Wests Tigers Team v Canberra Rd 5

[Tiger_Steve]

He was fine. Obviously pissed off but didn’t speak out of turn. Handled it okay

From memory, when Benji Marshall returned to the Tigers, wasn't the main reason this happened was to cover for Josh Reynolds? But constant injuries to Josh meant Benji was always in the starting side

Maybe that time has finally arrived??

Yeah I remember an interview with Reynolds where he was assured by Cleary he’d be the 6. With hindsight that assurance by Cleary would mean nothing!

 

[Chipofftheoldblock]

McQueen can count himself unlucky not to be included since he has given all the other dud big money signings a chance this week.

 

[TigerSJ]

McQueen can count himself unlucky not to be included since he has given all the other dud big money signings a chance this week.

Very good..I'd completely forgotten about McQueen!

 

[jirskyr]

Justin Holbrook made a heap of changes going into our game on sunday……how did it work out for him…
Des made changes at Manly…Pay made changes at the Dogs…
MacGregor makes no changes with his origin roster and how are they going…
Just asking…

Well then let's have all coaches make big changes every week and surely everyone will win.

 

[sheer64]

Not sure why Walters was dropped, looks a better option than Reynolds. Brooks will be targeted big time as the kicker now.

 

[happy_tiger]

Madge has balls big ones

I am hyped

Finally a coach who has the balls to do it

It's only balls if it works

 

[WT2019]

Benji Marshall being dropped is the only interesting story. Do you expect media to go with: 'madge drops a bunch of players you don't know'? Dropping Marshall is a great story for them.

I strongly disagree with dropping Benji unless it is just for a rest or nursing an injury. He's still our best player on the field. He has been exposed a little defensively, but teams on the back foot iaren't a good recipe for halves looking good in defense and I don't think BJ has been much help to him. If anything I'd drop BJ from that pairing, hasn't shown much yet, whereas we wouldn't have won two games without Benji and he should have had the winning field goal in the Titans game.

I also think there's too many changes this week. Once you start doing that things get messy and I question Madge's judgement if he thinks he got it so wrong in team selections to start the restarted season that he has to make so many changes now.

Haven't seen much from Madge I haven't liked, including his impressive press conference on Sunday, but this strikes me as being ill considered and you potentially create more problems than you fix by switching everything from the halves pairing to the forward pack to the backline.

Jennings had to be dropped, but he shouldn't have been picked in the first place, other changes are shuffling similar types around so I don't mind. But Benji's still the key to our team so he should be there and Madge has made a mistake. Reynolds is a good player, and deserves to be playing 1st grade on some team, but he plays with an unhelpful madness in his game and he doesn't have Marshall's vision. Unless he went badly against the game plan or has been shirking it in training, I don't see it.

Some things that stood out for me last week

1. Both Benji and Luke looked nervous all game, especially Luke who seemed to be second guessing every move he made . Were they both out on notice before the game to deliver or get sacked?
2. We were totally out enthused by GC and had little or no go forward and this affected both halves ability to take the reins . Like how can a half make a difference over the distance of a game when that happens. It was like GC knew the record and felt they had a real chance in this game and that gave them the confidence to have a go.
3. Look at Dragons now, better overall roster than ours but no confidence and falling fast. We did what we always do and didn’t stop GC from start , got some early points, gave them confidence and continually let them back into the game.
4. To me Harry is now playing not much different to Robbie in running from DH and then thinking who is with me. And, we collectively have criticised Robbie for doing same. Go and look at Brooks face most of the time. He didn’t have a clue what was going on and was left with only 2 decisions a. Be a running half Into the face of the defence with no chance of breaking it 2. Do you assigned job and wait until the 5th tackle and put up a bomb.
5. What cost us the game. A. Again, attitude and a sense of urgency to overcome whatever the opposition was throwing at us because we thought this was going to be an easy game, collectively. What creates a sense of urgency ? A fear of loss but with this team it’s not about the loss of the team it’s the fear of loss of your position within the team and every forward should have been put on notice, not the halves , that they individually and collectively didn’t gain us the right and we didn’t go forward B. Too many easy unearned tries and coupled with the DNA of this club that is we can always score more than than can score C. No possession cause we got penalised for how many crusher tackles and none were actually reported ?
6. The solution? The problem wasn’t with the halves it was with the forwards going forward in both defence and attack. Win the battle up front first. The halves whoever they end up being need to develop an understanding with Harry or this will be same as problems with Robbie.

 

[JC99]

Not sure why Walters was dropped, looks a better option than Reynolds. Brooks will be targeted big time as the kicker now.

Walters wasn’t dropped due to bad performances more the fact we need grant playing 80 so may as well run another forward on the bench.

 

[JC99]

Madge has balls big ones

I am hyped

Finally a coach who has the balls to do it

It's only balls if it works

As if we’re beating Canberra anyway. Win or lose as long as the team puts an effort in the whole game it’s worth it.

 

[JC99]

I am strangely excited to see how Packer goes. Most likely he does nothing special but I’m happy to see him back in the team.

 

[Cairnstigers]

There is a common theme in team selection. Madge has replaced all players with harder runners and more forwards.

Talau for Jennings
Musgrove for Clark
Packer for Walters
Reynolds for Benji
Lawrence/MCK for Garner

We are going to lose this game perfect time for a shake up.

