It was the great Ted Lasso that said, “I believe in hope. I believe in believe.”
This is a quote that resonates with many sports fans, and I wonder whether it resonated with Wests Tigers fans leading into the 2022 NRL season.
I wonder what remains of that hope and belief after the first two rounds.
The Wests Tigers sit in 15th spot on the ladder following their 26-16 point loss to the Melbourne Storm in Round 1 and their 26-4 loss to the Newcastle Knights in Round 2.
It’s still very early in the season and much too soon to write any team off.
There are lots of teams that would be disappointed with their performances in the opening rounds, including several teams that fans think will be dominant come September like the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Manly Sea Eagles.
But what I found most concerning about the Tigers, particularly on Sunday, was that it isn’t necessarily about improvement; it’s that many members of the squad look disinterested.
There were too many poor errors and too many ‘coach killer’ mistakes that, at times, made it hard to watch the game. There were simple missed tackles, dropped balls and silly penalties which handed the game to the Knights on a silver platter.
Afterwards, Tigers co-captain Ken Maumalo spoke of ‘lack of preparation’ leading into the game. That’s deeply concerning.
It’s way too soon in the season to look disinterested and fans have waited too long over the off-season to write off another year so early.
So, where to from here?
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
It’s unfair to blame a club’s predicament simply on the coach or on one person. The situation the Wests Tigers find themselves in is the result of many different decisions made by many different people.
The Tigers will not be successful if they keep the same systems and processes in place and simply replace the coach. What that will lead to is a washing machine where coaches come and go and nothing really changes (as has been the case at Campbelltown over the last decade).
With that said, the next couple of weeks are crucial for Michael Maguire if he wants to keep his job.
Some blame the squad. The squad that Michael Maguire has selected. He has to take some responsibility for that. There may be challenges in getting players to come to the Tigers, but that is not all the coach’s fault and perhaps speaks to those ‘systems and processes’ I referred to earlier.
Madge has been with the Tigers since 2019. In that time, the team has not improved their position on the ladder. They’ve not looked likely to play finals football either. Maguire must also take responsibility for that.
If results continue in the coming weeks, a decision has to be made about the future of the coach.
I can’t imagine that it’s a happy environment for coach or players at the moment and that can only lead to disaster on the field.
I enjoyed Tales from Tiger Town on Fox League last year. It’s rare that fans get the opportunity to be that up close and personal with coaching staff and I wish fans were given more access like this.
But when I watched Tiger Town, I couldn’t help but feel like it was very much about Michael Magurie. His style, his approach, his yelling at the players in the dressing room.
We heard very little from the players throughout this documentary and whilst he may believe in his methods, it doesn’t look like his players do.
The documentary almost felt like justification for the approach that Maguire was taking. An approach that has not been working.
Something has to give.
Fortunately, the Tigers have a good opportunity to rectify the situation in the next couple of weeks with games against the New Zealand Warriors, Gold Coast Titans and Cronulla Sharks coming up. None of these teams are easy beats, but it is not until Round 7 that the Tigers face a team that finished in the top four last year.
It’s not time to hit the panic button yet, but we aren’t far away.
Time is ticking for Maguire and for the Wests Tigers.
But it’s going to take a lot more than simply replacing the coach to turn things around at Tiger Town.
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Adam
Roar Guru
Oh absolutely. People kind of take it for granted they won't be beating their actual team but they'll play some fun footy along the way
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
But are they everybody's second team because they are lovable losers?
Mel Storm
Guest
Hi Mary, i watched the tigers doco too. What i saw was a very mediocre organisation on the whole with as basic a coach as one could ever find. Seriously, i question how mcguire ever won a title in 2014. The whole company needs a restructure and mcguire needs to be one of the first to go.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
I still haven't got over Sundays game. Has to rank among the worst games ever.
Abbot
Guest
What do they say about doing the same thing over & over and expecting a different result… that’s right, the definition of insanity! Can someone please tell McGuire it’s time to give Brooks some time in the reserves and move him to 6 where his strengths of running and eyes up football can be best utilised, not game management and kicking at the end of the set where he is worse than useless. The trials showed Jock Madden can play and deserves his chance in the halves in first grade… how much worse could he be and why not give him a chance until Douhei is back!?
Danno
Roar Rookie
The only man that could do this is Phil Gould but he’ll be busy for next 4 years I’d say
Danno
Roar Rookie
Well said Albo , those youngsters that want to win for the club and the local area that you described is definitely what’s needed , if they could only clone the passion that the 2005 squad played with , agree with you 100%
Albo
Roar Rookie
Hi Birdy ! I think that is a danger . Trying to keep the good young ones together as a group and bring them through the grades together, and to convince them to stay away from the poachers. Its got to start with the Harold Matthews & Jersey Flegg teams. Someone needs to manage this process well for the Tigers to progress out of the cellar of others' cast offs !
