I feel like I’m supposed to talk about Wests Tigers, but to be honest I’m sick to death of hearing about the club.
The Tigers are an embarrassment to themselves and the game, but as far as things have gone already it doesn’t appear they are about to stop. Wests clearly have the capacity to embarrass themselves even further between now and the end of the season.
When it will stop, who knows? If you’re like me, it’s a case of who cares? But I accept there are a heap of Tigers fans out there who would be deeply upset by what is going on at the joint.
It would be more interesting if all of this drama was being played out against a backdrop of the Tigers being in the thick of the battle for a place in the finals, but we can’t even have that.
The Tigers are gone after their loss to Melbourne on Monday.
They might be on 22 points, only two outside of the top eight with 10 points still to play for in a competition where 28 could see you make the finals, but in reality they are so far removed from the finals race it’s not even worth talking about.
Seriously, what would be their mentality right now, given the fallout from the various dramas involving captain Robbie Farah, coach Mick Potter, chief executive Grant Mayer and commentator Gorden Tallis that is still happening?
Johnathan Thurston and his North Queensland Cowboys will probably give them a touch-up in Townsville on Saturday night.
Potter is a thoroughly decent man who doesn’t deserve all the rubbish he has had to cop. He has done a good job coaching the Tigers this year. After all, plenty of people were tipping them for the wooden spoon before the season began.
Everyone else involved, including, obviously, the club’s board of directors, has got a few things to answer for.
No doubt plenty of people watched Farah’s interview with Phil Gould on The Footy Show last night.
We had already been informed of some of the contents via newspaper stories, and the rest of it was simply more of Farah’s take on the whole situation.
What I’d really like to see now are interviews with Potter and Mayer in which each of them spill their guts.
I find it hard to see Potter coaching the Tigers next year, if for no other reason than things appear to have gone too far in the other direction. What the future holds for Mayer remains to be seen.
It’s going to be interesting to see who does and doesn’t survive the wreckage.
But that’s it for the Tigers. I don’t want to spend this entire column on them, not when there is a potential ball-tearer of a game to be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground between Manly and South Sydney tonight.
The first time I can remember going to the SCG was 48 years ago, when I was seven. Balmain played Manly in the preliminary final and the Tigers won, 8-5. Keith Barnes was kicking goals from everywhere for the Tigers and Bob Fulton was a teenager in his first season with the Sea Eagles.
I won’t bore you with any further details of my youth, except to say that it was great when you could perch yourself on the Hill or in the marvellous Sheridan Stand.
But progress is progress and the SCG has long since been updated, as the modern day demands. It’s still the SCG, though, the home of so many champions over so many decades, and if you haven’t been to a big league game there then tonight’s clash offers a great opportunity.
I can’t tip against Manly. They’re just playing too well at the moment. Even when they’re a bit off their game they just hang in there until they get it right again. They are clearly the most controlled side in the competition.
I don’t doubt that the Rabbitohs are playing well, but this is going to be a vastly different proposition for them than it was when they flogged Newcastle last weekend. The Knights are also-rans in this competition and played like it, with minimal intensity.
Tonight’s game should be a contest, but until I see something to convince me otherwise I’ll be tipping Manly against every team they play from this point.
Blaze
Guest
Same squad as sheens had? Your kidding right?
Blaze
Guest
Gordy spilled the beans before confronted by farahs manager... But let's not let that get in the way of a good story huh?
josh
Guest
The fact is tigers were tipped to come last this year, because potter is in charge & he took the tigers to 2nd last, last year. Lets not forget this is pretty much the same squad tim sheens was tipped to win a premiership with. The only difference between the team tipped to win the comp in 2011 & the team thats playing now is the coach. Potter is a dud. He may be a nice guy but what tigers fan is happy about koroibete being released by potter? A masterstroke from bellamy & a brain meltdown from potter. Half a fit backline & he lets go of our best winger.
josh
Guest
Hahaha if you think no other team will take the best statistical hooker in the nrl & the nsw blues hooker, then you must have rocks in your head.
mick
Guest
Manly tonight yeah listen to Gregory he knows his footy lol
T bone
Guest
I think it's been uninspiring- no one has lit up the competition yet. All favorites have been treading water and although the competition has a log jam, I think it's clear their is a different level that some teams can go to where they have not been pushed to get to. Manly, roosters, Melbourne and rabbits are cruising- and have been all year. The origin series, despite the hype, was uninspiring football as well- probably covered up by the result given the past 8 years. Maybe league is getting too professional and coaches are trying to control every single aspect of the play making it mundane? I'm not sure.
fiver
Guest
Has it really been that bad or are people just sick of Manly and Melbourne (who are coming home with a wet sail) being so dominant? Bulldogs and Roosters in the mix yet again... These are all unpopular teams to the neutrals.
KenAgain
Guest
Storm are Coming !
Muzz
Guest
Roosters don't want him, he's an underminer.Undermined the NSW halves for years and came out smelling like roses. Underminers are toxic in a team environment.
djcooper
Roar Guru
Just curious why you consider NRL360 hopeless Will?
djcooper
Roar Guru
That's an ambitious statement claiming 14 other clubs would chase him. I would suggest Canberra, the titans and the knights are the only ones who would be interested.
Casper
Guest
The interview should have been renamed as 'the cleansing'. Another Gould effort as a PR man for one of his favorites. Remind anyone else of the softly softly approach to Andrew Johns when the drug revelations hit the news or his grubby brother in the Coffs Harbour episode. These footy show guys are so predictable, regular quotes about their mates like 'he's a good bloke', 'that's not in his game', 'you can't crucify someone for one mistake, 'have to feel sorry for his family' etc. Robbie was only dirty because he told Tallis that Potter can't coach, then Gordie spilled the beans when attacked by Farah's manager & Robbie then needed to dump on Tallis. Enter Phil Gould to give him the opportunity. What credibility does Beau Ryan have to lecture Tallis on what he should or shouldn't do.
Haradasun
Guest
Which is ironic as manly has just the most dynamic attack of any team in the comp this year.
T bone
Guest
Totally agreed - wouldn't another manly v storm grand final just top it off
mushi
Guest
And that is a revelation?
Cowboys
Guest
Gaz I believe the only mentality being questioned is yours for suggesting the best player in the NRL could be a female.
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
I hope the game tonight is great, but I can't build up enough energy to watch it. This NRL season has been completely uninspiring. There are no great teams (a side-effect of the salary cap?), just oceans of mediocrity with every team trying not to drop the ball and then running the same old plays or kicking aimlessly to the wing. I genuinely can't remember a less inspiring rugby league season since I started supporting the game back in the 1980's.
The eye
Guest
Manly show some vulnerability in this game and it's back to square one wherein you make the 8 your chances are even stevens..porch light is still on waiting for GI and I hope George B. has been chilling for his cold revenge on that stiff arm to the throat from Steve Matai last year...Souths don't win tonite they're nothing but tourists for the rest of the year..ditto Dogs
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
I acknowledge that's almost certainly the case, Greg.
AGO74
Guest
I think that comment could apply to pretty much any news story these days.