Wests Tigers Team v Penrith Rd 18

[earl]

To those saying AD didn’t have a go on the weekend.. I watched the game again and I think he did have a go, he just ain’t that good….certainly not as good as a lot on here claim he is. See how he travels at 6 I suppose.

This is my biggest concern. I reckon he had a dig. His defense at times is abysmal. He can hit them but he needs to make his tackles consistently. His attack was poor.

He is only just back from injury so maybe he is back finding form but rewarding that performance is a joke.

Hopefully he is back in the groove now and he kills it this weekend.

 

[Tigerdave]

Riiiiggt.....well I guess we'll see how moving Brooks back to half, AD at 5/8 and Hastings at lock goes...

Not sure why Kelma or Roberts are there.

 

[Needaname]

I have no issues with the side. It's slim pickings right now and I am all for giving the young blokes like Matamua and Pole ongoing match time.

Kelma offered nothing in attack last week but he was asked to do a lot of defending... but more than that, I cannot see obviously who you are going to replace him with. I'm all for dropping players if you have a good replacement available.

Re the halves...well Doueihi gets his run. Brooks gets another life, like a bag of cats. I can only suppose Noddy has discussed with Jacko moving him to lock, as Madge mooted when he was originally signed. There's clearly a different strategy at work having a large-framed halfback at lock, so realistically we need to see how that plays out before saying whether or not it works.

Because despite whatever you may say, Hastings has been halfback for quite some weeks now and we have not been winning football, so it's not all about Brooks.

I think you saw later in the game what Brooks is like running wide off the ruck.
Hastings can be the distributor very similar to ET was and probably with a similar running game but with next to no defence. Keen to see how it works out against the KOE Panthers Team

 

[earl]

Yet some will still argue till they are blue in the face that it will happen and tell you that you are the crazy one.

I think the opposite of what you are stating. I think the club wants to move him on. The problem is the guys who have been earmarked to replace him aren't performing.

He is being picked completely on form or better put Hastings and Doueihi's lack of form.

 

[tig_prmz]

1. Simpkin and Brown fight it out for first shot at 14 next year.
2. Douehi is a 6, no doubt about it. He'll be our 6 for next 2 years bar injuries.
3. Brooks/Hastings need to figure out among themselves who's good where. It could be 7. Hastings, 14. Brooks. It could be 7. Brooks, 13. Hastings.
4. Hastings needs to play his natural game. Lots of supporting runs, needs to back up every forward that takes a run, be involved in every tackle, pushing the markers away. Distribute the ball when necessary, don't just spread it for the sake of it.
5. Matamua needs to make a strong case for himself to be the starting backrower next year.

Like it or not, this is the best squad we will have for the next year and a half. We aren't getting any massive signings for 2023 and in order to get a marquee for 2024, these top 20 guys need to get this team better.

It makes no sense to let Brooks go since we will be paying 70% of his salary to play elsewhere.

Hastings, Kepaoa, Talau, Naden etc are on minimal contracts with us til at least next year. Makes no sense to be paying a fair chunk of their contract to play elsewhere.

Whoever the new coach is,, Sheens, Cayless, Gardiner etc need to focus on getting the best out of this mob. You can't keep recycling coaches and players. Get better and then try to attract players.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I think the opposite of what you are stating. I think the club wants to move him on. The problem is the guys who have been earmarked to replace him aren't performing.

He is being picked completely on form or better put Hastings and Doueihi's lack of form.

So what’s it say about them? AD gets some leeway due to the ACL, but Hastings had 6 or so weeks to take the 7 jersey and own it and he failed.

 

[Newtown]

Hahahha wow! This got to be a gee up. We are so weak in every decision we do. We always try to create the least amount of waves and just fumble about like rudderless morons. We move our best player for the year from his position to accomodate a consistently underperforming player because we’re too scared to try life without him (If I’m not clear enough I’m talking about Brooks) We then move the only person who looks like a halfback at this club for the last 10 years to lock! We select JTJ ahead of anyone that has promise and/or potential to be here next year. We put Garner to bench instead of Kelma (who shouldn’t be in the team full stop). No wonder we are a laughing stop, we’re gutless.

