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Continuing our look at the contenders for the 2015 NRL season, today we assess the Wests Tigers’ chances.
The Wests Tigers had a real shocker of a season in 2014, finishing 12th. With rumours of the captain and coach falling out, things seemed to go from bad to worse for the Tigers during the 2014 season.
However during the back end of the year they unearthed some talented youngsters with the best of their new breed being back Mitchell Moses, with Luke Brooks having a decent season.
2015 brings the Wests Tigers a new coach in Jason Taylor, and the fans of the Tigers will be hoping a fresh start for the embattled club.
On their day, the Tigers can be one of the most exciting and aggressive teams to watch in the NRL as they have absolutely no fear in throwing the ball around and seeing what happens. This has been a trademark of the Tigers game for the last decade.
Now with youngsters like Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses leading them around the paddock, along with the experience of hooker and captain Robbie Farah, can the Tigers improve their defence and remain consistent throughout 2015?
New coach Jason Taylor undoubtedly has his work cut out for him during the 2015 season to turn this team around from the depths of 2014, but there could be the talent in the roster to do it.
In saying that, the Tigers have had one of the worst recruitment periods out of all the NRL clubs for the 2015 season and I can’t see them improving all that much.
Pre Season Fixtures
Jan 31 – Feb 1: Auckland Nines versus New Zealand Warriors, Canberra Raiders, Gold Coast Titans
Feb 13: versus Parramatta Eels @ Alice Springs
Feb 21: versus Cronulla Sharks @ Campbelltown
The Tigers are a team that could really excel at the Nines, and I see this as what should be a major focus for the club.
If they can go to the Nines, win it and work on new combinations at the same time, it could set a major groundwork for the season.
After the Nines, they travel to the heat of Alice Springs to face off against the Parramatta Eels, followed by a game against the Cronulla Sharks in Campbelltown.
Both of these games are against clubs, that like the Tigers, didn’t have the greatest of seasons last year. Both missed the top 8.
All of these clubs will be looking to work on new combinations in these trial games and therefore the games become quite important.
Ins and outs
2015 Gains: Josh Drinkwater (London Broncos, 2016), Matthew Lodge (Mid Season: Melbourne Storm, 2017), Kevin Naiqama (Penrith Panthers, 2015), Chance Peni (Newcastle Knights, 2016), Brenden Santi (Mid Season: Parramatta Eels, 2015), John Sila (Mid Season: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2015)
2015 Losses: Braith Anasta (retired), Blake Austin (Canberra Raiders), Adam Blair (Brisbane Broncos), Jarred Farlow (French rugby), Liam Fulton (retired), James Gavet (Brisbane Broncos), Jy Hitchcox (Featherstone Rovers), Marika Koroibete (Melbourne Storm), Ben Murdoch-Masila (Penrith Panthers), Cory Paterson (Salford Red Devils), Bodene Thompson (New Zealand Warriors), Andrew Vela (QueenslandCup)
Looking at the Tigers’ list for the 2015 NRL season does not exactly fill a fan with any great hope about the prospects of the 2015 season.
Josh Drinkwater, was being talked about as the next big thing in some circles during his time at the St George Illawarra Dragons, but never kicked on before he went to the Super League with the London Broncos.
While Matthew Lodge and Kevin Naiqama could bring the Tigers something, they are not players that you can say that are going to be in the running for buy of the year.
When you compare the Tigers 2015 recruitment against their losses, it sends them down yet another peg.
They have lost plenty of players who spent a lot of time in the Tigers top 17 during the 2014 season, and while yes the Tigers undoubtedly needed a clean out, it seems as though they haven’t signed all the new pieces to fix the puzzle.
Among the players they have lost are Braith Anasta and Liam Fulton who have both retired, Blake Austin, Bodene Thompson, James Gavet and the underperforming Adam Blair. While none of these players are stars either, the Tigers needed to do more in the recruitment field to be able to let all of these players go.
Draw analysis
The Tigers draw for 2015 looks very average. They start the season with two must-win games against the Gold Coast Titans in Round 1 and then against the St George Illawarra Dragons in Round 2.
They then will be challenged by both of last year’s grand finalists playing the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Round 3 and then the Canterbury Bulldogs in Round 4.
