Season Preview - Wests Tigers (2013)

2012 was meant to be the Tigers year, but a myriad of dramas saw them have the most disappointing season of all clubs. The fallout was just as dramatic.

At seasons end, talk of player unrest saw Beau Ryan, Chris Heighington, Gareth Ellis, Junior Moors, Tom Humble and Dane Chisholm all change clubs.

 The unrest didn't end there.

Long serving coach Tim Sheens was sacked with a year to run on his contract. It will go down as the lowest time at the Tigers since the year before Sheens was appointed as Tigers coach.

 But it has also become the start of a new era at the club that fills the fans and the club with a new energy and optimism. While the Tigers aren't considered as serious chance to win the title in 2013, they will be working on an entirely new structure, one based upon stability and structure which was completely non-existant in 2012.

The Tigers have lost a lot of experience and talent and will be looking to blood a lot of their rising stars, especially from their very successful NYC team.

Why they'll win it
Structure and stability. The Tigers have lacked both of these for quite some time, but have got by on the back of their amazing attacking prowess. Under new coach Mick Potter, the Tigers will become a team that plays for 80 minutes and builds pressure, rather than one that attempts the miracle play every set. Benji Marshall and subsequently, the Wests Tigers, perform better when there is a stable halfback.

Why they won't win it
Their forwards. The Tigers have a very light back row and little depth in the front row. They lack back rowers who can make an impact in attack and defence. While their backrow will be among the most skilful in the competition, they will struggle to make big metres.

Player to watch
James Tedesco - The young fullback only got half an hour of playtime last year in the first game of the season before suffering a season ending knee injury. He is now raring to go and looks set to become the best fullback the club has seen behind Brett Hodgson. Once his confidence builds, he will be a part of one of the NRL's strongest spines.

Rookie to watch
Jacob Miller - Although Miller has already tasted some first grade over the past two seasons, he was still a member of the Wests Tigers NYC grand final winning side last year. New coach Mick Potter was quick to elevate Miller to the starting halfback role in the NRL side, where alongside Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall, he is set to have a smooth transition into the top grade which will ensure he finds his feet very quickly.

Signings:
Braith Anasta (Sydney), Jack Buchanan (St.George-Illawarra), James Gavet (Canterbury), Eddy Pettybourne (Souths), Bodene Thompson (Gold Coast)

Losses:
Dane Chisholm (Manly), Gareth Ellis (Hull FC), John Grant (Rugby Union), Chris Heighington (Cronulla), Tom Humble (Penrith), Junior Moors (Melbourne), Beau Ryan (Cronulla)

Best Line-Up
1. James Tedesco 2. Marika Koroibete 3. Blake Ayshford 4. Chris Lawrence 5. Matt Utai 6. Benji Marshall 7. Jacob Miller 8. Aaron Woods 9. Robbie Farah 10. Keith Galloway 11. Adam Blair 12. Liam Fulton 13. Braith Anasta Interchange: 14. Ben Murdoch-Masila 15. Matt Bell 16. Eddy Pettybourne 17. Bodene Thompson.

****This article appeared on the www.leagueunlimited.com website****

Susan (2013)

I was only eight years old when I first saw a game of Rugby League on our old TV in rural NSW. It was a finals match between Balmain and Cronulla in 1988. I was intrigued by this game but it wasn’t until I heard the name of a player that was the same as mine that I became hooked.

In the tiny community I lived in, this was amazing. I thought I was the only person alive with this name. It was then that I decided I would support Cronulla. That player was Andrew Ettingshausen.

The following year I saw the game between Balmain and Souths and a young player for the Tigers who, in my 9 year old mind, would become a future test player and I instantly became a massive Tim Brasher and Balmain fan.

Ever since then I have always supported both sides, but always considered myself a Tigers fan first.

In 1996 I was given a Cronulla footy jumper for my birthday. Little did I know how important that jumper would be in my life.

