1. The left-edge attack. Jason Taylor did a brilliant analysis of the Tigers’ left-hand side attack in his must-read Friday column in the Sydney Morning Herald (must-read because it actually analyses the game!).
He noted that using the typical formation, Benji Marshall at second receiver has six attacking options: (1) pass short to Gareth Ellis running straight (or angling back to the posts, as per last week against Canberra), (2) pass out back to Chris Lawrence running one gap wider, (3) cut out Lawrence and hit Tuqiri directly, (4) kick to the corner for Lawrence and Tuqiri steaming through, (5) dummy and go himself or (6) pass back inside (perhaps flick pass) to the fullback running from the defenders’ blind spot. No wonder it is so hard to stop.
2. The creative coach – Phil Gould is on record saying the Tigers are his favourite team to watch. A gameplan featuring rapid ball movement from wing to wing, innovative scrum plays (again, per the Canberra game) and a competition-leading number of 50+ metre tries explains why.
Brilliant ballplayers like Farah help, but full credit must go to the coach.
Tim Sheens gives the impression he’s a genuine league aficionado – not just a student of the game, but a believer in its potential for artistry. Don’t forget this is the bloke who coached the Raiders to three premierships, including the scintillating 1994 win which featured a try copied directly from the Ella brothers themselves. (Aptly, the Ellas called the play “the Leaguie”.)
3. The hard-working pack – In Farah, Chris Heighington and Gareth Ellis, the Tigers have three of the hardest-working players in the competition and, in Ellis, the best buy of the past five years.
All 80-minute men, they routinely make their 30+ tackles and 10-15 runs. Galloway adds starch, while Payten and Gibbs do a lot of the tackling. Gibbs in fact has transformed himself from a one-man penalty machine into one of the best low tacklers in the NRL. Touch wood!
4. The magician at 6 – it’s no insight, but Benji Marshall is the most wonderful player to watch in the game.
With a creative, risk-embracing sensibility and a brilliant array of skills he is perhaps the most entertaining player of either code since Campese. Watch this if in any doubt.
5.The wins – having come to the Tigers via the Wests Magpies I got very used to losing.
Super League and Wests’ demise put me off League for a while but the 2005 Tigers brought me back with a vengeance. Not only were they breathtaking to watch, they won matches. In fact, they won the whole damn thing. And they’ve been contenders ever since. Let’s hope the 2010 side can win two more matches and underscore the brilliance of the era.
Steve
Guest
Don't forget 6. Not having a five-eighth who minces like a Lipizzaner on hot tarmac before he takes a kick.
Fisher Price
Guest
Ah, yes, the days of Larson, Moore, Hall, Halligan, Cleary et al. They were my second team then,
Hilius
Guest
His record certainly does speak for itself, a grand total of two appearances in the finals since he left Canberra at the end of 1996. Two. Including this year. Considering that for most of that time you've only needed to finish in the top half of the competition to make the finals, that's absolutely atrocious, probably the worst record of any coach in that period.
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
Mr Bear ... the primary difference being Taylor was completely and utterly useless.
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
Ahhhhhhhh, negative Pablo.
The man
Guest
Could you please perform the same analysis on Melbourne Storm?
PG
Guest
O plese god not Easts!
Mr.R.B.Bear
Guest
The Tigers of today also remind me of the Bears from 95, 96, 97 period. Where Jason Taylor had an array of options when attacking opposition. The likes of Fairleigh running the close gap or the pass to Beauttner or cut out to Roy with more options of coming in and having Seers from FB running the blind corridor or even a quick pass through the hands that would end on the other wing with Dallis. Great times. Exciting brand of footy to watch.
Andrew Jones
Expert
@Bay35Pablo: Technically they'd be: 1. Attacking footy 2. Attacking footy 3. Ticker and defensive starch 4. Attacking footy 5. The ability to win - in 2005 by scoring 30+ points, in 2010 by winning the close ones But yes, basically attacking footy! Agree with your analysis re the change from small pack and poor defence to good pack and mostly good defence. Galloway, Ellis and the improvement of Gibbs (and Fulton) have made a big difference. So too the improved bench: Fifita, Dwyer et al. Here's hoping this Saturday!
