Major news sources are suggesting that current Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter may be removed from his position, possibly as soon as the completion of his side’s match with the Dragons.
Although nothing has been confirmed from the club, the rumours are swirling. Although there had been reports of player unrest in recent weeks, Potter’s possible sacking comes as a major shock.
The Tigers, currently caught in the log jam that is the middle of the NRL competition table, looked as though they had found some much needed stability under Potter’s guidance.
The joint venture club sits just one win behind those tied for fourth place, and look on track to play finals football for the first time since 2011.
Lead by influential skipper and NSW standout Robbie Farah, the Tigers have played some amazing football at times in 2014. Luke Brooks and Mitch Moses look as though they will form a halves pairing that could lead the club for the next decade.
Harbouring arguably the hottest crop of young talent in the competition, the Tigers would surely be doing their players and fans a disservice by sacking Potter so close to the finals.
With only seven games remaining, the timing would be almost unbelievable if the rumours are proved to be correct.
Assistant coaches David Kidwell and Todd Payten reportedly have the support of the playing staff and one, or perhaps both, would likely be given the job for the rest of the season if Potter is removed.
I could fully understand the club’s removal of their coach at the end of the season, if they were to miss out on the finals, however surely this is a disruption the young squad does not need at this key stage of the season.
Today’s game with the Dragons is a crunch game for both clubs. Surely players would be well aware of any pending movement within the coaching ranks, and surely it would be playing on their minds.
Unless something is seriously wrong within the ranks of the 2005 premiers, surely Potter has earned the right to lead the side on their charge to the finals.
All will play out in the next 24 hours or so, however the timing of the reports could not have come at a worse time for either Potter or his players.
If Potter is removed before the end of the season, surely there is more to the situation than meets the eye.
I just hope any decision that is made is made for the right reasons and does not affect the exciting young side’s run to the finals.
Charles NSW
Guest
Any club who hires a coach must outline to them the criteria for which to judge their performance on. So if this is in place that is what will determine the results.
Bluebag
Guest
ie "We won't fire you yet"... Potter has the runs on the board overseas and shown he has what it takes to make a mark in the NRL. Hope some other club realises and he might, understandably, take another gig where he is wanted. I suspect, however, that given the quality of the bloke he will do his best here and try and finish what he has helped start. Wests Tigers are a team on the rise now and look to have a good few years ahead of them. But if the lunatics run the asylum they could be like many other clubs in any given year with lots of potential and nothing to show for it.
Muzz
Guest
http://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2014/07/27/wests_tigers_statement_.html
John
Guest
Just in potter safe for season.
Johnnyball
Guest
Kidwelly that is
Bluebag
Guest
Is it Todd Payten or Robbie Farah that is white anting Potter? The bloke has taken the club through a transitional stage and rebuilt with some good kids who were already in the system and they want to shaft him? Has he done too good a job for a jealous an impatient assistant or is the dog wagging the tail? Either way it is crying out for some off field leadership but this fragmented, dysfunctional mob will no doubt stuff it up again.
Blaze
Guest
Should have taken your advice...
Fairsfair
Guest
A week after they demolished the dogs! Lunatics running the asylum again ....great example to set to all those youngsters if true
Daniel Nichols
Roar Guru
Thanks Oli :-) I rang around but no one would confirm and I dont want to post rumour as fact
james t
Guest
He has done a good job.. they were contenders for the spoon now they can make the semis.. very dangerous team I wouldn't sack him. Not for kidwell that's for sure!
bearfax
Guest
Cant fathom why the Tigers would want to drop Potter. He's got a bunch of kids who look future stars and he seems to be bringing them along nicely. Next year they could be contenders. What did the admin at that club expect of Potter. These kids are very talented but they arent experienced or toughened yet. That takes time. We see some of their brilliance in patches as would be expected. And they've given a couple of the top teams already more than a run for their money. Sorry but I think they're making a mistake here that could detrimentally affect this bright young team of its full potential.
Mitchy
Guest
How many coaches will the Tigers pay then ? Surely this cant be serious
Jay C
Guest
Put the house on the dragons then
Renegade
Guest
This is the dumbest thing Ive seen, Potter is taking a team that should have been challenging for the wooden spoon to challenging for the finals and has eased the future of the club into the team this year for a potential premiership tilt over the coming seasons. Gutless decision if true and shows that senior players have too much power at the tigers... Drove out sheens and now potter. Maybe the tigers would be better off letting Farah go...
Duncan
Guest
I would say this has happened because the tigers had to make the decision to either sign Potter and let go some of the young players they have or bring in Kidwell and sign them with the money they save as I imagine he would be on substantially less then Potter. As James stated above this is an amatuer and childish decision .No doubt Kidwells nose is so far up the board members posteriers he's probably unused to looking at sunlight. They may also have been paying him match by match payments and not on a contract. This happens in the AFL but I've only seen it applied to players
John
Guest
Wait so the tigers are going fairly well and much better than last year so they fire him??? RIDICULOUS!
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
How strange is this comment from the Ritchie article: "Privately, the board want the matter resolved before the possibility of Potter embarrassing the club by making the semi-finals". Talk about cutting your own nose off to spite the face.
E-Meter
Guest
Dean Ritchie's article says Potter will be sacked after today's game irrespective of the result. It then goes on to say it is unknown if he will be sacked today or at the end of the season. Work that out.
Gus Paella
Guest
I really feel for Mick Potter if this story is correct. If the players have the power to pressure the board to remove a coach it's not a good environment for the next coach to step into. I would have thought Farah and Woods were in career best form and the development in young players has been excellent recently ie. Brooks, Tedesco, Nofoaluma, Simona, Sue and Ava S. Just my thoughts
oli
Guest
Rumours? Wow, how impressive this article is.