Six rounds in and the Wests Tigers are just about where the experts predicted they’d be.
13th on the ladder with four losses, two wins and just who to pop in the six and seven jumpers still causing trouble.
With Braith Anasta not due back until Round 10 with a groin injury, and Benji Marshall out with a toe injury until Round 9 the Tigers are rudderless and drifting in choppy seas.
The responsibility of guiding the side once again falls on the overloaded shoulders of hooker Robbie Farah.
This isn’t a new problem though. The joint-venture has been struggling with a consistent halves pairing since Scott Prince left the club.
Robert Lui’s off-field troubles stopped him developing a relationship with Marshall, Tim Moltzen had a crack but continues to drift around the park and Anasta was bought to fill some time while the search party was out looking for anyone with some playmaking experience.
Jacob Miller is a talented young player and started the season the way you’d expect a 20-year-old to play. But instead of being given time to settle into the role he was dumped from first grade after four rounds.
Now, new coach Mick Potter might not have any choice but to bring Miller back into the fold for their match against the Broncos at Campbelltown.
The forward pack that played against the Dragons is also a wait and see proposition.
Ben Murdoch Masila has shown promise in patches, Jack Buchanan has also made the step up, but Ava Seumanufagai, Sauaso Sue and Shaun Spence are all still finding their feet at first grade level and will be for some time.
At this rate they won’t have an opportunity to just ease in to the top grade, because outside of Aaron Woods the club has no one else at the moment.
Keith Galloway’s terrible run with injury hasn’t helped, but it looks as though the club is starting to pay the price for its management of the salary cap.
The decision to allow Chris Heighington, Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita leave was questioned long and loud, especially when the cupboard wasn’t overflowing to begin with.
Fifita has turned into a destructive force at Cronulla. Wests Tigers fans will no doubt be asking why on earth they only saw glimpses of it while he was in the orange and black.
Potter has a monumental job on his hands. It’s something he would’ve known well before contemplating moving back from England.
Not that his situation in the Super League was any better.
Potter ended up coaching Bradford in a voluntary capacity after he was one of 16 staff made redundant by the Bulls last season.
It shows, if nothing else, that he’ll go to extraordinary lengths to get the job done.
This season won’t dip to that low, but the task at hand, under the immense scrutiny that comes with being an NRL coach, will be a monumental challenge.
markopolo73
Guest
It has nothing to do with their halves. the last 2 weeks the tigers could easily have won their games against the storm and dragons fi a couple of things went their way, then this crap would not even be written. I think the heading should read" Injuries keep tigers on 13 points"...Take a handful of playmakers/players from the Storm, Manly, Rabbitohs sides and they probably sit where the tigers sit at the moment. If they can get they're fit 17 regulars on the field for major of remaining games they will be there in the 8 somewhere at the end. Once they make the finals anything can happen and they have plenty of finals experience and game breakers in the side that can give the title a shake.
bob
Guest
tigers are a group two team, cant compete with the likes of manly or souths
kevin
Guest
I believe Tim Sheens is still being paid by the tigers, he may as well be still coaching. Same issues players out of position, no half,small forwards, no dicipline, no idea! They keep giving penalties for slowing the play, why? because they are not as fit or fast as other sides untll they at least get that right their no chance.
Timbosivic
Guest
Bottom line is Benji is ridiculously overrated. Capable of the magic play but extremely inconsistent and seems to go missing in tough games. When was the last time he won a tight game for the black and gold on his own shoulders? He'd be in the bottom 50% of halfbacks in the NRL thesedays in my opinion. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
anthony
Guest
The tiger's need to blood players this year experiment and make improvements, being obliged to keep underperforming players in the top grade because we paid so much for them is wrong thinking.
James
Guest
Farah controls the attack too much, give Sironen and Miller a shot and give them plenty of ball.
Blaze
Guest
Had high hopes when potter took over, unfortunately it seems he may be falling into the same " listening to the players" trap as sheens was.... I hope I'm wrong... But players out of position is all too familiar... -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Jack Waru of Port Moresby, PNG
Guest
I think Miller did well in the opening rounds. I think it is a good option to get a young half and develop him so that in the long run the club can see a consistent half instead of signing older players who will be there for a shorter time. Benji has also lost his flare that we use to enjoy seeing. So the team really can not rely on him and Robbie. I think I can see a good line up in the TIGERS team. If only young TEDESCO can go to fullback, MOLTZEN goes to no.7 and Anastha goes to Lock. Moltzen use to play well in 7 so why not put him in 7 and allow young Tedesco to play in a position (fullback) he is very good at? If Benji is not going to be available for months, then get Miller into 7, Tedesco 1 and Moltzen at 6, at least for a time being. One thing for certain, If Potter is thinking of making the top 4 this season, that thought will misguide is decision. He should be thinking about looking at the weak areas are (which are very clear indeed!!!) and work on them and hope to atleast get the team into second 4.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Yeah I have to agree with the others. Take any team in the comp and clean out half their starting line up and they are in trouble. Potter is still only six games into his NRL coaching career so there is plenty of time to wait for things to settle down. Things are certainly not as dire as they seem.
Lou
Guest
There still number one !!! On paper
peeeko
Roar Guru
i think you are under rating heigninington, he was an above average lock in the NRL
simmo green
Guest
I assume it's either a lack of familiarity with player performance or the need to be creative in order to give the article some legs? Either way it's a flawed piece. The Tigers are yet to play a game without both Anasta and Marshall, so how can you contend they're 'rudderless'? In fact without Benji they played a lot straighter against Saints, achieving much better field position as a result. To many it was pleasing to see an attacking structure without double cuts, endless inside balls and aimless drifting. In the absence of Marshall's enthusiasm to attack space himself, his value to the team has diminished remarkably. Tim Moltzen hasn't had a 'crack' at all. He played the first round of 2012 at 7 and then reverted to fullback when Tedesco suffered his knee injury. The most sensible option remains Moltzen at 7 and it's been that way for 12 months. Heighington and Gibbs were honest journeymen, nothing more, nothing less. Heighington was ineffective in attack, lacked weight and sacrificed metres with his pointless shimmy/shuffle routine. Gibbs made a couple of city teams over 8 years of first grade. His rate of development was non existent. Both good defenders, but offered nothing in attack. Fifita lacked discipline, didn't/wouldn't/could'nt hit the line with any authority and had off field issues. He may well have modified his behaviour at Cronulla, but he's hardly a 'destructive force' Potter deserves support. He is a capable and respected coach.
peeeko
Roar Guru
But they now have Curtis Sironen in first grade and he is a representative player
Regan
Guest
The Tigers have 11 players out at the moment it's disgusting that they have so many players out year after year on some forums they call the club Doc Doctor Death its just not problems with the halves they can not or carnt care and rehabilitate there players Than with the halves they have the best young halves in the comp they just have to develop its only taken 7 years if you take out the Lui years when the Tigers made the semis because they had a half back