Seemingly in another world far from me, the 20 year old Susan watched an NRL game between Cronulla and the Roosters with interest and immediately had a liking for Cronulla, her favourite player quickly became the Sharks winger Mat Rogers. As a Queenslander, she had always watched Origin and was brought up to follow the Broncos, but she grew tired of seeing them everywhere all the time.

Later that year she moved to Sydney before returning to Brisbane. In 2004 I left my hometown for Newcastle before relocating to Sydney later that year. It was in 2005 that Susan ventured to Sydney to watch her beloved Sharks play their rivals, the Dragons, at Kogarah. I too ventured to this game wearing my old Sharks Jumper.

It was at this game that Susan and I met. Over the next year we got engaged, moved in together and started exploring the country. We later moved to Melbourne, got married and settled down.

Along came 2013, the most promising year for premiership glory for the Sharks the entire time Susan had followed them. And then disaster struck.

An investigation into alleged illegal drug use engulfed the Sharks, which lead to the sacking of four staff and the standing down of popular coach Shane Flanagan. The developments all happened just three days prior to the Sharks first game of the year.

On Friday morning, Susan started considering a whirlwind trip to Cronulla to support her team in their opening match of the year. By Saturday morning she was adamant she wanted to be there. I was certain that I wanted to join her in her pilgrimage from the land of NRL obscurity and our home, Melbourne, to the home of the Sharks, by car.

So we set off at 5pm on Saturday afternoon, hearing and reading all about the implications of the troubles surrounding the Sharks, every hour was met with a myriad of more damaging rumours and speculation. After staying overnight in my childhood hometown, we travelled to a friends place in Wollongong in the mid-afternoon, hopped in his car and travelled to Shark Park in time for the game.

The crowd was by far the loudest, most passionate and pumped up I’d ever seen or been a part of at Shark Park. The roar they gave when the Cronulla players came onto the field to do their pre-match warm-up was the first time the players knew that they weren’t alone, that they had a 17,500 odd family who felt their pain.

I could have worn my newer Sharks jumper. I instead felt utterly compelled to wear my old Sharks jumper instead. It’s got some loose threads and it’s shrunk a lot, okay okay, I’ve added a fair amount of girth over the years, but I was with my wife, in the jumper of this club she supports solely, that brought us together.

I felt it was my duty to thank the club for inadvertently bringing us together, by being here for them when they needed support the most.

Susan was driven entirely by the unjust and unceremonious actions of the past three days. She could have travelled by air to the game, but she wanted to make a big sacrifice and go through the rigours of a long car drive to show to her club just how committed she was to them and what lengths she will go to just to support them in times of need.

The result was secondary. It was the lap of honour the players did, showing their utmost gratitude and thanks to all fans for supporting them.

Susan didn’t care that the players had no idea about how far and long she travelled for to get to the game, that didn’t matter. She wanted to be there when they needed it most.

The drive home was just as long, but seemed to be so much better. The negativity of the media had subsided substantially, the rumours had dissipated, speculation dwindled.

We both knew that this sordid affair wasn’t finished and we accepted that there may well be more to come, but we both knew that the Sharks family is a strong and close one and if any family can pull through adversity such as this, it will be theirs.

Season Preview - Cronulla Sharks (2013)

At the start of 2010, no one (other than those in the Shire) would have ever envisaged the rapid improvement of the Cronulla team that has brought them to where they are now.

2013 shapes as being one of Cronulla’s most prosperous looking years in a long time, with no off-field distractions, more amazing recruitment, continuously astute management and air of optimism and enjoyment has the Sharks as one of the most dangerous outfits for the upcoming season.

All the injuries which dogged the back end of their 2012 season have mostly been healed, inspirational leader Paul Gallen has had operations done to rectify the niggling injuries which have hampered over past seasons and further improvement to the clubs depth mean Cronulla are not just going to be competitive like in previous years, but they are going to be tough to beat.

