmons added: "They're the measuring stick of the competition. They don't make too many mistakes.
"You have to be very patient. They will wait until the 78th minute to beat you. Over the last three or four weeks we have learned to grind out a win."
By Brent Read
June 25, 2010
Wests Tigers captain Robbie Farah ups the stakes heading into Friday night's game against St George Illawarra, revealing he and his teammates are set on claiming a maiden minor premiership.
Farah, in doubt for the game against the Dragons with a leg injury, said the players had held a meeting last week and vowed to do all in their power to win the J J Giltinan Shield.
"We want to be minor premiers," Farah said.
"For us to do that we have to beat the Dragons. It's going to be a massive challenge for us no doubt - a good test to see where we're at.
"We're going to have to go another level to compete with the Dragons, especially at Kogarah."
The Tigers head into the game in third place, four points behind the table-topping Dragons but in the midst of a rich vein of form.
Since an embarrassing loss to South Sydney in round 10, the Tigers have won their past four games.
However, coach Tim Sheens will be forced to shuffle his backline as he contends with the loss of halfback Robert Lui. Benji Marshall is expected to play halfback, with Blake Ayshford shifting to five-eighth. Geoff Daniela will be recalled in the centres. The Dragons welcome back NSW prop Mick Weyman and lock Dean Young, meaning they are close to full strength.
That doesn't faze Farah. Nor does the prospect of having to go through the remainder of the season undefeated to achieve their aim of a minor premiership.
"Why not?" he said. "Why not go undefeated? We want to win every game. You're not going to look at the draw and say 'we can't beat the Dragons this week so why show up?'.
"We think we can win every game. We will go out to win every game.
"They're (the Dragons) pretty methodical in what they do - they complete their sets, they get to a kick and they force you into errors. They score points off the back of it. We're going to have to be controlled in our game. It's going to be a big battle of field position.
"I think we're starting to learn to win those games.
"Other than the win against the Warriors, the other three games have been pretty ugly really. We're learning how to get into the grind.
"Like I said, the Dragons are the best at it so it will give us a test of where we are at."
Assistant coach Royce Simmons added: "They're the measuring stick of the competition. They don't make too many mistakes.
"You have to be very patient. They will wait until the 78th minute to beat you. Over the last three or four weeks we have learned to grind out a win."