If they don’t win the first two games and then get to Round 3 and 4, it could mean they start the season 0-4. That is the last thing the Tigers need in 2015 after a poor showing in 2014.
The Tigers run home however, is at this point in time what would seem one of the easiest going around.
In the last five weeks they play the Canberra Raiders, the Newcastle Knights, the Cronulla Sharks, the New Zealand Warriors at home and the St George Illawarra Dragons. These are all clubs that struggled last year, apart from the Warriors who they are playing at home.
Their home games also have a very even spread through their season, however their season could be shaped by the end of Round 10.
After the challenge of the first four rounds, they then have three games away from home in a row against the Canterbury Bulldogs for the second time during 2015, the Sydney Roosters and the Newcastle Knights.
If they don’t perform during the first four rounds or this road trip, the Tigers will be in real trouble. The teams the Wests Tigers play twice during the season are the Canterbury Bulldogs, the Gold Coast Titans, the St George Illawarra Dragons, the Canberra Raiders, the Newcastle Knights, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the Parramatta Eels, the Sydney Roosters and the New Zealand Warriors.
That list of teams to play twice is certainly more challenging than some other clubs, but still not the toughest in the draw.
Predicted impact of State of Origin
Robbie Farah. The Tigers will lose their captain and hooker for State of Origin and it will more than likely be a big blow for the side.
Can they overcome it? It will probably depend on how the Tigers have been travelling for the first half of the season.
Predicted finish and final word
The Tigers look to be a team that are going to struggle in 2015. They haven’t recruited well enough and don’t have the easiest draw either. I’m tipping them for a bottom four finish in 2015.
Tomorrow we move further up the ladder and have a look at the Newcastle Knights prospects for 2015.
Season fixtures
R1 Sat 07 Mar 2015, 8:00pm, Cbus Super Stadium Titans V Wests Tigers
R2 Mon 16 Mar 2015, 7:00pm, Campbelltown Stadium Wests Tigers V Dragons
R3 Sun 22 Mar 2015, 4:00pm, ANZ Stadium Rabbitohs V Wests Tigers
R4 Fri 27 Mar 2015, 7:35pm, ANZ Stadium Wests Tigers V Bulldogs
R5 Mon 06 Apr 2015, 2:00pm, ANZ Stadium Eels V Wests Tigers
R6 Sat 11 Apr 2015, 2:30pm, Mt Smart Stadium Warriors V Wests Tigers
R7 Sun 19 Apr 2015, 2:00pm, Leichhardt Oval Wests Tigers V Raiders
R8 Fri 24 Apr 2015, 6:45pm, ANZ Stadium Bulldogs V Wests Tigers
R9 Fri 08 May 2015, 6:35pm, Allianz Stadium Roosters V Wests Tigers
R10 Sun 17 May 2015, 3:00pm, Hunter Stadium Knights V Wests Tigers
R11 Sat 23 May 2015, 6:30pm, Campbelltown Stadium Wests Tigers V Cowboys
R13 Fri 05 Jun 2015, 7:35pm, Leichhardt Oval Wests Tigers V Titans
R14 Fri 12 Jun 2015, 6:45pm, ANZ Stadium Wests Tigers V Rabbitohs
R15 Fri 19 Jun 2015, 6:45pm, Brookvale Oval Sea Eagles V Wests Tigers
R16 Sun 28 Jun 2015, 4:00pm, Leichhardt Oval Wests Tigers V Panthers
R17 Mon 06 Jul 2015, 6:00pm, ANZ Stadium Wests Tigers V Eels
R19 Sun 19 Jul 2015, 4:00pm, Suncorp Stadium Broncos V Wests Tigers
R20 Fri 24 Jul 2015, 6:35pm, ANZ Stadium Wests Tigers V Roosters
R21 TBC Leichardt Oval Wests Tigers V Storm
R22 TBC, GIO Stadium Raiders V Wests Tigers
R23 TBC, Campbelltown Stadium Wests Tigers V Knights
R24 TBC, Remondis Stadium Sharks V Wests Tigers
R25 TBC, Campbelltown Stadium Wests Tigers V Warriors
R26 TBC, ANZ Stadium Dragons V Wests Tigers