Why have Wests Tigers gone off the boil

[Tigerpete]

I think there's any number of reasons why we have been "off the boil" but ultimately the reason is, we haven't been good enough. Too many players have been below their best and it's fair to say that even though there are probably a combination of factors which have contributed to this, they are not excuses. The injury toll hasn't helped. Losing Ellis for such an extended period was a massive blow. Infact Ellis is part of the reason we haven't been able to put a full side on the park all season. Other players like Galloway and Tuqiri have been in and out of the side with injuries too.

Due to the injuries, our biggest distraction has surfaced in an unsettled line up. How many fullbacks, 5/8's, halfback's and hookers have we named this year?? WAY too many. I think Sheens has largely got the call right at fullback and hooker when needed but in my mind he's shown little faith in ANYONE outside his top 17-20 players in the squad When it comes to the halves. Last week against Souths was as bad as its got. He lost plot by naming Farah at half back and this week is marginally better by playing Fulton at 5/8\. Marshall's form has CLEARLY suffered because of this chopping and changing. A little more faith in Humble, Miller or even Chisholm would've allowed for a far more settled team dynamic and far more settled Benji.

I think player form has been a big factor too. Ayshford and Marshall have been the two biggest dissapointments this year. Both had great 2011's but both have been out of sorts all year. Marshall as i said above probably hasn't been helped by the amount of halves partners he's had but Ayshford has just not got going all year long. Then there's Adam Blair. Even allowing for settling in to a new club, he just hasn't cut it. I think he'll do better next year, surely, but his form this year has only been magnified because of the form of the side together.

Is this year a lost cause? Well, it's going…going....and it's nearly...GONE!

 

[tigersrule4life]

Well if we win 2moro were back in the 8 and hopefully we beat dragons the week after so we stay in the 8 fire up tigers.

 

[tigerkaz]

Thinking doom and gloom isn't helping anyone. Stay positive and good things will happen. I'm not saying that we will win the comp but packing it in when we are still a chance is just insane. Maybe if us fans stay positive about things and stop blaming everyone from Sheens down then good vibrations might rub off and just maybe we make the finals and give it our best shot.

 

[mtd]

We completed 87% last week and got slaughtered 30-6\. It's not that we don't have the ball it's that we don't do anything with it.

exactly.

injuries have played their toll though… if we had maintained 1,6,7,9 in same spots all year, i think we'd be doing alot better.

the tedesco injury really changed the shape of our season...

 

[mtd]

^ in saying that, its up the coach to manage these hiccups during the year..

i think sheens is good at coming up with plans, just not managing them effectively when they go wrong

 

[spearby]

off the bloody boil we have only been luke warm all year there is no penetration in the tigers all year .i know people will say we had injuries a plenty so has most other clubs

 

[The_Tooth]

Our run of injuries is a matter of fact, not opinion. It is impossible to develop cohesion when the side changes every week due to injuries. The loss of Lawrence and Siro just when we finally got Ellis back was a cruel blow, and very bad luck. I don't see how anyone can deny that. Liam will be Benji's 8th partner this season. How can he develop a combination?

The injury that has been the 'defining moment' of our season so far, though, was the injury to James Tedesco, just 30 minutes into the season. It threw the planning and development of the 'spine' during the off season into chaos. Sheens had to either find another fullback, quickly, most likely Joel Reddy, Tom Humble or Beau Ryan, or move Moltzen back to full back, where he had played half of the 2011 season, and find another half back. Sheens chose the latter. With the benefit of hindsight, it might have been better to go the other way, because Moltzen has missed a lot of games, but you can't call Sheens decision to put Moltzen back to full back a stupid or retrograde decision. For one thing, half the forum agreed with him.

My view of where we are now is that we have at last got all our forwards back (given that Sauce returns) and can build on that. Our real problem is in the three-quarters. We don't have the strike power we have had in the past. Tim Moltzen is the wild card in this, if he can get back on the field. Without him, Benji has no one outside him to do anything with.

