Positives from Today

[ElleryHanley]

1. Pole
2. Stef
3. Junior Tupou
4. Matamua
5. Nu Brown

I was really impressed with these guys today. Matamua didn't do much but I was worried he would be manhandled and he wasn't. I think he is a skillful forward which gives the team a different look. He could be a perfect 13.

Pole was huge. He just looks like he has the ability to be a middle forward who can do the job. He isn't going to be a massive prop but he looks to have good footwork and speed for a prop.

Stef was back. He was hitting hard and running over players. It was a great effort.

Junior Tupou looks like he can do things other players can't. I don't know his best position but he can make a bust.

Nu Brown makes a massive difference to the team because he provides good service, a running game and he can defend.

I know we lost but It wasn't a depressing loss.

Good post, and I feel the same.

Honestly, the win or loss was not even important. If we had of beaten them with Tamou and Seyfarth and Parra had a bad night...it would not have meant much.

Seeing Pole and Matamura stand up to a motivated Parra pack and hold their own = means a lot more long term.

And seeing Stefano finally come good again may be the key to our next few seasons.

Lots of positives last night.

 

[Tigers_Wests]

It's a good argument and the same one I've had for a while. The thing is I seriously think Brooks was the best half we had yesterday and I don't think it was close. AD was a passenger apart from poor defense and decent goal kicking.

What happened to the AD who at centre or 6 was making busts and throwing some nice passes along with that towering boot. He is a tenth of the player he was last year. Is it his injury ? Is it lack of game time ?

If I was coach I'd be spewing at Douiehi. I'd tell him I want to give him the 6 spot but he has to prove he is a gun player by killing it out there.

Brooks does some good things, but then just comes up with plays like that 2nd tackle kick with a man in the bin that are not good enough for a player with his experience.

Only just come back from an ACL injury, so he is not going to set the world on fire. Particularly in the time he has been given and coming in and out of positions. I just feel moving forward he will be the 6 if the new coach wants him. Give him and Jacko a chance to see if they gel. Given more responsibility I have faith he will step up and get back to his best.

Even contemplate giving Madden a run again to see how he goes. We already know what Brooks can/can't do.

Big decisions coming up for the new coach...we want to get it right. In my opinion that starts by letting him see what his potential players can do before he has to lock them up for 2/3/4 year deals.

 

[Tigers_Wests]

I am happy to let the new coach make the decision. Doueihi to me since juniors is a 13 playing out of position. The question is, is he a better 13 than Matamua or Ofahengaue? After two knee recos and being unhappy not playing 6, I'd be happy to let him go at end of contract.

Matamua, Faagutu and Kit Laulili'i are the 3 gun locks in our junior system moving forward and should be our future in this position. Next year will be a transition year and I feel Ofahengaue starts at 13 with Matamua off the bench or getting big minutes in KOE Cup. 2024, you hope Matamua has it locked down.

 

[tonza]

Come the end of the day, the difference between winning and losing was the 2 tries the Slimy Eels scored while we were a man down.

Dumb kicks early in the tackle count attacking the opposition line while we are down a man when holding possession should be the main objective, is just typical of the way we open up the flood gates and invite oppositions to destroy us.

Agree. You put Api and Pap in that side and we win. Our forwards have been much more physical over recent weeks however we need some spark. In that regard, a decent center is required urgently.

 

[Kiama 2533]

Why is there no talk about Junior Tupou. Starting to believe in himself and while not there yet I believe in two years he will be the gun in our backline. He is still very young and needs to be brought along slowly.

 

[TrueTiger]

Agree. You put the Api and Pap in that side and we win. Our forwards have been much more physical over recent weeks however we need some spark. In that regard, a decent center is required urgently.

Naden has done ok since coming here....suspensions are a bummer just when you need a centre he gets sidelined...

 

[TigerSJ]

Naden got 4 weeks didn’t he? Must be back week after next??

 

[InBenjiWeTrust]

Agree. You put the Api and Pap in that side and we win. Our forwards have been much more physical over recent weeks however we need some spark. In that regard, a decent center is required urgently.

All forwards (read pillowards) except the JO (add to that Twal, and Seyfarth) and send them to Papua New Guinea to work in underground mines for at lest 3 years, to understand money and effort!

 

[Tigers_Wests]

Naden got 4 weeks didn’t he? Must be back week after next??

Yep should be back for Cowboys game.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Matamua, Faagutu and Kit Laulili'i are the 3 gun locks in our junior system moving forward and should be our future in this position. Next year will be a transition year and I feel Ofahengaue starts at 13 with Matamua off the bench or getting big minutes in KOE Cup. 2024, you hope Matamua has it locked down.

Don’t forget Rua Ngatikura, that Brandon Smith style hooker/lock, brings a lot of energy, line speed & leadership as a junior captain.

 

[hank37w]

Agree. You put the Api and Pap in that side and we win. Our forwards have been much more physical over recent weeks however we need some spark. In that regard, a decent center is required urgently.