Why they’ll win it

Paul Gallen is expected to stop being an 80 minute player. Quality backs. Fast backs. Depth. Dominance up-front. Optimism. There are plenty of reasons why the Sharks can win it and they are rightfully tipped to be one of the four favourites to win the premiership in 2013. The quality of depth means that not even injuries or the Origin period should see the Sharks suffer at all. So many key players who suffered with niggling injuries have had these rectified during the offseason meaning Cronulla will have it’s healthiest and fittest squad for years.

Throw in the top quality additions to the club in Michael Gordon, Beau Ryan, Luke Lewis, Jonathan Wright and Chris Heighington as well as getting Stewart Mills and Nathan Gardner back from long term injuries and you have players fighting for spots, and players hungry to play. It’s a dangerous recipe for opposition teams.

Why they won’t win it
The only real reason will be a slow start due to the backline still working on combinations and gelling, as it will be almost entirely different to the backline of the previous year. The only other issues will be the run home. From 2009 to 2012, the Sharks have struggled to win any of their last 9 games of the year. Of the 36 games they’ve played over the last 9 rounds from 2009-2012, they have lost 31. This is the psychological hurdle the club must overcome.

Player to watch: Michael Gordon
If the former Penrith and NSW Origin speedster can cement his place in the side, especially at fullback, his combination with Carney and running off Gallen’s well-timed inside passes, he will be unstoppable and the Sharks will become a potent attacking machine beyond their own wildest dreams.

Rookie to watch - Rodney Coates
The 20 year old front rower is a big unit and is the most likely rookie to make his debut for the Sharks in 2013, purely due to the Sharks having their least depth at prop, not that there’s any depth issues there. The Sharks have a number of top quality juniors coming through the ranks, the most notable of these being talented hooker Michael Lichaa.

Signings: Michael Gordon (Penrith), Chris Heighington (Wests Tigers), Luke Lewis (Penrith), Beau Ryan (Wests Tigers), Tupou Sopoaga (Canterbury), Jonathan Wright (Canterbury).

Losses: Colin Best (retired), Josh Cordoba (retired), Tyson Frizzell (St.George-Illawarra), Jeremy Smith (Newcastle), John Williams (retired)

Best Line-Up: 

1 – Michael Gordon, 2 – Beau Ryan, 3 – Ben Pomeroy, 4 – Stewart Mills, 5 – Nathan Stapleton, 6 – Todd Carney, 7 – Jeff Robson, 8 – Bryce Gibbs, 9 – Isaac DeGois, 10 – Ben Ross, 11 – Paul Gallen, 12 – Luke Lewis, 13 – Wade Graham

Interchange: 14 – Andrew Fifita, 15 – Chris Heighington, 16 – Anthony Tupou, 17 – John Morris

****This article appeared on www.leagueunlimited.com website****

Interstate Memberships (2013)

Within a minute after the full time siren sounds on grand final day, NRL clubs turn their attention to membership drives.

Memberships are a good source of revenue for clubs and are used to try and get fans closer to their club with members only features, such as invitations to training days and team functions, where fans can mingle with their favourite clubs NRL stars.

Unfortunately though, some clubs fail to adequately welcome some of their fans who don't happen to live in the State or city of their team.

Interstate packages in previous years had tended to be marginally cheaper than some teams basic membership packages that offered 6 or so home games.

2013 has seen a lot of clubs dramatically improve their interstate memberships, some via better and/or more merchandise, some through offering more tickets to games and a rare few that provide invitations to team specific events, either at home or when travelling to another team's home.

Sadly, some clubs just haven't bothered to grasp the concept and have left interstate/regional fans wondering whether it's really worth the money.

Furthermore, these people are made to feel like lesser fans, or betrayers of their club, thanks to the some poor marketing/advertising schemes employed by some clubs, especially those which run campaigns on slogans such as "Show you are a true fan and become a member today."

People, especially the elderly, have followed and financially supported their clubs for decades and all of a sudden, if they can't afford a membership they are deemed to be disloyal almost.

It's disrespectful to every fan who doesn't have a membership but has always spent money on their club.

