@Harvey said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@TYGA heard there is a video doing the rounds that could end Nathan Cleary’s career

His highlight reel?

'Not acceptable ’

Music to my ears. Refused to wrap any player, refused to blame the 2 hia’s, refused to say the second half was good.

We’re on the right guy here.

@avocadoontoast said in Latrell Mitchell Contract Discussion:

Bloke on twitter who said Latrell was coming to WT a couple of weeks ago saying Pascoe had a three way with LM and JAC last night (I assume he means a phone call, not the other thing).

Whatever it takes Avo

I thought Packer walked out about 2 years ago.

She’s probaby right. But who cares if he’s lost them? 2/3rds are rubbish players.

Nope, send him out on style.

@Curly_Tiger said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@hsvjones said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

So was hoping for an announcement/s today so we can clear the air before preseason next week… Wanted to hear we have signed JO, Released JA and maybe anther player… But oh well at least we are doing something and making some smart recruitment decisions.

I was hoping for a Russell Packer medical retirement and for Josh Reynolds to go to the UK with Hodgo

You may say I’m a dreamer…

Your not the only one

@jirskyr said in Mediocrity - Accepting It/Not Accepting It:

@Tiger_Bond said in Mediocrity - Accepting It/Not Accepting It:

As one of the great minds in recent history stated:

“Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.”

Albert Einstein

Yeah but your opinion carries no weight. Compare this to politics, where you at least get a non-financial vote and everyone gets a small say.

Complainers on the forum - go for your lives, we all do it in one way or another, then get called up on it by disagree-ers. This place is 99% no-impact debate, as GNR said it’s a coping mechanism for following sport, esp if your family and friends are not league followers. This is not the Roman Senate!

The only way for supporters to truly influence is to vote with their wallets, en masse. But that’s a very fuzzy signal for club management - exactly why are memberships and tickets declining? Team doesn’t win enough? Consistently bad weather? Disenchantment with the product? Some of the most successful teams have horrid crowds and memberships, so there’s not a 1:1 correlation between success and support.

Ultimately all sport is entertainment with no guarantee of quality or outcome. You pay to watch footy, to get a seat and be assured the match will run 80 minutes. You pay for some drama, some excitement. The quality or outcome is independent of the individual supporter dollar. Unlike visual media like TV or film, sports teams actively must defeat each other - it is explicit in the design. Therefore there will always be winners and losers; it is impossible for everyone to have a fair go or even chance every single time.

Also quite unlike other entertainment, sport is mostly tribal. Most people don’t enjoy sport as much if they are indifferent to the outcome. Even when your team / player isn’t on, most sports fans still have a leaning towards one side or another. You are paying your money because you have invested in the club tribe, probably since birth. You are literally indoctrinated. You keep doing it because it’s a very powerful social function that you inherited from your ancestors; being in a tribe is an ancient life-preserving strategy.

From an abstract, clinical POV, sports viewership has no tangible outcome - you can’t hold a premiership, you can’t sell a “victory”, you can’t eat “on-field success”. It simply exists to satisfy some biological urges - the urge to compete, the urge for a physical contest, the urge to alleviate boredom, the urge to be part of a tribe. You might be unhappy, but you don’t die or starve without sport.

In fact there are very many people who have no idea why you care so much about sport. Those people are of course idiots, because 99.99% of people care about something intangible, whether it be fashion, art, literature, video games, religion etc.

But GNR is totally right - “mediocrity” is a subjective term. Supporters sit right across the spectrum and have different feelings about their team and what they can or cannot accept. Personally, I accepted a long time ago that I would support Balmain and then Wests until my last breath. I was a teenager during the lean 90s and if I was ever going to give up, that was the time it would have happened. Nothing in the last 20 years of Wests Tigers is remotely as bad as circa 1994. I still remember, clear as day, entire seasons where I knew Tigers would struggle to beat anyone, even Magpies or Gold Coast. I remember how little anyone cared about Balmain during the Super League War. Compared to then, Wests Tigers are a much much better weekly prospect - hell people get upset when we fail to beat the reigning premiers!!!