Not sure about recent weeks but the middles hardened up and were pretty good last night.

I was just talking to my son because he didn't see the game live and only just watched the replay this morning.

I told him, and he basically agreed, what really pissed me off was how the media were talking up Parramatta and how they were too good and unlucky that they had some disallowed tries.

Mind you, no mention of the sin bin being a turning point and now the young bloke doesn't even have a charge to answer.

The other thing they were banging on about was how great Campbell Gillard was, which apart from scoring what I considered to be a pretty lucky / fluky try, our middles were constantly putting him on his arse, which to me was a high light of the game because I hate that turd.

Apart from Papali'i, the other guy that was more of a threat was Turtle Head Lane, but I put that more down to our defense on that side.

Just my observations though.

 

[Tigers_Wests]

Don’t forget Rua Ngatikura, that Brandon Smith style hooker/lock, brings a lot of energy, line speed & leadership as a junior captain.

Definitely! I mentioned him in an earlier post, stating he would have surely made his debut and be in the 17 if he had not have been injured. Will be great utility value off the bench in my opinion.

 

[Gazman]

Not entirely disappointed with our effort when you consider the missed conversions and brain snaps that led to Parramatta trys , but good to see the up and coming crop of players having go. Now all we need is that coach 🤔

 

[tiger_one]

Not entirely disappointed with our effort when you consider the missed conversions and brain snaps that led to Parramatta trys , but good to see the up and coming crop of players having go. Now all we need is that coach 🤔

True champion @Gazman and not to mention the sin bin which was not really a sin bin offense, as since determined by the match review committee. (Here we had 2 tries scores against us while down a man!)

 

[old_man_tiger]

I like having a prop in Pole with a lower centre of gravity. Our more experienced guys all run upright, they get buckled easily when they don't get it right. A real point of difference.

Matamua looking good for the future, ideally would be in cup but nothing at our club is ideal.

Tupou moves very nicely, I'd give him a spot for the rest of the year.

Must sort out the spine as a matter of urgency. If Hastings is injured rest him!

Big Stef must've knocked mahoney on his ass 4 times.

Offa, looking real good. Nu Brown too.

I'm also one of the few who hasn't totally given up on Laurie, although if we can get someone proven I'm good with that.

 

[Tiger_Fanatic3]

The future 🔥👌🏻

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1545998899995082752

 

[jirskyr]

Brown has shown he is better then liddle and Simpkin combined. Don’t forget Rua. I’d be telling liddle and Simpkin see ya later.

The thing is that Nu Brown is clearly very strong - both being difficult to tackle and strong in the tackle. He's almost certainly not as deft as Liddle or Simpkin, but he's physically a handful for oppositions.

Obviously he's got several burrow-over tries at Leichhardt now, and Parra got really nervous about it after his first try.

But it's refreshing to see a player who is so physically capable, which is something Tigers have lack for so long. A player who can be tackled or enter a tackle and show his power, not simply be pushed back.

 

[jirskyr]

To the fools coming after AD, you've made excuses for Brooks rubbish performances for 9 years yet you want to go in on a guy who is three games back from an ACL injury? Just admit you were wrong about Brooks instead of embarrassing yourselves further.

It's like I said before: You would rather watch the team fail with Brooks than see them succeed with any other half.

Put AD at 5/8 and stop messing around with a low IQ player like Brooks. We have looked like a far better team with him there and Brooks is clearly wanting out so lets give him what he wants.

I agree with the content of what you have said here, and I disagree with the manner in which you say it.

I just want to let you know, to me, you often come across as belligerent and spoiling for an argument.

For example they aren't "fools", they are passionate fans with different opinions to you.

And if you are inclined to respond to me now with a acerbic comment, that will prove my point.

 

[hank37w]

I know we'll more likely than not get the spoon, and I'm not happy about that, but seeing some of these young blokes lift when they get a run in NRL brings a smile to my face.

Great to see that Stef looks like coming good and hopefully will be completely over his injury soon if he is not already.

Would like to think that Zane Musgrove turns the corner and repays us for the patience we have shown him for a long time now and hopefully yesterday's game is the start of a big reversal of form.

 

[Batmans Parents]

I agree with the content of what you have said here, and I disagree with the manner in which you say it.

I just want to let you know, to me, you often come across as belligerent and spoiling for an argument.

For example they aren't "fools", they are passionate fans with different opinions to you.

And if you are inclined to respond to me now with a acerbic comment, that will prove my point.

I appreciate the feedback but respectfully, I don't really care.

They can have those opinions and be as passionate as they want but when you endlessly defend the indefensible in spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, I will call them out for what they are; Insecure fanboys who can't admit that they backed the wrong horse and would rather the team continues to fail with Brooks.

I don't respect that and I wouldn't classify them as fans. Not when they put the interests of one overpaid player over the interests of the team because "loyalty".

Not to mention I've seen how they've piled on Brooks detractors or any player that has threatened his position over the years so I really don't care how they feel.