You would have been laughed at a week ago if you suggested the Wests Tigers were a chance of beating the Melbourne Storm tonight at Leichhardt Oval.
But a week is a long time in rugby league.
If the State of Origin period was not enough for them to deal with, Melbourne’s star five-eighth Gareth Widdop was injured last Monday night in a losing effort against the Gold Coast Titans. The classy Englishman suffered a season ending hip injury similar to the one that sidelined Wests Tigers speedster Chris Lawrence in 2011.
Widdop may just have played his last game in a Storm jersey.
Brett Finch was brought back to the Storm for situations exactly like this one. He has been there before and still has enough talent to fill a void in the Melbourne cog. But he is definitely no Gareth Widdop.
Media reports confirmed yesterday that Melbourne would also be without their inspirational skipper Cameron Smith after a bruising Origin encounter on Wednesday.
Eight stitches under his right eye will see the Queensland and Australian captain replaced by Ryan Hinchcliffe.
Storm supporters will argue they can beat anyone on any given day with or without their biggest names. But when you take Smith’s leadership and direction out the Storm just look like another side.
Granted they’re just another side that boasts Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and Ryan Hoffman.
But what happens when you cut the head of a snake?
Widdop’s absence can’t be underestimated either.
Their opponents have had a horrible season to date and have been ravaged by injuries to key personnel.
Despite missing the likes of Keith Galloway, Chris Lawrence, Tim Moltzen and Lote Tuquri for extended periods Wests have shown plenty of ticker and unearthed some stars of the future in the process.
Unbelievably the Tigers have amassed eight competition points since round eleven.
A remarkable effort considering the obstacles that have been placed in front of them.
We all know the NRL isn’t just about what players you can throw onto the park. It’s just as much about effort and if you don’t show up to play you’ll be beat.
Rain is expected for kickoff and no team has braved the conditions in 2013 quite like Wests.
Last weekend the Tigers upset the Raiders at Campbelltown in monsoonal conditions and did the same in similar weather back in round eleven against the North Queensland Cowboys.
With Origin stars Robbie Farah and Aaron Woods returning and a resurgent Benji Marshall steering the ship, the Tigers are a chance tonight at Leichhardt.
A desperate team is a dangerous team in the NRL and the Tigers are just that.
“It’s getting close to the point where we have to win every game,” Tigers centre Chris Lawrence told NRL.com.
“The old cliché is one game at a time, but we have to win just about every game that comes our way.
“So we’re treating this game as if it’s our last one. There are not going to be too many opportunities for us if we lose a couple more games.”
Much has been said of the Tigers brilliance when they’re on their game. But this can only be won on guts, toughness and that desperation that separates teams in this, the closest competition in the world.
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