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
So basically the 5 reasons are: 1. Attacking footy. 2 Attacking footy. 3. Attacking footy. 4. Attacking footy. 5. Attacking footy. Yes? Good thing is, gone are the days when the Tigers had a small pack, and poor defence but won because they'd score more. Now they have a good pack (losing payten will hurt) and good defence (most of the time). I'm hopping for a 2005 semi replay, but it will be tough. Irresistible force meets immovable object.
Bay35Pablo
Roar Guru
Hutchoman, you and Gob Bluth sound like Dogs supporters with all this vitriol ....
Whites
Guest
The St George Illawarra team for this weekend. In brackets is where the player came from. 1. Darius Boyd (QLD) 2. Brett Morris (Illawarra/South Coast) 3. Mark Gasnier (St George district) 4. Matt Cooper (Illawarra/South Coast) 5. Jason Nightingale (St George district) 6. Jamie Soward (Country NSW-Wagga Wagga) 7. Ben Hornby (Illawarra/South Coast) 8. Neville Costigan (QLD) 9. Dean Young (Illawarra/South Coast) 10. Michael Weyman (Far South Coast) 11. Beau Scott (Country NSW-Picton) 12. Ben Creagh (Illawarra/South Coast) 13. Jeremy Smith (QLD) Interchange: 14. Nathan Fien (QLD) 15. Trent Merrin (Souths Juniors) 16. Matt Prior (Illawarra/South Coast) 17. Jarrod Saffy (Sydney Uni-RU) 18. Nick Emmett (QLD) 19. Kyle Stanley (St George district) 20. Jon Green (QLD) 21. Luke Priddis (ACT) These days players come from everywhere but looking at this its more like the Illawarra Queensland Dragons then the St George Illawarra Dragons. 6 of the starting 13 are Illawarra/South Coast Juniors and only 2 are from the St George area(I suppose it was probably the same ratio back in the 60's but no Illawarra team). Just about the entire team lives in Wollongong and from next year Win Stadium will fit 5,000 more people then Kogarah.
Mark Young
Guest
They play a terrific brand of league, that is for sure. My fav Tiger is Liam Fulton, that guy is at the bottom of every key tackle that they make. Gob I'm sorry that you hate the Tigers. Provided you are not a Storm fan I don't hate your team. cheating mongrels.... :)
Briolex
Guest
Yes the tigers are a great advertisment for Rugby League, by the way wonder which team "Junior" supports if both Roosters and Tigers make it to the GF.
Gob Bluth
Guest
This is rugby league not the Bathurst 1000, what the hell is all this talk of gears? Someone check benji's transmission for god's sake.
Josh
Guest
Yeah probably more a case of hoping that they don't have another gear to go up. Cause if they do the tigers will be in trouble. Tigers need to step up to get close to them, can't afford to have them stepping up another gear also.
Hutchoman
Roar Pro
Agree entirely. I "love" how everyone at this time of year tries to claim the independents for support in the run up to the big one. I'll give you a red hot tip ... I absolutely DESPISE all teams other than my own and will not be seen dead supporting Wests or any of the other teams left in the comp.
Ken
Guest
Hey Josh, how do you know the Dragons don't have another gear to go to? They've been cruising through most games recently relying on their defence and only showing a few bursts of attacking brillance (see first half against Newcastle, second half versus Manly for example), yet they've still scored 88 points in their last 3 games. They look ominously like a team that's ready to unleash actually.
The man
Guest
Wests might need to get it out of neutral where they were for most of the second half against the Raiders - minus Campo. Saints on the other hand, after squeezing the life out of Manly put the foot to the floor.
Josh
Guest
Over rated? You got to be kidding. No way, his record speaks for itself. Any team who makes a grand final then they deserve to be there. Its all about peaking at the right time and hopefully the Tigers step up a gear this weekend as I don't believe they have peaked yet. The dragons have been peaking all year and don't have another gear to step up too.