Which positions are crucial

[crazycat]

Just some thoughts I have been thinking about positions and where Wests Tigers have ended on the ladder.

Forwards/Props/etc: ignoring this for now. But you need a forward pack that can hold their own.

Hooker: Usually we have had a pretty top class hooker. Be that Robbie Farah or Api Koroisau. The only time we did not was under Jason Taylor/Ivan Cleary (Ok Farah sent to bench), where we went 14th/9th/15th -- big 4 implosion.

Halfback: A good halfback and we make the finals. 2004/6 Scott Prince and 2005 happens. 2010/2011 were 3rd and 4th with Robert Lui. I won't put Luke Brooks as a good halfback.. But I will say this. Scott Prince left the club and we did not historically have a halfback that could help train the players coming in.
__ Halfback is key (duh).

5/8: We have usually had good 5/8's Benji Marshall filing the position most of the time. Josh Reynolds would fill it under Cleary, then a year later Madge moved him to other positions where he sucked. Lately it's Galvin/Luai

Centers: The main center that comes to mind is Chris Lawrence. Ben Gacia comes to mind as his main partner till 2007... Then Blake Aysford has 1-2 good years and nothing... but in 2010 /2011 we get 3rd and 4th.
We then Splurge and sign James Roberts/BJ Leulua which were both on big $$ from memory, and both rather meh/past their prime.
Since Lawrence, I am honestly struggling to remember who we had at Center till recently bar the two above.

Wing: we have near always had a speedy winger. Tunela Tukali, Pat Richards, Nofo, Koroibete, Taquiri, Beau Ryan. Nearly always a speedy winger if we come last or top 4.

Fullback: Hodson for ages. Then Loki Tiquiri then Moltzen ... Then Tedesco.
Fullback makes some difference, but not as much as people think.



My point:
The two positions that make the most difference are-
Halfback
and
Center.

 

[Demps]

Every position is important.
Need all cylinders firing to be a cohesive unit and get the job done.

As for what we need to be prioritising;

Lock - always been an issue. There's a thread about it. We have capable players but not necessarily a genuine specialist.

Depth - we've got some decent Depth moving forward but I think we are weak in the centres and front row. We need to continue to build this.

 

[Buttface]

10, 13, and as always we need an NRL 7. Hopefully Latu can become a 7 and we only need 2 NRL players.
And that’s just to make the 8.

 

[The Chad]

In the modern game I think it's (in order of importance)-
9- Dummy halves control speed
8/10/13- Middles give momentum shifts
7- The half controls the flow of general play
1- Starts every new set & adds extra attack numbers
2/5- Like the #1, starts every set & is vital in momentum building

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

For me the whole team needs to be competent and in sync, any weak links get exposed in the modern game and that includes the bench.

 

[Lestronge]

I think right edge backrow/ a general down the right who has that edge in sync is something we have missed more than anything . Namely because that’s the strong side for most teams , and for years it’s our weak side .
If KPP and AD either inside KPP at lock or outside him at 7 , can get in sync , then I think that will go along way to a relaxed edge . For me the best defences in the edge always seem the most relaxed. For me that’s our holy grail . We’ve been searching the whole lifetime of the club. Which is ironic considering , from memory our original coach in Wayne Pearce , the big wrap on him was how good defensively he was .

 

[crazycat]

Every position is important.
Need all cylinders firing to be a cohesive unit and get the job done.

As for what we need to be prioritising;

Lock - always been an issue. There's a thread about it. We have capable players but not necessarily a genuine specialist.

Depth - we've got some decent Depth moving forward but I think we are weak in the centres and front row. We need to continue to build this.

Lock has really changed... A lot.

I left lock out because I don't think we saw much of the 2nd hooker element in the older sides. But maybe we did. I remember Ryan hinchcliff?? from Melbourne almost making hooker for NSW (as Cameron Smith ofcourse was the QLD hooker). Robbie Roccow seemed to play some kind of similar role in defense when he was briefly here.

Either way, Lock now is really more of a second hooker/ball passer role as well as a gutsy middle defense roll. Clearly Twal isn't up to the task and is better starting at Prop.

It's harder to predict success looking at Lock because lock has changed so much. Yes we do need a good lock.

 

[crazycat]

For me the whole team needs to be competent and in sync, any weak links get exposed in the modern game and that includes the bench.

Particularly in the Big D Defense.
100% right though.

Coaches identify who can't defend in the line. They will then be targetted, the stats are there and all layed out.

Momentum too has been a big focus of Benji. He knows we drop the ball and loose an attacking set.

We need to get these basics right. 2024 these basics were not found in the first grade team.
2025 were doing better. Some of the basics are in us, some games we were still woeful.
2026 lets get 1-17 defending solid and hopefully some depth defenders.