I’ll respect any player that dons the guernsey, I put off judgement until after he plays for us. I’m looking at this as a filler to replace Musgrave’s non NRL compliance and given Packer’s non appearance- whatever is behind that- we needed another prop for rotation. He has been a good Parra player and has a good reputation compared to some of the Parra team, so I’m ok with things.

Low cost, fill in player, opportunity buy. Nothing wrong with that.

The death of Tommy R just had me thinking I’d love our team to have the equivalent Wests forwards in the 70’s- Donnelly, Brown, Gibbs, Foster, Boyd, Cooper, Luibinskis and O’Grady to name the main lot with Tommy directing from halfback. Every opposing team knew they were in for a battle and had to really earn a win. Respected and feared by many. These days, nah.

Common boys, man up for Tommy and give it to them.

I do think this flurry of signings for lower grades, potential big signing or two for NRL squad, hopeful weeding out of not required players, new support staff and the remoulding of WT football operations is a much needed fillip and energiser to both the footballers and the fan base.

The only thing I would suggest is that we also need to lock in coach Maguire for a few more years now for the continuity factor and ceasing the almost continual chopping and changing within the squads as new coaches tinker and remould to suit their style. Lets have some continuity there as well which will be a change for WT as since Sheens left in 2012 (?) we have had a merry go round of coaches and support staff.

Also- WT admin- please work towards getting 1 homeground. Aim for target date of Homebush Stadium re-opening then decide, until then we can continue our wandering grounds. I will be one happy little vegemite.

Oh bugger. The 1970’s Magpie teams were my love and passion, I grew up with them. Tommy led them with pride and gave his all.

I hope he has been greeted at the pearly gates by Dallas Donnelly holding a beer for him.

For old times sake now on the weekend I’ll have to watch Fibros vs the Silvertails again.

@Tiger_2795 said in Stand up Brooksy:

For someone ‘thats not a Brooks hater’ you’re sounding a lot like a Brooks hater

You can have an opinion either way on Brooks and not be a hater. People should stop shouting down others who see issues with Brooks. This is a forum of people who are allowed to have opinions either way on players.

@hsvjones said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

So does anyone have any real info about us signing any players ? Don’t have to give names etc… just a little excitement and a lift in morale :smile: :smile:

I think any good WT signings (not CC depth) would surely have to wait for movement on Packer / Matulino / Reynolds front beforehand to know how much we can offer and to what position needs filling. In addition there is the still unsorted situation with Matterson and the potential departure of Marsters.

My suspicion is we will get Lomax, Musgrove will be allowed to play and WT will follow through with signing, Lawrence will get a final year extension and some replacement player swapped for Matterson. To say the least, we do have some useful shifts in the playing roster but it is dependent on the first domino falling (not Matterson).

Geez, the poor bugger. Work your ass off in such a physical game and have some ‘manager’ skim your money off you. And, worst of all a supposed friend.

I really do wish him well and good luck- especially now.

@TillLindemann said in McQueen finally given the flick:

Of course he was overpaid for what he brought to the club, similar to a handful of other players who are skewing our salary cap.

But McQueen is the one player in that bunch who I have no hard feelings towards for his performances. It takes a lot of courage to have come back at all after his neck surgery. I would be terrified of every single tackle if it was me. Good luck for England Chris, hopefully you can find some form over there and win some silverware.

Got to say I loved his take down of Matterson’s non appearance at the players end of season celebration

@NT_Tiger - WT have had solid offer on table for a couple of weeks, LM and manager have been going around to other clubs being entertained and allowing those clubs to gain PR exposure when realistically they could not offer him either the amount of money and in most cases the position he wanted (fullback).

WT offer was there to take, he hasnt- despite a visit to him by our management the other week in Taree (yes, I know bushfires) and is sub-consciously throwing our offer in our face (without saying it) by going anywhere else to look at jobs rather than WT. Sort of the old cliche ‘ánywhere except Wests Tigers…’'.

Also we have to get rid of the entertaining of players who say either themselves or through their managers they dont like WT and dont want to play there. Recall Capewell, Arrow etc. OK if they say that, never offer them anything and if any media speculation occurs shut it down immediately.

Pride guys. We have to learn again to treasure it, promote it and not turn the other cheek to slights and things that are plain wrong.

Well Im 61 and Ive been following league since I was around 5 and my dad took me to Pratten Park to see the Magpies play and Ive been a Magpie supporter since then through thick and thin, now a Wests Tigers supporter since merge.

A few observations now on this team inc coach.

• Brooks is done, for the good of both please go and try somewhere else. Take the pressure off both club and yourself.

• our players are mentally soft- no idea how to fix it, other clubs dont have as big a problem but geez, its a biggie.

• Our defence is crap, little scramble and little effort.

• Maguire is done. This season has to be his last. We need fresh ideas but we are on the correct path with developing youth and not really paying overs except for a marque player if ever we can get one for that key player. I reckon that may be more due to Hartigan than Maguire.