2013 has seen a dramatic improvement in Interstate memberships, with many clubs providing state-specific memberships now (mostly for NSW, QLD and VIC), but this is a very good thing.

I have viewed each clubs Interstate/Regional memberships and decided to do a comparison to see just what variation there is between the clubs. It turns out the cheapest of these type of memberships is $59 and the most expensive is $160.

That alone shows that there are some clubs that just don't understand the external costs incurred by an Interstate/Regional member (flights, accommodation, transport, food, time etc).

So In my view, here are each clubs Interstate package in three groups, great value, reasonable value and poor value, along with the most notable extras.

Great Value

Brisbane - $60 - 1 Away game and a 2 tickets for the price of one for a home game plus key ring, sticker, magnet, magnetic photo frame, lanyard, drink coasters, poncho, 10% discount voucher, Membership to Leagues Club and Broncos Yearbook.

St.George-Illawarra - $85 - 1 Home game and 1 Away game plus a backpack, cap, keyring, sticker, lanyard and 15% discount voucher.

Cronulla - $100 - 1 Home game and 1 Away game plus a backpack, cap, keyring, sticker, lanyard, 10% discount voucher and your name on the members jumper.

Canterbury - $65 - 1 Home game and 1 Away game plus a cap, sticker and keyring

Penrith - $70 - 1 Home game and 1 Away game plus members kit (not revealed what is in members kit)

Reasonable Value

Warriors - $59 - No tickets, but you do get discounted tickets for games in Australia, plus a cap, pin, lanyard, keyring, sticker and a 10% discount voucher

Gold Coast - $65 - 2 tickets to 1 Away game plus members pack (not revealed what is in members kit)

Newcastle - $75 - 3 Home games plus cap, keyring, sticker, magnet, lanyard and a 10% discount voucher

Sydney - $85 - 2 tickets to 1 Away game plus a cap, lanyard, keyring, sticker, 10% discount voucher and Membership to Leagues Club

North Queensland - $78 - 2 tickets to 1 Away game plus a backpack, cap, water bottle, lanyard, magnet, keyring, calendar and a 10% discount voucher

Canberra - $70 - 2 tickets to 1 Away game plus a scarf, keyring, pin and sticker.

Poor Value

Parramatta - $110 - 2 Home games and 1 Away game plus a lanyard, cap, sticker and scarf

Melbourne - $135 - 2 Home games and 1 Away game plus a cap, keyring, lanyard, sticker, pin and 10% discount voucher

Manly - $140 - 2 Home games and 1 Away game plus a cooler bag, mini replica jersey and a mousepad

Wests Tigers - $110 - 4 tickets to 1 Home game plus a lanyard, sticker, scarf and a $20 merchandise voucher

Souths - $160 - 5 Home games plus a keyring, sticker, magnet, lanyard and a 10% discount voucher.

My reasons are based on price, good balance of home and away games, merchandise, events or features that the club and it's players allow you to be involved in, and the clubs interest in accommodating fans wishes to attend games at other clubs specific venues.

This information has all been taken directly from club websites and I must stress, I've only mentioned the significant extras (mostly material items)

11 of the 16 clubs have Interstate memberships at $100 or less.

I understand and appreciate that some people would like to argue at length about how I may have some of this stuff wrong. I welcome it, but I hope that the discussion is based upon how clubs can improve this specific membership.

It is the National Rugby League afterall, and all clubs have fans in other states and even countries to that where they are based. If they and the game as a whole is to expand across the country and become the undeniable number one sport and football code in Australia, then ALL fans need to feel respected, involved and wanted by all clubs.

Season Review - Wests Tigers (2012)

After much improved performances in 2010 and 2011, the Wests Tigers appeared to be maturing as a unit and playing much better and more consistent football, which lead to many pundits picking them as the pre-season favourites to win the premiership. And on paper, that didn’t seem like such a crazy notion.