Right now, my wife doesn’t care and my kids are little, but many of my family and friends follow Tigers, so it still has real shared satisfaction for us. The tribal element is strong. The product IMO is good - I’ve watched a fair amount of “classic” matches and if you reckon it was “better back in the day”, then frankly I think you are operating almost entirely on nostalgia. The physical capacity and skill of modern players is unparalleled in history, as is the experience for at-game and remote supporters, plus the access to the game and game-related media.

I know Tigers are less likely to win than other clubs, and in some ways it makes September a little easier to watch. It also makes the 44% wins satisfying in a way that Storm fans can’t understand.

Could you expand on that?

Yeah up by 8 with 10 to go and we let in two of the softest tries you’ll ever see. Its ingrained in the club. It’s acceptable from the owners point of view IMO.

Is funny how we demand a player to honour his contract but want the club to dishonour about 5 contracts to other players.

@strongee said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

@gallagher said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

@strongee said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

@jc99 said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

@russell said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

@happy_tiger said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

@westies said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

link text

Jacob Liddle ready to excel at hooker for the Wests Tigers in 2021

JANUARY 20, 2021 2:14pm

Jacob Liddle is helped from the field after sustaining a knee injury in 2019. Picture: AAP Image/Brendon ThorneSource:AAP
Matt LogueNCA NewsWire
A fresh and fit Jacob Liddle has declared he is ready to make the Wests Tigers No.9 jumper his own after a series of injuries, announcing he must step up because he is no longer a “rookie”.

A knee injury and consecutive shoulder reconstructions have restricted Liddle to just 43 games since making his NRL debut with the Tigers back in 2016.

But after completing his first full pre-season since 2017, the Gosford-born hooker is primed to start in the Tigers’ No.9 jersey following Harry Grant’s return to Melbourne.

“I’m excited to take that starting nine jumper this year – that is my goal and what I’m working towards,” Liddle said.

“I think this is my year. If it is not now, then when?

“I’m 24, I’ve got a big pre-season under my belt, and I’m not just a rookie coming through anymore.

“I’m the strongest and fittest that I’ve ever been, so I’m really keen to rip in and give it my all.”

Jacob Liddle goes down with a knee injury. Picture. Phil Hillyard
Jacob Liddle goes down with a knee injury. Picture. Phil HillyardSource:News Corp Australia
Liddle is leaning on his childhood hero, Tigers legend Robbie Farah, to help him reach his potential in 2021.

Farah is on the Tigers’ coaching staff this season, taking the time to pass on his knowledge to the club’s rising players.

Liddle has certainly benefited greatly from working side-by-side with the man he used to sit behind in the Tigers’ hooker pecking order.

“I’m learning heaps off Robbie,” he said.

“He has a world of knowledge as a hooker – he is one of the best in the game, so I take as much as I can from him.

“He gives me a lot of tips on everything from game management to kicking and passing.

“The hooker is one of the most important people on the field, so we have to be switched on.

“Robbie passes on all those little things that he has learnt from over the years.”

Liddle is also excelling under the guidance of coach Michael Maguire, who showed huge faith to re-sign him in 2019 on the back of limited NRL appearances and just before he suffered an ACL injury that ended his ’19 campaign.

It is why he is desperate to repay Maguire with consistent form this season.

“Madge’s support has been good – he re-signed me just before I did my knee injury,” he said.

“It has been great to have him as a coach. He has been really supportive of me.

“I was happy to stay at the Tigers. I’ve been at this club since I was 18 and I was excited to re-sign and prove myself to give back to the club for showing me all this support.

Jacob Liddle can’t wait to play with former Panther James Tamou. Picture: Brett Costello
Jacob Liddle can’t wait to play with former Panther James Tamou. Picture: Brett CostelloSource:News Corp Australia
“I think Madge and I work well together, so hopefully we can have a good season.”

