As Tigers fans, we've had a tough week. 1-3 start to the season, Lui and Moltzen in the off-season, gone from premierhsip favorites to 2nd last, and every journalist, radio station and general fan of the game is really putting the knife in our clubs back.
What hasn't really been talked about is something Farah even mentioned on NRL on Fox and that is HISTORY. History in football can be rather misleading, but I find for us at least there is a pattern.
2009: This is the last of the "John Morris era", which to me represents a time where we had alot of dead weight in our roster. Nevertheless, we started ok, a few wins in the first few rounds, but then we got caught with the same issues: we lost tight games. Between rounds 8 - 11, we lost 4 games by 2 points or less, and were then beaten 13+ 2 weeks in a row. CLUB IN CRISIS, SACK SHEENS, NO PLAYMAKERS, NO DEFENCE. From Round 17 onwards, we go on a streak and lose to Parramatta in Round 24 (Tuaki's last game) and were effectively knocked out of finals contention. Close but no cigar.
2010: Alot of pre-season hype, and we start off well (4-1), but we play Souths in Round 10 in a game I'm sure most of you remember. NO HEART, SOFTEST TEAM IN THE COMP, SACK SHEENS, SACK ROBBIE, SACK BENJI, BENJI AND ROBBIE HATE EACH OTHER. We play some pretty boring football and get some lucky wins, but around Round 18, we start playing some very good footy and charge into the finals very well favoured. "That" Roosters game, a courageous win against Canberra and lose with 4 minutes to go to St. George. I'd say a successful season
2011: Much more pre-season hype, alot of pundits tipping us as competition winners and a threat to the minor premiership. We start off very flat, have some injury concerns, and sure enough within the first 10 rounds we have some "soft" losses to the Roosters in Round 4 and Souths in Round 10\. SACK SHEENS, ISSUES IN THE PLAYING GROUP, ROBBIE AND BENJI HATE EACH OTHER, SALARY CAP ISSUES. Alot of media hype this time surrounding the Tigers and their sub-pay performances, even though they seem to be winning games they're playing quite poorly. From Round 20 onwards, we are simply on fire, everyone loves us, we sneak into 4th, have a very good win over the Dragons and lose with 2 minutes to go to New Zealand. Very heartbreaking, but a successful season nonetheless.
2012: MASSIVE pre-season hype, universally picked for Premiership. Start the season slowly, win in Round 1 but losses in Rounds 2-4 and already, the same issues are coming up again.
History is clearly repeating itself. This is how we do things, and moreso, this is how Sheens does things. In 2005, we started our run from Round 16\. We have slow, disappointing starts to seasons, and then fire when it matters and, for 3 years running, have been a very well-favoured side come July/August.
So don't panic or pay attention to all this nonsense. Don't rip up your season tickets or stop coming to matches or denounce that we are a disgrace. Because in a few months time, you can join me in laughing at this media sh*tstorm and feel safe in knowing that you knew all along that your team would be ok :smiley:
What hasn't really been talked about is something Farah even mentioned on NRL on Fox and that is HISTORY. History in football can be rather misleading, but I find for us at least there is a pattern.
2009: This is the last of the "John Morris era", which to me represents a time where we had alot of dead weight in our roster. Nevertheless, we started ok, a few wins in the first few rounds, but then we got caught with the same issues: we lost tight games. Between rounds 8 - 11, we lost 4 games by 2 points or less, and were then beaten 13+ 2 weeks in a row. CLUB IN CRISIS, SACK SHEENS, NO PLAYMAKERS, NO DEFENCE. From Round 17 onwards, we go on a streak and lose to Parramatta in Round 24 (Tuaki's last game) and were effectively knocked out of finals contention. Close but no cigar.
2010: Alot of pre-season hype, and we start off well (4-1), but we play Souths in Round 10 in a game I'm sure most of you remember. NO HEART, SOFTEST TEAM IN THE COMP, SACK SHEENS, SACK ROBBIE, SACK BENJI, BENJI AND ROBBIE HATE EACH OTHER. We play some pretty boring football and get some lucky wins, but around Round 18, we start playing some very good footy and charge into the finals very well favoured. "That" Roosters game, a courageous win against Canberra and lose with 4 minutes to go to St. George. I'd say a successful season
2011: Much more pre-season hype, alot of pundits tipping us as competition winners and a threat to the minor premiership. We start off very flat, have some injury concerns, and sure enough within the first 10 rounds we have some "soft" losses to the Roosters in Round 4 and Souths in Round 10\. SACK SHEENS, ISSUES IN THE PLAYING GROUP, ROBBIE AND BENJI HATE EACH OTHER, SALARY CAP ISSUES. Alot of media hype this time surrounding the Tigers and their sub-pay performances, even though they seem to be winning games they're playing quite poorly. From Round 20 onwards, we are simply on fire, everyone loves us, we sneak into 4th, have a very good win over the Dragons and lose with 2 minutes to go to New Zealand. Very heartbreaking, but a successful season nonetheless.
2012: MASSIVE pre-season hype, universally picked for Premiership. Start the season slowly, win in Round 1 but losses in Rounds 2-4 and already, the same issues are coming up again.
History is clearly repeating itself. This is how we do things, and moreso, this is how Sheens does things. In 2005, we started our run from Round 16\. We have slow, disappointing starts to seasons, and then fire when it matters and, for 3 years running, have been a very well-favoured side come July/August.
So don't panic or pay attention to all this nonsense. Don't rip up your season tickets or stop coming to matches or denounce that we are a disgrace. Because in a few months time, you can join me in laughing at this media sh*tstorm and feel safe in knowing that you knew all along that your team would be ok :smiley:
