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As speculation continues to mount around James Tedesco’s possible move to the Roosters, there have been various opinion pieces on the Tigers’ ‘big four’.
For my money, it seems fairly likely that Teddy will at least seriously consider moving to the Chooks next year.
For all that his career has been shaped by the presence of Luke Brooks, Mitchell Moses and Aaron Woods, there comes a time when building a future has to win out.
Add to that the Roosters’ prospects for 2017 and Tedesco may be lured by the promise of a premiership that doesn’t seem as if it will be coming any time soon at the Tigers.
Partly because of how drastically he reneged on the Raiders deal, it can seem inconceivable to Tigers fans that Teddy might ever leave Leichhardt or Campbelltown.
Or, to put it another way, it feels as if the ‘big four’ will stay they will go their separate ways – there hasn’t been a lot of discussion around who the Tigers should retain if they have to choose.
In the cold light of day, however, it’s clear that the Tigers need to be doing everything to secure Tedesco and Moses.
While Brooks is one of the most promising halves in the game as the moment, that’s pretty much all he’s delivered over the course of 2016 – promise.
People (myself included) have often said that Moses and Brooks can’t work apart, but at the end of the day that’s not really true – a good half, especially a good half, will learn to work with any partner.
And, who knows, Brooks may find a new sense of discipline working alongside another five-eighth.
Woodsy is a more difficult one. Sure he’s loveable, sure he’s a big part of the Tigers brand, sure he’s a Blues representative.
But is he really that good? I reckon that some of the Tigers backline have more mettle than Woods – he goes down so quickly and often barely seems to put up a fight.
On the other hand, Teddy is clearly crucial. Moses, too, was almost as important as Tedesco this season.
Above and beyond their playmaking skills, however, Tedesco and Moses are leaders.
On the field, Teddy has an uncanny sense for structuring the play and guiding things so that surprise endings and sudden twists emerge even when all the odds seem to be stacked against the team.
His kicking game still isn’t rock solid, but Moses offers some of the same structure, while his notoriously vocal and social persona during training has made him a clear contender for future leadership roles within the club.
Brooks, by contrast, is so withdrawn that I’ve often wondered whether he would shine best by stepping out from under Moses’ shadow.
Similarly, while Woods does offer a certain brand of leadership – affable, woolly, easygoing – I’m not sure he’s the kind of leader the club needs at the moment.
Rather than seeing Tedesco, Moses, Brooks and Woods as a big four, then, the club – and club commentators – needs to start thinking more laterally about their options.
For my money, it’s Teddy and Moses who are hungriest for a revived Wests Tigers outfit, as well as Teddy and Moses who are bound to bring the leanest and most efficient management style into place.
Once Tedesco starts to become an Origin fixture his gravity will skyrocket, and it’s only a matter of time before Moses is called up for the sky blue jersey as well, if only on the bench.
On the other hand, I’m not convinced that Brooks will be an Origin contender in the near future, while it’s starting to feel that Woods is nearing the end of his Blues tenure.
With David Nofualuma, Tim Simona and Kevin Naiqama filling out the backline, a Tigers spine and Tigers culture centred on Tedesco and Moses is what’s really needed to ensure that the team continue to build on the fits and starts they’ve made over the last few years.
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