All these players complaining about being tired after one round of footy need a healthy dose of perspective.
They should be sent for national service or a season supporting the Tigers.
This will help them understand that relentlessly exerting yourself for 80 minutes to the point of clinical exhaustion is a cakewalk when compared to more strenuous pursuits such as military training or spending six months a year convincing yourself this is definitely Luke Brooks’ season.
Even after one round, Tigers fans are already steeling themselves for another gruelling 26 rounds of naïve optimism and inevitable defeatism, all spread across nine home grounds and 13 honesty sessions.
As Sunday’s loss attested, starting the season was an unfortunate development for supporters, especially after the usual dread of a new campaign was soothingly drowned out by rule changes and Joseph Suaalii.
But despite the negativity of another futile season, all is not lost. The club is eyeing-off a highly-coveted milestone this year – ticking over the coveted ten-year mark on their finals drought.
Make no mistake, this would be an achievement befitting the joint venture’s unbroken run of anguish stretching across five coaches, two Benjis and 17 failed development proposals for Rozelle Leagues.
Following the side’s trademark ill-disciplined defeat to Canberra, fans are full of belief this watershed mark can be surpassed, thus taking them one step closer to a lifetime without a premiership that isn’t only available in SD.
Coach Michael Maguire – one of the league’s most notorious drill sergeants – is the man charged with avoiding this ignominy by somehow rinsing the Tigers jersey of its depraved powers.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
As we all know, many handy players have come and gone from the club over the years, some even paid at their appropriate market value and not deep into their 40s.
But from the moment a player dons any one of the club’s 245 famous stripes, he morphs from a footballer into a source of sheer frustration. While a rare few can withstand, most ultimately seek respite in reserve grade or Cronulla.
This is why COVID was actually warmly welcomed last year by Tigers fans, as they enjoyed the fresh change of having their season stalled by something other than their own cursed apparel. In light of this, we can all agree on one thing – none of this ongoing tragedy would’ve happened if the joint venture had avoided the catastrophe of winning the 2005 premiership.
After years of imbuing the Tigers community with euphoria, this title now only brings lingering anger for all involved. Robbie Farah was cranky for years, the fans have never recovered and after the weekend, it’s apparent even Todd Payten is still shirty.
Is there any point for Tigers fans in 2021? Should they hold genuine hope, or just blame Ivan Cleary?
Whatever occurs, there is one major consolation – at least shining light Luciano Leilua should be good for at least ten Dally M votes.
Not only will this offset losses incurred by brother Joey, but also trigger a $2.1m upgrade in Luciano’s deal.
Placepunter
Roar Rookie
bjt..........I'm just looking at the job that Madge is doing. It's at best very poor and at worst totally unacceptable. He's into his 3rd year and there's nothing to suggest that he's improved anything at all. In fact there's plenty to suggest that things have gone progressively worse. It's evident that he's not the man for the job.........who it is i'm not sure but it's clearly not him.
bjt
Guest
And who's next? I wish them good luck, because you'll be saying the same thing about them after a month... Broncos, Warriors or Tigers? Which is the worst coaching gig in the NRL?
Placepunter
Roar Rookie
Absolutely correct. He needs to go now.......not end of this year but now. They are just prolonging the inevitable. They couldn't do worse with someone else. I looked at their draw before the season started and quite clearly they were always going to be in trouble early with little if any respite, given that by the time the easier games come around, the fitness advantage "The Drill Sergeant" may have had will have been caught up by other teams.
mushi
Roar Guru
As you say though, he's not a rebuild coach. So the problem is those who hired him.
Placepunter
Roar Rookie
Why is it that most if not all people want to apportion blame for Wests performances on the players? "Madge" is a career coach who seemingly realises that peddling the "we're in rebuilding" is the best way for him to retain his job. He has never shown any ability at all as a "rebuilder". In fact, his style of management, coupled with amateur recruitment is the antithesis of what's needed. He can't attract "good/very good" players as the one certainty with Madge is that the drill sergeant will flog you into submission. Couple that with his habit of dropping players weekly, it doesn't instil a settled harmonious culture. His recruitment or most probably his recruitment team and he, seem to favour cheap and nasty over any semblance of quality. Maybe it's something to do with the fact that he seemingly can only shop for discards as the better players won't go to him. A bad tradesman always blames his tools. The first thing a competent coach can and should address is the defensive platform. This is the bedrock on which teams grow. With that in place, the attack can be put in place. Defence is the best form of attack. In the final 10 games of last season Wests conceded 26+ points per game. In a word............unacceptable! Madge didn't learn anything as game after game they leaked points like a sieve. His ability to coach and impart defensive patterns was and is decidedly poor. Fast forward to this season and you'd have thought that he'd have learnt something. No, more of the same with the inevitable dropping of players to reserve grade or whatever we name it these days. The best thing that Wests can do is to bite the bullet, get rid of Madge and his cohort of assistants and recruitment team. "Madge.....you are the weakest link, goodbye".
Adam
Roar Guru
Madge spends a lot of time drawing pictures on the whiteboard I'm sure
Adam
Roar Guru
But at least the set up a try let in a try was exciting to watch
Tony
Roar Guru
The good news is that Reynolds has gone to the UK. They've still got Russell Packer though. :happy:
Kerry Hanson
Guest
Geez there’s some money tied up in some duds . Roberts , Mbye ,Brooks, Reynolds ( is he still there ? ) all probably on more money than Aubo or the Morris boys ever got paid at the Roosters, yet you’d be lucky to get three good games a year outta any one of them .
Paul
Roar Guru
So Dane, if the permanent full-time Tigers miss the finals for 10 years in a row, are their fans entitled to long service leave?
mushi
Roar Guru
The solution is right there. Rebrand : The West Leichardt Leopards Afterall, it’s worked a treat for the Gold Coast Titanic Giant Charging Seagulls
mushi
Roar Guru
To be fair Benji's defence was also the best play maker for the opponent!
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Late, no doubt.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Good morning Dane. Yesterday when Tony was equally as despondent about his teams’ prospects this year, I tried to console him by reminding him of the Dragons’ past glories & stressing that teams experience peaks & troughs hence success is “cyclic”. You have to be patient & one day in the future, your boys will be doing a lap of honour on GF day & particularly after a long drought, you will appreciate it more. Unfortunately I can’t shed any light as to when that day will arrive.
Tony
Roar Guru
News to me
kk
Roar Pro
Magic stuff, Dane. Love the way you shape a story. May I suggest that an ad. be placed in KYOHPAIKA, the Kytherian newspaper inviting applications for two (2) executive type problem solvers. Bloodlines tracing to Politis and or V'Landys may be an advantage.
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Did you know that Tony??
Tony
Roar Guru
There's some classics there Jimmmy. Out of that lot, only Luciano is worth persevering with
Tony
Roar Guru
It might explain their recruitment
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
I like the Tigers and wish them well but they have some of the dumbest players in the NRL. The Leuluas,Garner, Mbye , Brooks , Roberts are disasters. I don't know what Madge does here. They can play decent footy at times but talk about shooting yourself in the foot.