Left to their own devices by their disgusted coach Michael Maguire, Wests Tigers teammates turned on each other as Melbourne completed a 66-16 NRL rout on the Sunshine Coast.
Revealing the discord, shattered captain James Tamou admits the joint venture must overcome “underlying issues” if they are to turn around their season after imploding in the 12 tries-to-three thumping on Saturday night.
The Storm piled on five tries in the first 15 minutes before the Tigers had completed a set as they cruised to a 40-0 halftime lead at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
Maguire was so livid he stormed out of the dressing room with his support staff in tow at the halftime break, leaving his stunned players on their own to work out a solution.
Instead of coming together, Tamou admitted the Tigers players began to unravel as the Storm kept piling on the points despite Melbourne being reduced to 14 men by injury and forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona’s 66th minute sin-binning.
“Near the end there, we were starting to get at each other, and I think that’s the last thing we need at the moment,” Tamou told Fox League.
“Start pointing the finger, only the soft ones do that.
“We need to be strong, we need to come together, we need to sort this out ourselves.
“I think as the captain and the leaders of this side, it’s up to us to sort out. We’ve got to come together first before we fix anything.”
The Tigers had planned to emerge as a tight unit after enjoying a two-day team bonding stay at nearby Noosa in the lead-up to the Storm clash.
Instead, they looked like strangers as the Storm tore them apart from the outset, crossing seven times in the first half alone.
The Tigers (5-10 record) have slipped to 14th and are at risk of being two wins outside the eight following Round 15 after conceding 106 points and missing a total of 85 tackles in their last two matches.
“I think there are a lot of underlying issues that we’ve got to sort out, that started last week against Parramatta (40-12 loss),” Tamou said.
Asked about Maguire’s halftime walkout, Tamou said: “I love Madge. He just said, ‘it’s up to us, we dug this hole now get ourselves out of it’.
“Some of the young boys actually spoke up, which was really refreshing.
“(But) the fact is…it’s going to take everyone in this side to sort it out.”
Maguire claimed he “didn’t say anything at halftime”.
“They knew what they needed to do. They are men. They spoke about it themselves,” he said.
Asked what he would say to Tigers fans after their horror loss, Maguire said: “We learn a lot from the performance that was played in front of us.
“You have to learn how to stop opposition’s momentum and you do that through your defence.”
Meanwhile, Tigers bench forward Shawn Blore (ankle) is expected to miss a couple of games.
Brad Larkey
Guest
Here's another thing. The NRL are pushing for a multi million dollar stadium at Liverpool, (under their 'back to supporter roots/traditional grounds etc). Liverpool is Canterbury Bulldogs junior 'catchment area'. (This was the original Oasis project years ago that Canterbury wanted to build but because of issues, including corruption, it bombed). So what benefit does this provide to the Tigers. Canterbury, Penrith. Parramatta, Manly and possibly St George, will receive NRL/Govt funding for renovations and / or new stadiums in their perspective local junior areas, Tigers miss out, therefore the decision smacks of contradiction. And here's a conspiracy theory for you. If the new stadium at Liverpool goes ahead, and we know the talk of 'too many Sydney clubs and amalgamations. Then what's to stop the league from amalgamating the Bulldogs and the Tigers in the future made easier when both are playing out of the same home ground.
Wayne Turner
Guest
They need,to not over react,learn from this disaster of one game,move on,and player alot better next time.Plus, remember,it was against the defending premiers,who are playing very well. Just don't make a pattern of it.Like the following teams terrible bad habits:- *Raiders - Second half fade outs,after blowing a lead at half time. *Brisbane - Staying in game,first 20 minutes,then getting thrashed in the second half. Titans - Great attack, but horrid defence.Blowing big leads.