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
It starts at the top, bad board, I won't say McGuire can't coach as he's won a premiership, bad roster . Needs a good clean out as nothing's changed . A good example of signings they extend young Liddle yet sign Korisau, and have put up with mediocre performance from Brooks for a number of years . The board throw money at aging players but the truth is not too many want to go there .
Birdy
Roar Rookie
Hi Albo , I've been hearing that the tigers have quite a few talented juniors coming through. I've also heard discussions of mergers with Canterbury or Penrith, or even relocation . Do you have an opinion on any of this. Is the tigers brand so damaged that the juniors might fly the coup.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
I googled "dis," and "un" Now I'm more confused
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
Thanks for the tip, Dumbo! You have taught me something today.
Rob
Guest
I'm not even sure it's worked that well for the Raiders and Eels. The Raiders were bad last year and don't look much better this year. The Eels are have consistently been in the top 6 but really don't have anything to show for it either.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Sorry Danno. But the Tigers were given the very best opportunity ever to beat a depleted Storm team which started without Grant, Munster, Bromwich, Kamikamica, Johns , Eisenthuth, and then lost 3 top players in B Smith, Welsh & Jennings by halftime , leaving just one on the bench ? Yet the Tigers succumbed meekly like kittens in that second half when the win should have been easy to finish off. Then the match against the Knights ( a team few have tipped to make the finals , and who were also missing Ponga & Klemmer along with Brayley & D. Safiti !) , and the Tigers were atrocious. There is a massive problem at the Tigers that won't be sorted until a group of quality local youngsters are identified , nurtured , developed and retained over the next 5 years, with a common goal of winning for their local people. They will win nothing whilst they just recruit cast offs from other clubs, who have no identification with Tigers Club base, and are just playing for a pay cheque each week. Seriously , the Tigers have no on-field leadership despite nominating their five oldest as joint captains ? Then last week they make winger Ken Maumalo the captain ? A player as far off the field as you can get , and a player lucky to even be on the field playing NRL ? Even the Warriors didn't want him ? Time for the Tigers to finally bite the bullet and start building from within not battle with Redcliffe for next years cast offs !
Birdy
Roar Rookie
I only watched 2 episodes of Tiger Town, shouting and swearing never motivated me, in fact it exhausted me. I really don't know what possessed fox to air it or how the NRL allowed. I'm no prude. I swear as good as the rest.
Dumbo
Roar Rookie
Really, Mary ! You are a lawyer and you use “disinterested” instead of “uninterested”. Referees need to be DISinterested ie impartial / unbiased. Players can be interested or UNinterested ie indifferent / bored / don’t give a damn / not trying. Be wise. Avoid shooting yourself in the foot – don’t use either word, and stick to a synonym that expresses clearly what you are trying to say.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
As an ex-military man I have had great experience at being shouted at. When a drill Sergeant gets about an inch from your face and screams at you at the top of their lungs, flecks of spittle splattering onto your face (a drill Sergeant would be a mobile Covid factory), it certainly is motivating. At first, at least and then you get used to it. After a while, I found I could barely contain my laughter. I mean, a grown man ranting, temple veins throbbing, spittle flying, is kinda funny. In fact, if I am honest being shouted at didn't motivate me at all, I just thought "f*&^ you and the horse you rode in on", but I know for some people it really got them fired up. Even the great Alex Ferguson, famous for a hair dryer rant that would make a grown man weep, commented on the fact that it only works for some people. Others need an arm around the shoulder and to be told they are the best player in the world. Once the visceral impact of ranting has dissipated, it then becomes about the words themselves. Do the words inspire me? Do they teach me something about the game, or myself? What can I learn? I hope that Madge has more in his kitbag than a shouty rant, because he is in danger of being a one hit wonder. The Carl Douglas of the NRL. Damn, I am going to be humming "Everybody was Kung Fu fighting" all day long now......
Tez
Roar Rookie
Respect .... one word but it is what builds teams and performance. Respect must be a two way street between players and coach. Weekly yelling at players does not work, respect drops. The occasional harsh word is ok, if it is justified, and oddly enough can help build respect. Criticism can never be personalised unless its a private, one on one conversation. Does Maguire understand these tenets? Does he practice them? I would guess that no he does not and therein lies the Tigers problem.
Adam
Roar Guru
They're everyone's 2nd team though! But they're rubbish from the ground up. I think the title of the article is a bit misleading too, no Tigers fan even has hope
Birdy
Roar Rookie
Tigers should be more worried about getting flicked from the NRL with expansion becoming a reality. Sydney is saturated with clubs surely the NRL knows this . Even so they continue to ignore Campbelltown as their base. Home games at Leichardt, and SFS. Local fans must go nuts. Except for it's massive fan base everything else is a failure. Why sack another coach, why clean out the roster. All this has been done multiple times yet the board stayes in tact. Will Tim Sheen's sort this out before the NRL flicks them ? Hope so but I doubt it. I think the dogs or the pennies would love to be gifted Campbelltown, the chooks or bunnies could have what's left of Balmain. Tough being a Tiger fan. Fancy letting 2 failing clubs merge!