Liddle is also enthusiastic about how the Tigers are tracking under Maguire despite the club’s failure to make the finals since 2011.

“It has been really good that the club has supported Madge in what he is doing and the direction he is going in,” he said.

“I think we are just building a strong culture and he has signed a lot of boys who have really bought into what he is trying to do.”

Liddle nominated former Penrith skipper and premiership-winning Cowboy James Tamou as a standout in the pre-season.

“We needed a bit of a leader, so I think Jimmy has slotted into that role really well,” he said.

“He is a great bloke, and he is a person that you would want to follow, so I’m excited to have him as one of my front-rowers.”

Ok …not trying to be negative …but he says he is learning heaps from Farah

He has been with Farah for how many seasons now …if he hasn’t drained Robbie’s brain already as well as Harry Grant’s …

Maybe Farah didn’t want to pass on any info until after he finished playing.

Liddle was a threat until he stopped playing.

Wouldn’t put that past Farah. As much as he loves the club he’s always loved himself more

He’s also just in a coaching role now so it’s much easier to teach Liddle compared to when he was also training and playing.

He was competing with him for a position . Pro athletes are narcissistic knobs , especially the best ones. It’s what makes them so good , but also for a lot of them impossible teammates when , the body can’t do what the mind tells it to anymore . Doesn’t make it right , but it’s hardly selfish , when you’re talking about putting food on the table .

He had a $600k ambassador role on the table, I dont think he was worried about starving

Yea , I just meant the way these guys look at it . It’s supposed to be a team , but they’re definitely golf clapping when someone takes thier place and does well . Such a weird dynamic . A lot of guys do not age well .

Yeah, I know. Just having a laugh, seems a cranky place this week on here.

@strongee said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

@jc99 said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

@russell said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

@happy_tiger said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

@westies said in Who should our No. 9 be for 2021:

link text

Jacob Liddle ready to excel at hooker for the Wests Tigers in 2021

JANUARY 20, 2021 2:14pm

Jacob Liddle is helped from the field after sustaining a knee injury in 2019. Picture: AAP Image/Brendon ThorneSource:AAP
Matt LogueNCA NewsWire
A fresh and fit Jacob Liddle has declared he is ready to make the Wests Tigers No.9 jumper his own after a series of injuries, announcing he must step up because he is no longer a “rookie”.

A knee injury and consecutive shoulder reconstructions have restricted Liddle to just 43 games since making his NRL debut with the Tigers back in 2016.

But after completing his first full pre-season since 2017, the Gosford-born hooker is primed to start in the Tigers’ No.9 jersey following Harry Grant’s return to Melbourne.

“I’m excited to take that starting nine jumper this year – that is my goal and what I’m working towards,” Liddle said.

“I think this is my year. If it is not now, then when?

“I’m 24, I’ve got a big pre-season under my belt, and I’m not just a rookie coming through anymore.

“I’m the strongest and fittest that I’ve ever been, so I’m really keen to rip in and give it my all.”

Jacob Liddle goes down with a knee injury. Picture. Phil Hillyard
Jacob Liddle goes down with a knee injury. Picture. Phil HillyardSource:News Corp Australia
Liddle is leaning on his childhood hero, Tigers legend Robbie Farah, to help him reach his potential in 2021.

Farah is on the Tigers’ coaching staff this season, taking the time to pass on his knowledge to the club’s rising players.

Liddle has certainly benefited greatly from working side-by-side with the man he used to sit behind in the Tigers’ hooker pecking order.

“I’m learning heaps off Robbie,” he said.

“He has a world of knowledge as a hooker – he is one of the best in the game, so I take as much as I can from him.

“He gives me a lot of tips on everything from game management to kicking and passing.

“The hooker is one of the most important people on the field, so we have to be switched on.

“Robbie passes on all those little things that he has learnt from over the years.”