But it didn’t take long for all that to change. After winning their first game, controversially in Golden Point against Cronulla, the Tigers lost 5 straight, turning in abysmal performances against the Dragons and the Raiders before going on a 7 game winning streak, which wasn’t as convincing as it appeared. It contained a 30-0 shut-out against Penrith, a 1 point win against Parramatta, in a game that saw Parramatta almost claim victory as they scored the majority of their points in the last 10 mins of the game. Another 1 point win against the struggling Titans at that time, a 2 point win against the inconsistent Warriors, and a hard fought 10-6 win against a Storm player without any of their big name players due to Origin commitments.

The Winning streak and the season ended there. The Tigers won 3 of the remaining 11 games, which saw them slip from fourth to tenth on the ladder and fall out of finals calculations completely and miserably.

Signings for 2012: Matt Bell (Penrith), Adam Blair (Melbourne), Ray Cashmere (Illawarra Cutters), Dane Chisholm (Melbourne), John Grant (Rugby Union), Jy Hitchcox (Melbourne), Tom Humble (Parramatta), Masada Iosefa (Penrith), Joel Reddy (Parramatta).

Losses for 2012: Mitch Brown (Canterbury – mid season), Geoff Daniela (Penrith), Simon Dwyer (deregistered due to injury), Andrew Fifita (Cronulla), Mark Flanagan (St.Helens), Bryce Gibbs (Cronulla), Robert Lui (North Queensland), Wade McKinnon (Hull FC), Todd Payten (retired)

Turning Point: The Tigers season was wildly inconsistent and rarely ever did their performances reach the lofty heights of the previous two seasons, but after winning 7 straight games and getting into the top 4, the turning point, very sadly and suddenly came with the passing of Robbie Farah’s mother Sonia just hours before the Round 15 game against the lowly Roosters. The Tigers players were all distraught but played on, coming back late in the match, but by then the game was gone, and the Roosters won 42-28. This was the first of 8 losses in the remaining 11 games for the club, whose performances were either abysmal or amazing.

The Good: The Tigers young players who were essentially forced into first grade through injuries and poor team selections was essentially the greatest thing for the club in 2012. Also the second half against Parramatta in Round 22 and the Tigers game against a woeful Raiders side in Round 13 were also good. But possibly one of their best performances was against Canterbury in Round 24 where the Tigers were very unlucky to not have won the game.

The Bad: Team selections killed the Tigers massively in 2012. They lost halfback Robert Lui in the pre-season and trained back up half, Tim Moltzen, at halfback during the off-season. In Round 1, rookie fullback James Tedesco suffered a season ending knee injury. The only trained halfback at the club was shifted to fullback in Round 4, and so began the merry-go-round of halves combinations for the Tigers. Over the year, the Tigers had endured 9 different halves combinations. The under-performance of marquee players Adam Blair, Benji Marshall, Tim Moltzen, Lote Tuqiri and Chris Lawrence were mostly all due to these position changes and game plan restructures.

Best Players: Aaron Woods was by far the best Tigers player. The 21 year old prop in just his second season in the NRL was picked as 18th man in the NSW Origin side. He had a stellar season. Also, Liam Fulton’s efforts during the year, especially in defence were almost Herculean at times. Robbie Farah, despite the tragic loss of his mother had a great season which saw regain his place in the NSW Origin side and going very close to player of the series. In the backs, Beau Ryan continued improving on his previous seasons performances.

Disappointing Players: Adam Blair had a lot to prove after the hostility among fans about his arrival, essentially at the loss of club favourite Bryce Gibbs. Undoubtedly Blair is a world class quality player, but at the Tigers he just looked lost and was rarely committed. Either he was confused by the coaching or he just wasn’t putting in enough effort. Centres Lawrence and Ayshford were both poor on the back of previous season’s performances, and this may have been largely due to the unsettled halves. Moltzen took a long time to gain any confidence at fullback.