Easy target
Roar Rookie
Fair enough. It has to be used well or you do just alienate the playing group. If I'm in madges shoes the adage "when you don't have the answers it is best to say nothing" sums it up for me. He doesn't have the answers and it could be another coach shown the door. I don't think any coach could "fix" the tigers though
Paul
Roar Guru
I can see you're point but walking out only makes it that much harder for Madge to pickup the pieces. He has to first of all mend bridges with the few who did try their best. Then he has to sort out what ever issues are a problem, assuming they're things he can fix. He's also sent the wrong sort of messages to players who are thinking about coming to the Tigers. Guys want to know what sort of support they'll get from the coach. With this incident, I wouldn't be sure
Paul
Roar Guru
fair call about the tactic, I just think in this instance it was poorly used
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Holbrook has just firmed.When is his team gunna learn how to defend? I know they were up against Turbo,but some of that defence was not Reserve grade standard
Easy target
Roar Rookie
I wouldn't call it disdain. I'm also not sure it works standing in the corner watching silently, the accountability comes from putting the onus on the players to fix their attitude - because attitude and focus were the issues not the game plan (I assume he didn't tell them to not put on any pressure in defense). This is a once maybe twice a season tactic the same way a verbal shellacking is, you can't do it every week but it can be used to put players on notice
no one in particular
Roar Guru
It's a coaching technique as old as the hills - the players got themselves into it, they can get themselves out of it. It is making the players accountable for their attitude and actions, it lets the coach know who will stand up, who has the pride. It's like when parents are really disappointed they don't yell and scream at the kids, the silence conveys the message. Better coaches then Maguire have used it, and they swear by it
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: I forgot Baz too. He has one year stay of execution
Shane
Guest
LMAO, Tiepies are no hope against Souths
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Yes, but the conditions were different. Chooks spoon wasn't through poor players, they had trouble keeping them on the park
Shane
Guest
"Bring in that ex saints player later coach that slapped trent barret on national tv!" ....Umm, he's coaching the Warriors
Walter Black
Guest
"Completely disagree. Walking out without addressing your players says two things. One, you don’t respect them and two you don’t have any answers" We are going to have to disagree. To me, walking out like that said 2 things, you don't respect the performances they have just put in and that only they can address the problems. You have to remember that these are not 12 year olds school kids having a kick about but highly paid professional athletes who have just capitulated in the most horrible way. That beating was not some small issue in the way they were playing that Madge could address, not some unfortunate sequence of events where Madge could step in and lift their spirits, There was no tactical change that Madge could effect to help turn things around it was out and out capitulation across the park. Walking out in disgust was the right thing to do.
Walter Black
Guest
I wondered if Madge got his half time tactic off Bellamy who did something similar earlier this season. In this game, Melbourne had a terrible first half littered with dropped balls, six agains and silly mistakes. At half time, Bellamy walked in the dressing room, looked every one of them in the eye (called the stare at the time) and then walked out again. The second half was a vast improvement
Walter Black
Guest
Hi Souv, My point is that often we get poor results and blame the coach but sometimes you have to look beyond that. Look at who is there supporting the coach, who does the recruiting, what are the board doing to support him ? What I am saying is that the Coach is the front man and he gets blamed when things turn bad but often its the faceless wonders behind the scenes that often undermine both coach and players.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
‘A couple of years after that he took Souths to a Premiership here, the first in a very long time ‘ forward another couple of years and South’s gratitude was expressed with the kick to the kerb. Bottom line it’s his watch. 9 times this year they’ve had 30 or more put on them in a game on a coach’s mantra of improved defence..and then there’s the recruiting, abysmal.
Jockstar
Guest
Fair call Paul, I agree, I just don’t buy this will take 5 years argument to be competitive. I think it is a coaches back up policy to justify poor performances. Tigers continually lose great players and buy duds on a yearly basis.
Paul
Roar Guru
You're right, you don't have to be an Einstein to know last night the players hadn't turned up and the Storm rightly ran up 40 on them in 40 minutes. When it comes to the blame game, I'd suggest there's plenty to share around and there are obviously some serious problems that have been brewing for some time, just like the Broncos. Is that justification for a coach doing what Madge did though? I just don't get how a coach, who is at least as highly paid as his players, get's to not only say nothing to his team, but walks out on them when even a little bit of a word might have helped the likes of Daine Laurie or Ken Maumalo, a young bloke and a bloke brand new to the Club. I'm bloody sure Bennett has been in this sort of spot before. I'm also sure he might have said nothing, but he would not have walked out on the team. Ditto with Robinson and Bellamy. Even Mary hung around through all the losses in recent seasons. :unhappy:
Paul
Roar Guru
With the 2016 squad, injuries killed Easts, along with losing Maloney, RTS and Michael Jennings. Not so many injuries and they're in business in 2017. The Tigers don't have anything like a decent squad so it's going to take more than a year for them to come good.
steveng
Roar Rookie
What price "Mary"? :laughing: nah, its not the coaches its the players fault, how would you be if you were getting 300k (which is a small amount for a player these days) but is huge money for an average wage and you sense what goes on in your jobs admin that its falling apart? You would just go through the motions (which is what these guys are doing) as irrespective of what happens they are getting their coin and use excuses of either blaming the coach, the other players and most of all the clubs admin! As Tamu said, you needs players that are fair dinkum footy players and don’t just do it for the coin or and if there is anything within the clubs admin to blame it on them or each other. That is what is happening at the Broncs and now the Tigers as I’m sure there are a few other clubs that are in these situations also.