Liddle is also excelling under the guidance of coach Michael Maguire, who showed huge faith to re-sign him in 2019 on the back of limited NRL appearances and just before he suffered an ACL injury that ended his ’19 campaign.

It is why he is desperate to repay Maguire with consistent form this season.

“Madge’s support has been good – he re-signed me just before I did my knee injury,” he said.

“It has been great to have him as a coach. He has been really supportive of me.

“I was happy to stay at the Tigers. I’ve been at this club since I was 18 and I was excited to re-sign and prove myself to give back to the club for showing me all this support.

Jacob Liddle can’t wait to play with former Panther James Tamou. Picture: Brett Costello
Jacob Liddle can’t wait to play with former Panther James Tamou. Picture: Brett CostelloSource:News Corp Australia
“I think Madge and I work well together, so hopefully we can have a good season.”

Liddle is also enthusiastic about how the Tigers are tracking under Maguire despite the club’s failure to make the finals since 2011.

“It has been really good that the club has supported Madge in what he is doing and the direction he is going in,” he said.

“I think we are just building a strong culture and he has signed a lot of boys who have really bought into what he is trying to do.”

Liddle nominated former Penrith skipper and premiership-winning Cowboy James Tamou as a standout in the pre-season.

“We needed a bit of a leader, so I think Jimmy has slotted into that role really well,” he said.

“He is a great bloke, and he is a person that you would want to follow, so I’m excited to have him as one of my front-rowers.”

Ok …not trying to be negative …but he says he is learning heaps from Farah

He has been with Farah for how many seasons now …if he hasn’t drained Robbie’s brain already as well as Harry Grant’s …

Maybe Farah didn’t want to pass on any info until after he finished playing.

Liddle was a threat until he stopped playing.

Wouldn’t put that past Farah. As much as he loves the club he’s always loved himself more

He’s also just in a coaching role now so it’s much easier to teach Liddle compared to when he was also training and playing.

He was competing with him for a position . Pro athletes are narcissistic knobs , especially the best ones. It’s what makes them so good , but also for a lot of them impossible teammates when , the body can’t do what the mind tells it to anymore . Doesn’t make it right , but it’s hardly selfish , when you’re talking about putting food on the table .

He had a $600k ambassador role on the table, I dont think he was worried about starving

@Spud_Murphy said in Coronavirus Outbreak:

Last I heard this was a forum where you can have an opinion on something and not be called derogatory names for it or labelled as having mental health problems because you believe differently to the majority. Disagree all you like with each other, but please have some respect.

Disappointing that it’s coming from mods aswell.

@Magpieger said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@cochise said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@Magpieger said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@cochise said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@Magpieger said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@cochise said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@Magpieger said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

Seriously, I don’t dislike the 'bop. In fact I hope he can keep his hands clean to handshake, knuckle-bomb and sign with the Boncos.

And who would you play at fullback?

I’ve stated before, I don’t think he’s a bad player, but his performances are not commensurate with his price tag.
He is a capable player whose hands under a high ball have let him, and the team, down.
He will do until we organise a better option at the back.
The comment I made was tongue in cheek.
Having said that, how do we know if one of our young-uns couldn’t do a similar or better job if given the chance? But his all-round experience is certainly an advantage at this stage in proceedings.

I pretty much agree with most of this post, none of our young player could do a better job because none of them a fullbacks. Kepaoa could maybe transition to fullback in the future but it is too much to put on him this early.

The joke was really about regaining some salary-cap space, thats all.

I get it, I’m happy for him to go at the end of the year. We need him this year.

True, gets you thinking though about how we could leave such an important position with no contingency plan.

A very good point.

@Leck said in Boys Light Up:

@gallagher said in Boys Light Up:

@Leck said in Boys Light Up:

@Masterton said in Boys Light Up:

@Leck said in Boys Light Up:

Not sure what to say without sounding negative.

But what I will say is that there was an attempt to tell a story that is raw and built on a plot in the same vernacular as Scott Ryan’s ‘Mr Inbetween’, which I’m a big fan of.