Rookies: The Tigers had 4 rookies make their debut in 2012. James Tedesco (Round 1) a very talented fullback who suffered a season ending knee injury in his debut. Pat Politoni (Round 11) a speedy hooker who only played once off the bench. Curtis Sironen (Round 12) a five-eighth who runs just like his old man, Paul Sironen. Looked very good but a shoulder injury in Round 20 ended his season. Marika Koroibete (Round 21) had an immediate impact when he entered first grade. Many were calling and demanding he be in the first grade squad much sooner in the year. Koroibete’s second half against Parramatta was devastating. In his second game, he equalled the Wests Tigers record for most tries by a player in a game with 4. Will bring great excitement to the club in 2013.

Chances in 2013: With the turmoil within the club during 2012 and the current off-season, the Tigers will be looking at rebuilding and restructuring in 2013. They have lost more key players in Gareth Ellis, Chris Heighington and Beau Ryan and Blake Ayshford was reported to have been allowed to speak with other clubs. Coach Tim Sheens’ tenure at the club came to an ugly demise and it appears he will be replaced by Mick Potter. Tigers will be looking to make the finals and still have a side capable of doing such, but it won’t be easy.

2013 Gains: Braith Anasta (Roosters), Eddy Pettybourne (Souths), Bodene Thompson (Titans)

2013 Losses: Gareth Ellis (Hull FC), Chris Heighington (Cronulla), Beau Ryan (Cronulla)

2013 Best Line-up:

1 – James Tedesco 2 – Marika Koroibete 3 – Blake Ayshford 4 – Chris Lawrence 5 – Lote Tuqiri 6 – Benji Marshall 7 – Tim Moltzen 8 – Aaron Woods 9 – Robbie Farah (c) 10 – Keith Galloway 11 – Adam Blair 12 – Liam Fulton 13 – Braith Anasta

Interchange: 14 – Ben Murdoch-Masila 15 – Eddy Pettybourne 16 – Bodene Thompson 17 – Matt Utai

****This article appeared on www.leagueunlimited.com****

Season Review - Cronulla Sharks (2012)

Cronulla had endured three years in the finals wilderness, languishing at the wrong end of the table, suffering from a mass of bad publicity, controversies and financial woes, all of which hounded the club. 2012 saw the Cronulla club, in every aspect of operations overcome all of these and rise up against the overwhelming odds stacked against them.

Their development plan, which was the last saviour for the club, was approved giving them something they’ve rarely ever had in their entire history, financial stability and security.

This coupled with a very astute coach and some of most impressive off-season purchases, has seen an air of positivity, enjoyment and most importantly, a belief that they can succeed.

Cronulla didn’t fluke their way into the finals either. Many would argue they were on the wrong end of the stick on most 50/50 calls during the year. But through all of that they were much more consistent, never falling lower than 7th on the ladder after Round 5.

Their run home was unimpressive, winning just 2 of their last 9 games, before going down in the first week of the finals to a resurgent Canberra side who were playing at home.

At the start of the year, the Sharks were long outsiders to make the finals. But by seasons end, they had proved they were good enough to make the finals and that they are still improving.

With key signings next year to help add speed and creativity to the backline, the boys from the Shire look set to build on an impressive return to finals footy with a combination of tough and gritty forwards and smart, skilful and speedy backs. A dangerous combination indeed.

Signings for 2012: Todd Carney (Roosters), Isaac DeGois (Newcastle), Andrew Fifita (Wests Tigers), Bryce Gibbs (Wests Tigers), Jon Green (Dragons), Jeff Robson (Parramatta), Ben Ross (Souths), Mark Taufua (Newcastle)

Losses for 2012: Paul Aiton (Wakefield Trinity), Dean Collis (Wakefield Trinity), Luke Douglas (Gold Coast Titans), Albert Kelly (Newcastle – mid season), Tim Smith (Wakefield Trinity), Kade Snowden (Newcastle), Taulima Tautai (Parramatta), Siosaia Vave (Melbourne)

Turning Point: State of Origin 3. The Sharks sat at third on the ladder when the third state of Origin was played, but after the series ended they had a draw, 2 wins and 6 losses which saw them drop down to seventh on the ladder and lose their chance of a home final. Up to this point, some pundits were wondering if maybe, just maybe, the Sharks could make the Grand Final in 2012.