COuldn't agree more. I think alot of people are running with their emotions and frustration and trying to point the finger at the coach or players. Individual players form is always an issue for every club at stages of the season, but the injuries are nobody's fault. There's been other issues too, but the injuries have caused lack of cohesion and that has been the biggest factor. I think people are forgetting just how close this comp is too. Has it ever been closer? You need alot of things to go your way in such a close comp and injuries are a massive part of it.
All that considered, if we make the finals, which I believe we will, then the players and coach should be praised for overcoming a horrid year of injuries.

 

[magpiecol]

Thinking doom and gloom isn't helping anyone. Stay positive and good things will happen. I'm not saying that we will win the comp but packing it in when we are still a chance is just insane. Maybe if us fans stay positive about things and stop blaming everyone from Sheen's down then good vibrations might rub off and just maybe we make the finals and give it our best shot.

I have been "positive" since 2005\. Guess what? Good things have not happened. Things are only getting worse. You might accept mediocrity, but I will not. Time for big changes. Now that would be positive.

 

[tigerkaz]

What ever gets you through the day magpiecol, if it makes you happy to want change that's fine but just be warned that change isn't always the best thing. Maybe keep what we have and get the best out of them.Now that's what i call positive.

 

[innsaneink]

Maybe keep what we have and get the best out of them.Now that's what i call positive.

Nice in theory and makes you feel like a supporter.
\
\
But FACTS and history tell us, this is NOT happening.

If you dont change, nothing changes….

Another avergae happy with mediocrity attitude....

 

[claws]

Our run of injuries is a matter of fact, not opinion. It is impossible to develop cohesion when the side changes every week due to injuries. The loss of Lawrence and Siro just when we finally got Ellis back was a cruel blow, and very bad luck. I don't see how anyone can deny that. Liam will be Benji's 8th partner this season. How can he develop a combination?

The injury that has been the 'defining moment' of our season so far, though, was the injury to James Tedesco, just 30 minutes into the season. It threw the planning and development of the 'spine' during the off season into chaos. Sheens had to either find another fullback, quickly, most likely Joel Reddy, Tom Humble or Beau Ryan, or move Moltzen back to full back, where he had played half of the 2011 season, and find another half back. Sheens chose the latter. With the benefit of hindsight, it might have been better to go the other way, because Moltzen has missed a lot of games, but you can't call Sheens decision to put Moltzen back to full back a stupid or retrograde decision. For one thing, half the forum agreed with him.

My view of where we are now is that we have at last got all our forwards back (given that Sauce returns) and can build on that. Our real problem is in the three-quarters. We don't have the strike power we have had in the past. Tim Moltzen is the wild card in this, if he can get back on the field. Without him, Benji has no one outside him to do anything with.

COuldn't agree more. I think alot of people are running with their emotions and frustration and trying to point the finger at the coach or players. Individual players form is always an issue for every club at stages of the season, but the injuries are nobody's fault. There's been other issues too, but the injuries have caused lack of cohesion and that has been the biggest factor. I think people are forgetting just how close this comp is too. Has it ever been closer? You need alot of things to go your way in such a close comp and injuries are a massive part of it.
All that considered, if we make the finals, which I believe we will, then the players and coach should be praised for overcoming a horrid year of injuries.

This now demonstrates that there are a few more intelligent, logical and rational people on this forum. Brings a smile!

 

[rossop]

We have NOT been on the boil all year. Even when we won seven in a row I was not filled with optimism. Let's hope for the best for the rest of the season.

 

[happy_tiger]

We have NOT been on the boil all year. Even when we won seven in a row I was not filled with optimism. Let's hope for the best for the rest of the season.

Totally agree we have simmered occasionally , but we have not boiled for a whole game yet

 

[Hbom]

We have NOT been on the boil all year. Even when we won seven in a row I was not filled with optimism. Let's hope for the best for the rest of the season.

Totally agree we have simmered occasionally , but we have not boiled for a whole game yet

Not even the Canberra game? 40-0 in the cold and wet. One of the best short kicking games I have seen from Benji.

 

[rossop]

We have NOT been on the boil all year. Even when we won seven in a row I was not filled with optimism. Let's hope for the best for the rest of the season.

Totally agree we have simmered occasionally , but we have not boiled for a whole game yet

Not even the Canberra game? 40-0 in the cold and wet. One of the best short kicking games I have seen from Benji.

Agreed…but look at the Wood-ducks we were up against at the time!