For anyone that doesn’t know Scott Ryan or his work check out

Good Aussie drama doesn’t get any better.

Wow. That looks great. Don’t know how i missed it.

Most have because it was released by FX (Fox) in the States before it was in Australia.

It’s been extremely popular in North America and Europe, rates 8.5 on IMDB and has been picked up again for season 3.

I’m probably a little biased as my good mate Justin Rosniak plays the character of Gary, who’s Ray’s sidekick in the show.

It’s a cracking Aussie series, as good as Wentworth in my opinion.

Looks great, what’s that on?

FOX, Binge and Hulu. They all offer a free 30 day trial.

Cheers, I’ll take a look

@Leck said in Boys Light Up:

@Masterton said in Boys Light Up:

@Leck said in Boys Light Up:

Not sure what to say without sounding negative.

But what I will say is that there was an attempt to tell a story that is raw and built on a plot in the same vernacular as Scott Ryan’s ‘Mr Inbetween’, which I’m a big fan of.

For anyone that doesn’t know Scott Ryan or his work check out

Good Aussie drama doesn’t get any better.

Wow. That looks great. Don’t know how i missed it.

Most have because it was released by FX (Fox) in the States before it was in Australia.

It’s been extremely popular in North America and Europe, rates 8.5 on IMDB and has been picked up again for season 3.

I’m probably a little biased as my good mate Justin Rosniak plays the character of Gary, who’s Ray’s sidekick in the show.

It’s a cracking Aussie series, as good as Wentworth in my opinion.

Looks great, what’s that on?

@Magpieger said in West Tigers Forum Predictions for Season 2021:

I’m really excited at the prospect of Joe O getting his finesse game back on track after a drop-off last year, with Zane the Muss to assume the role of enforcer and Aussie Jim the draught-horse.

Yeah I’m excited the most by Joe too. Not really getting a lot of media attention but he can really transform our pack. He always came across as a leader to me.

@avocadoontoast said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@JC99 said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

Channel 9 QLD reporting that dragons are offering Andrew Mcullough a 3 year deal - could mean McInnes is on the outer.

My god why would you offer Mcullough a 3 year deal

I thought mary was the problem!

@mike said in Coronavirus Outbreak:

@hobbo1 said in Coronavirus Outbreak:

I haven’t really followed what’s happening with the world & Covids

How many people die from the regular flu / with annually say in the U.S compared to what’s happening with covids ?

Usual US flu deaths are between 35,000-60,000 p/a Current deaths from Covid19 in the US is 380,000 in 11 months.

We’re flu deaths down this past year?

@YesHeCheeKam said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@TheDaBoss said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

  			@Snake said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@tony-soprano said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@Snake said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

@avocadoontoast said in Signing Suggestions & Rumours:

If that’s a 4 year deal with the 4th not as a club option, we’re idiots.

Club loyalty is one thing taking the team to a top 4 finish is another . With the Chairman getting involved tells me the club has learnt nothing , would any top 4 club sign Nofo to a 4 yr deal someone that has no idea how to defend … my prediction he will be playing Reggie’s in 2022 .

Cry me a river

There will be a lot of that this season

Tears of joy

I can’t fatham how we got suckered in to keeping Nofo for another 4 seasons after his 28th birthday. For much of his contract at the Tigers, despite his heart, he was already overpaid and people thought he didn’t deserve what he was getting.

Now we sign him for another 4 years (plus the 1 he already has, so 5 years). 2 Further years to his 30th birthday was the right deal, 3 was being generous, and 4 years Nofo + manager have taken us for a ride. Be prepared to have another 500-600k sitting in reserve grade in 3 years time, or be prepared to have a youngstar (say Fitzgibbon) have their path blocked by this decision.

The salary cap implications this has later on is significant and people who think this is a good re-signing can’t think long term. Give me AJ & Talau on the wing and put that extra 600k to geting Harry Grant.

It seems to go against all this talk of analytics and depth charts.