Blair ‘trained too hard’ for Tigers

[fibrodreaming]

I read an article with the above title in The Australian today. If true, it is real criticism of the work ethic of the Tigers.

The article commenced with the words:

"Former Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter has opened up about Adam Blair’s defection to Brisbane, claiming the work ethic of the New Zealand forward put him offside with some of his ex-teammates who claimed he “trained too hard for them.’’

Unfortunately I don't have access to the article online, so I can't post the full transcript. If anyone has access to the Australian on-line, it would be worth posting the full article here. It is very damming and would be of great interest to members.

 

[Chris]

Without subscribing and paying the $4 here's the link to the snippet of the article…..

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/index.html?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&mode=premium&dest=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-grand-final-2015-adam-blair-blooms-in-brisbane/story-fnca0von-1227551349556&memtype=anonymous

 

[NT_Tiger]

While it's long way from assuming any truth to the article, if there were truth it would be interesting to know which player/s we're offside with him. Might be the key to the mediocracy culture.

 

[Tigesla]

Former Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter has opened up about Adam Blair’s defection to Brisbane, claiming the work ethic of the New Zealand forward put him offside with some of his former teammates who claimed he “trained too hard for them’’.

Blair, who has found a new lease of life at the Broncos this year after rediscovering the form that made him one of the most damaging forwards in the NRL, was so committed to the Tigers he even paid out of his own pocket for ­additional training.

“I praised ‘Blairy’ for what he was doing for the club and there seemed to be an agenda there to try and move him out for some reason,’’ Potter, who was dumped by the Tigers at the end of last season, told The Australian yesterday. “I couldn’t understand it because he was one of our best forwards for the two years that I was there.

“He copped a hard time and I thought it was unjustified. People thought the value he was giving the club for his wage wasn’t equitable, but I thought by far he was one of our best forwards for most of last year. There were a couple of people within the organisation that didn’t have that opinion and that’s unfortunate.”

Blair paid for some of his teammates to join him doing extra training outside the club, including Bodene Thompson, Martin Taupau and Sauaso Sue. Potter said their attitude differed from others who thought the club’s program was enough to “get them through”.

“He was exceptional in his training, he wouldn’t compromise on his training, and some of the other players didn’t like the way he trained because he trained too hard for them,’’ Potter said.

“He was going very good for the Tigers and one thing I told him was not to change his work ethic, and his attitude to training, and his attitude to playing because of the peer pressure. People talk about culture and they talk about work ethic and he was one player that you’d have in your team.

“That’s part of the reason Wayne Bennett grabbed him at his first opportunity because he knew the value he added. That’s why Tim Sheens got him (to the Tigers) and he was there when I arrived but you could see the divide there.

“There was some unjustified criticism that was thrown against his desk at Wests Tigers that was unfortunate but you’ve seen some of the stuff that’s gone on there.’’

Blair said he was in a much happier place since joining the Broncos. It was reported this week how his wife, Jess, and Bennett were the driving forces in negotiating his move away from the Tigers at the end of last season. The Brisbane prop said he would “be lying if I said I was 100 per cent happy” during his three years at the Tigers and that he had particularly struggled with the club’s losing record after making the move there from the winning culture of Melbourne.

“To actually go from Melbourne — where everything is pretty much given to you and put on a plate for you and you have no excuse at the end of the day — I just felt like I needed more training and more things to make me better (at the Tigers),’’ Blair said. “Those are just the little things I pride myself on. If I don’t feel I’ve done enough and I need to go and find other places to do things then I will. I haven’t found that here. We train hard, everyone’s competitive and we’re pushed to the limits from pre-season to now. Those are just some things that I wanted to be better at so I tried to make ­myself better.’’

Blair said the thing that hurt him most about his departure from the Tigers was not being able to finish his contract but luck had smiled on him after making a move to a club that defied their odds at the start of the season to make the grand final. “To be here for my first year and to play in a grand final, I couldn’t ask for anything more. I’ve enjoyed my footy since I walked in the club and I still am now,’’ he said.

 

[sheer64]

So his on field rubbish performances are the fault of everyone else. God I hope the Cowboys smash them!

 

[Newtown]

This article does not place the whole of the Wests Tigers organisation from Management to Coaching staff and players in a good light at all. The club's brand cannot go too much lower.

 

[Geo]

Must of left it all on the training paddock….

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

Says a lot about Potter TBH, if it happened for 2yrs under him and the other players didn't dig in shouldn't the coach sort that out?

Also indicates why the improvement in Marty and Sue occurred, Blair's influence made them more professional to be the players they have started to become.

_Posted using RoarFEED 4.2.0_

 

[Goose]

I think that Blairs performances were much better than reported, he started slowly, and everyone thought we were paying him a squillion, and judged him against that as a benchmark.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Come on Mick, don't become that ex that talks to anyone who'll listen.

I thought Blair was better than we gave him credit for, and while I'm not for Mick singing like a canary it does explain a few things about this club. No surprises that he left us for Brisbane with a superior culture and it's brought out his best football again.

 

[Telltails]

This will be interesting… Seems that the greatest critics of Blair were the Wests Tigers fans. The anti Blair brigade was as aggressive as any I have seen against a player that has played for this club. Cant wait to see how this revelation will be used by some fans to now, denounce others. Another well timed article to pour fuel on an unresolved situation, and provides a platform for more speculative accusations.
It seems that Blair fits the culture perfectly that many are calling for - I wonder if they were the same that were going on about him being overpaid, worst buy ever, and cheered when he left at the end of the year. Hypocrisy meter ready.

 

[ricksen]

Another ringing endorsement of the club's culture - as well as how important our (hopefully) forthcoming training facility upgrade is.

That said, Blair may have worked hard off the field, but it didn't translate to workrate on the pitch, that's for sure.

 

[Demps]

You can study / pay for a degree, diploma, etc….
Doesn't mean you can jump into the field and be a star.

 

[NJLM78]

Paid the level of money that he was at the Tigers, you would almost expect the bloke to lead by example with the training. But like others here have said, often it just didn't show on the field.

Great that he and others did that extra work outside of club training. Unfortunate that some others didn't follow. At plenty of clubs doing the extra work is what keeps you in first grade.

 

[happy_tiger]

Strange that the forwards who have probably improved the most in the last two years did the extra training

 

[Curaeus]

Couldn't care less how hard Blair (allegedly) trained. He seldom delivered on the field and was never worth anywhere near what we were paying him. As for Potter, he seems to be putting the boot in more and more just lately. I understand his anger at getting punted but this whingeing isn't a good look and does him no credit. For what it's worth I had hoped he'd be retained but Taylor got the nod and that is that!

 

[clokan]

I thought that Blair was one of our best last year, not that we set a high benchmark.

I do think he copped a bit because he didn't deliver from day one, but overall over the last couple of years he did his job.

 

[Tigermama]

Come on Mick, join our forrum. You can spill the beans about our club. All the inside goss about the club and individual players. Come on you know you want to. :mrgreen:
Seriously i wish he would move on and keep his mouth closed. It's not a good look.

 

[TYGA]

Mick Potter rubbished himself in this article. He was the coach he should have instilled this work ethic as coach. Blair was always treated as an outcast because of the boys club that was split up getting him to the Tigers.

 

[Geo]

Mick Potter rubbished himself in this article. He was the coach he should have instilled this work ethic as coach. Blair was always treated as an outcast because of the boys club that was split up getting him to the Tigers.

The boys Club that was split up…interesting take...Seems we are not yet rid of this 'Club'....4 years on...