Geez Madge has had a cleanout and your being ….NEGATIVE...

Raiders off a loss. We don’t have the cattle to beat them.

We don't need Cows
We need Tigers

 

[balmain boy]

Benji had an absolute shocker last week and his defence has been awful this season. Needs a kick up the bum if he wants to keep playing. Why have a 700k backup if you don't play him when you need to.

Mbye and Jennings were both incredibly poor against the GC. Mbye should have been dropped before Jennings though. Playing Talau on the wing when he's only ever played about 100 minutes there in his life is very risky. That being said he's the same size as Jennings and much more skillful, hopefully as quick too. Reading the play in defence will be his issue against one of teh best backlines in the comp.

I'd like to see Madden get a go alongside Brooks sometime soon though. In the end we have 4 running halves at the lub and no organisers. Madden can at least try and organise the side and can kick goals too. The lack of CC is REALLY hurting us this season, and upcoming seasons too. So much talent not playing a single game.

Good that we've got some size back in the pack. Need to drop Lawrence, Seyfarth and Clark for good. And put Garner and Leilua back to their original sides. Brooks needs Garner

 

[TrueTiger]

Justin Holbrook made a heap of changes going into our game on sunday……how did it work out for him…
Des made changes at Manly…Pay made changes at the Dogs…
MacGregor makes no changes with his origin roster and how are they going…
Just asking…

Well then let's have all coaches make big changes every week and surely everyone will win.

I was responding to the many who said the team is the same week in week out and you shouldn't make to many changes to your top 17,however I stated that some coaches made big changes and got better results...this has been coming for awhile and I don't care how many changes Madge makes as long as we start winning and playing for the full 80 minutes and players are held accountable irrespective if they are club legends or potential superstars...

 

[Tigerlily]

When Lawrence is in the starting side you certainly know the cupboard is bare .

I’d be happy at this stage if he just gets through a game without dropping the ball.

 

[watersider]

Justin Holbrook made a heap of changes going into our game on sunday…..how did it work out for him..
Des made changes at Manly....Pay made changes at the Dogs....

MacGregor makes no changes with his origin roster and how are they going....


Just asking...

Gold Coast didn't play well, I wouldn't model my team selections on them. Des didn't drop DCE. Again, Bulldogs didn't play particularly well against St.George, more a case of bad opposition. Saying Macgregor doesn't make changes (when actually he does) as a reason for making changes is like me saying we should keep the same team because the Roosters, Eels, Storm and Knights have all kept the same team together and look how good they are! Ultimately sometimes changes work and sometimes they don't on other teams. What I'm looking at is if Reynolds is a better player than Benji, and I don't see it. Getting fancy by quoting what other teams do is just a distraction from discussing who the best player is. I think Reynolds is solid, I just think this team needs Benji and he's still one of the best in the game. If there's some other reason for dropping him, like motivating the team, maybe it's worth a shot, but I still wouldn't do it. And I don't care what Gold Coast do with their team selections.

 

[tigerap]

McQueen can count himself unlucky not to be included since he has given all the other dud big money signings a chance this week.


Very good..I'd completely forgotten about McQueen!

Let’s keep it that way

 

[Geo]

Madge has balls big ones

I am hyped

Finally a coach who has the balls to do it

It's only balls if it works

As if we’re beating Canberra anyway. Win or lose as long as the team puts an effort in the whole game it’s worth it.

This is why Wests Tigers fail...may as well not show up...

On the other hand have heard it many times..we won't get with in cooee of Club X Y or Z..and they win..

I think we are a big shot in this game..not because of changes made but because the Club in general has shown it can turn up once in every 8 weeks or so ..just as losing to lesser teams is ingrained in our DNA so is turning up and beating a side no one gives us a hope in hell of beating..

 

[TheDaBoss]

Let's jist get that 100% completion rate

 

[JC99]

Madge has balls big ones

I am hyped

Finally a coach who has the balls to do it

It's only balls if it works

As if we’re beating Canberra anyway. Win or lose as long as the team puts an effort in the whole game it’s worth it.

This is why Wests Tigers fail...may as well not show up...

On the other hand have heard it many times..we won't get with in cooee of Club X Y or Z..and they win..

I think we are a big shot in this game..not because of changes made but because the Club in general has shown it can turn up once in every 8 weeks or so ..just as losing to lesser teams is ingrained in our DNA so is turning up and beating a side no one gives us a hope in hell of beating..

Oh if the players had that same attitude I would be fuming they should be going into every game thinking that if they play their best for 80 mins they can win which is true.

Hopefully we can bounce back after a loss and make a statement, raiders are trying to do the same. Could turn into an exciting game

 

[Tiger5150]

Lawrence is smart defender and great at disrupting halves, if he does end up starting he will be there to put pressure on Williams. There was a game two years ago against the Storm in NZ, where Lawrence did a real number on Brodie Croft and was a big factor in winning us that game after starting as big underdogs.

No real issues with the other changes, although Harry Grant will be very busy without a break, hopefully with a bigger pack/bench this week he won't be called on to make as many tackles.

Lawrence is a huge surprise to me but you've made a great point about him pressuring halves, no-one else in the squad does that.

There was a lot of talk last week that Taylor seemed to have all day to kick and that was because we werent hassling him or something. Go back and look at the game, Taylor is miles behind the line, like 10m back at times. You need a motor bike to get him.