• Pick one homeground and for gods sake lets try to make is our castle. Campbelltown / Leichhardt doesnt do it for the team, so history aint going to drive anything (and Lidcombe is now in Parra territory). Think either ANZ stadium or Sydney FS must be it. I think the reality is we are an inner city club, so lets get our homeground somewhere there even sharing a facility is fine unless it is overly identified with a rival eg Bankwest being Parra’s turf.

• Pascoe may be on his last legs and tiring of the load.

At very elast we wont be bothering the Dally M awards for this year.

@tyga said in Recruitment:

@jirskyr said in Recruitment:

@tyga said in Recruitment:

Our issues have not been so much lack of player development but retention and talent identification. How do you not see the talent of Paseka, Addo Carr, Korobiete, Papynhuyzen and also not be able to keep Tedesco, Moses, Aloai, Matterson etc.

Don’t start all that again. Tigers saw the talent in those players, by definition - Koroibete, JAC, Aloiai and Matterson were scouted by Tigers. Tedesco only left for the call of the Rooster and Paps left because he was stuck behind Tedesco.

Paseka was the only one they really didn’t seem to think would come good, and in fairness it’s taken Manly 5 seasons to get him going.

Please do not ever mention Mitchell Moses, that gutless hack.

The issue remains when players come good or have obvious talent they have left. Development is pointless if you don’t retain and extend ahead of contracts expiring.

Obvious most recent example was Matterson.

@speed2burn said in Luke Brooks:

@2005magic said in Luke Brooks:

I do think Brooks has improved immensely over the last couple of months. Prior to that though he was underwhelming and the weakness in his game with communication, organisation, kicking and leading were obvious to many here. I hope he can stay but I would be open to him trying another position eg hooker or centre if WT are looking for Hastings to be the 7 and Doueihi at 6. We have to settle the 4 x key spine positions to build upon.

Brooks at #9 with 7 Hastings 6 Doueihi could work

For a little fella he really does whack in defense

I agree, and I’m picking up a feeling Liddle may well not succeed and Simpkin is still a work in progress. There could be an interesting opportunity there if WT and Brooks want to try.

I do think Brooks has improved immensely over the last couple of months. Prior to that though he was underwhelming and the weakness in his game with communication, organisation, kicking and leading were obvious to many here. I hope he can stay but I would be open to him trying another position eg hooker or centre if WT are looking for Hastings to be the 7 and Doueihi at 6. We have to settle the 4 x key spine positions to build upon.

A win is so much needed for a bit of cheer amongst the team and supporters. Maguire will be happy.

Some players care certainly showing their promise and worth others not so much.

Defense remains a problem and as somebody said back there in the thread defending the error is just not happening. It seems to be a foreign language to the lads.

Anyhow if WT can manage to out score and attack the upcoming opposition next few matches, we will feel better for it in not relying on defending which is our weakness.

@jrdee said in **live game feed ** vs the Broncos:

Sutton just said get ready for a field goal he more a cheat than gomersall was

Did he really say that to the Bronco’s? If so, there has to be consequences.

@tigerneddyk said in **live game feed ** vs the Broncos:

Does MBye EVER EVER push up in support? does he ever Ever try to make a break ? WHAT THE HELL IS HE THERE FOR???

Yep, his high price has not contributed anything to WT. His winning ability is non-existent. Another of our bad, bad signings.

@sully said in Joey Leilua:

@tilllindemann said in Joey Leilua:

I’ll put my hand up, in the preseason I recall making several posts about us having potentially the best centre pairing in the NRL haha.

I too was excited to see our side have size in Joey and speed in Jimmy as our centres and looking at the trial against Manly was lured into a false sense of excitement.

It comes down to passion and personal drive and I think BJ lacks it in spades.

It is a shame as we could have used both if they had aimed up this year. I think Jimmy is at least trying just not the player he once was.

Mate, I think you pegged it there with the passion and personal drive comment. We have to ensure all signings both younguns and older heads have it still. Too many coasters and happy with existing things have come into the squad entrenching an already existing culture that is in WT. dunno, maybe we should be innovative and get psych tests done to check this need before signing. We have been burnt way too many times.

@tilllindemann said in Joey Leilua:

I’ll put my hand up, in the preseason I recall making several posts about us having potentially the best centre pairing in the NRL haha.

Good to be optimistic in the pre season. I was too. I thought we were getting our act together with some reasonable interim buys on the player market to add some experience and grit. Boy, was I wrong.

I would love WT to sign up for a outside company to analysis with surveys and discussions with players that have signed with WT, players that WT approached but didnt sign with them, players that have left WT, and maybe also a random sample of other NRL players why they did / didnt come to WT, what we could do better and their impression of WT. AND of course included in the survey the player managers.

I have said often that WT do have a story to tell potential players and it s not bad and the history of both original clubs and the new merged club should be worth listening to. So, lets hear from the horses mouth about their attitude to WT.

If its a generational thing and they just dont want the hard work, our only option is t build from within. If its something we can fix or tell better, lets do it.

If I were WT club I’d also say if coach goes you, the playing group, will be culled too.