Probably because the interim coach wanted to be the full time and is now not happy with the way the club is treating him so he stuffs up the team selections.

 

[Buttface]

Ummmm Hastings?

He said no one comes close, including hashtags, and I agree with him.
Joffa has deadset Carried em this year.

 

[GarryOwen]

He was back near halfway complaining to someone and rubbing his face where Blake disposed of him. Meanwhile Brooks got hammered for sprinting from the other side of the field and missed the ball attempting to stop the try.

Blake passed to Sivo - he didn't "dispose" of AD at all. It was a simple draw and pass.
Brooks did well to get back, but took a low-percentage option and paid the price.

 

[colinbh]

1. Simpkin and Brown fight it out for first shot at 14 next year.
2. Douehi is a 6, no doubt about it. He'll be our 6 for next 2 years bar injuries.
3. Brooks/Hastings need to figure out among themselves who's good where. It could be 7. Hastings, 14. Brooks. It could be 7. Brooks, 13. Hastings.
4. Hastings needs to play his natural game. Lots of supporting runs, needs to back up every forward that takes a run, be involved in every tackle, pushing the markers away. Distribute the ball when necessary, don't just spread it for the sake of it.
5. Matamua needs to make a strong case for himself to be the starting backrower next year.

Like it or not, this is the best squad we will have for the next year and a half. We aren't getting any massive signings for 2023 and in order to get a marquee for 2024, these top 20 guys need to get this team better.

It makes no sense to let Brooks go since we will be paying 70% of his salary to play elsewhere.

Hastings, Kepaoa, Talau, Naden etc are on minimal contracts with us til at least next year. Makes no sense to be paying a fair chunk of their contract to play elsewhere.

Whoever the new coach is,, Sheens, Cayless, Gardiner etc need to focus on getting the best out of this mob. You can't keep recycling coaches and players. Get better and then try to attract players.

Have you been asleep??? Api and Pap have both signed for next year, with a couple more to come. Back to sleep.

 

[GarryOwen]

I like that Matamua has been given a chance on an edge, but a bit bewildered as to how Kelma got the other spot over Garner.
The centres are baffling as well.

 

[BirchgroveTigers]

Eh don't mind it for a few games to see how it goes. Hastings is bigger than Radley or McInnes. Personally doubt he will have the physicality for 13 but who knows. Do also want to see Hastings and Doueihi combo before the year is out though.

Kelma and Roberts are the head scratchers IMO. At least have Tupou in there surerly....

 

[Pbulk]

SHEENIUS!

 

[Pbulk]

To clarify, this team is definitely not the one I would have picked

 

[Westie]

Ok so my guess is Brooks and Tuilagi will come down with Covid by the weekend and will be replaced by Madden and Garner. Then i am actually happy with the team, given what we have available.

 

[DGilly]

Ah yes Brooks back at 7. 185th time lucky? What's Jock gotta do to get a spot?

 

[Stevec]

Brooks missed round 11 injured and Madden played we scored 7 tries that day
They don't have the guts to bite the bullet

 

[Roar_Power]

Like it or not, this is the best squad we will have for the next year and a half. We aren't getting any massive signings for 2023 and in order to get a marquee for 2024, these top 20 guys need to get this team better.

Api and Papalli say hi.

 

[Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan]

Rockstar team. Tigers to get the chocolates.

 

[earl]

So what’s it say about them? AD gets some leeway due to the ACL, but Hastings had 6 or so weeks to take the 7 jersey and own it and he failed.

It's a concern. I honestly thought at the start of the season these two were going to prove themselves our halves.

I don't like Hastings at 13. I think it weakens our pack.

If we get go forward I do like Brooks and AD giving us options both sides of the ruck but to me that means we should be looking to move Hastings on when his contract is up. Just play Matamoa as the ball playing lock.

I can't see any of this as a positive so we'll probably win on the weekend.