The Good: The Sharks had a few good aspects about them in 2012. They learnt to win without Paul Gallen. Todd Carney was focussed on football again. The club looked confident and believed they could win, which in previous years had been non-existent. Forwards, Bryce Gibbs, Jeremy Smith, Wade Graham, Paul Gallen, Andrew Fifita and Jason Bukuya all played above and beyond their efforts from the previous year. While in the backs Todd Carney, Jeff Robson, Ben Pomeroy and Colin Best all played well. Matthew Wright was also surprisingly very solid as a replacement fullback for the injured Nathan Gardner for the majority of the year.

The Bad: Golden Point. The Sharks in Golden Point still look as if they are a defeated unit. They need to close out these tight games if they are going to become a serious contender. The more they improve the more close games they will encounter.

Disappointing Players: Given the injury toll the club suffered throughout the year, it’s actually quite difficult to single out any players who were disappointing on a regular basis. Some players would have a bad game but redeem themselves in spades the following week. Cronulla’s ability to stay in the finals hunt for 21 of the 26 rounds shows that everyone was playing well.

Rookies: There were no players making their NRL debut at the Sharks in 2012, but there is a raft of very talented juniors waiting in the wings for a chance in first grade, which further improves the depth at the club. Michael Lichaa and Luke Pickerd in particular look to be future NRL stars for the club, alongside Chad Townsend, Stewart Mills and Wade Graham.

Chances in 2013: The Sharks will reach the finals again in 2013. Given the success of 2012, next season will see the Sharks setting themselves up for a crack at the title in 2014, but it certainly won’t be beyond them to make the grand final in 2013. With some more new faces and players wanting to be at the club, 2013 is an exciting time for Sharkies fans.

2013 Gains: Michael Gordon (Penrith), Chris Heighington (Wests Tigers), Luke Lewis (Penrith), Beau Ryan (Wests Tigers), Jonathan Wright (Canterbury)

2013 Losses: Colin Best (retired), Tyson Frizell (Dragons), Jeremy Smith (Newcastle)

2013 Best Line-up:
1 – Michael Gordon 2 – Beau Ryan 3 – Ben Pomeroy 4 – Jonathan Wright 5 – Stewart Mills 6 – Todd Carney 7 – Jeff Robson 8 – Bryce Gibbs 9 – Isaac DeGois 10 – Ben Ross 11 – Luke Lewis 12 – Paul Gallen (c) 13 – Wade Graham

Interchange: 14 – Chris Heighington 15 – Andrew Fifita 16 – Jason Bukuya 17 – John Morris

****This article appeared on www.leagueunlimited.com****

Season Preview - Wests Tigers (2012)

The Wests Tigers for the past few seasons have had the cattle to be premiership favourites, but have somehow found a way to butcher their prospects mid-season and have had to rely on a strong run to the finals to get themselves back in the hunt.

2011 was a very disruptive season due to the Tigers being forced to drop integral players in their pursuit of new recruit Adam Blair. This was followed by the messy debacle over Tim Moltzen with the Dragons and the off-field issues surrounding Robert Lui. This was combined with long spells on the sideline to key players Chris Lawrence, Lote Tuqiri, Simon Dwyer, Bryce Gibbs and Todd Payten, while Gareth Ellis and Wade McKinnon also had interrupted seasons.

However they all returned in time for a run into the finals and it took a last gasp try to the Warriors on the stroke of fulltime to sink the Tigers.

2012 sees Wests Tigers with a more aggressive pack, a fit and energetic three-quarter line, a more consistent and reliable Benji Marshall with the only real question marks in the halfback and fullback roles. This however isn't too different to the last 2 seasons, but it may be the reason why the Tigers will fall one rung short of a second Grand Final appearance.

Why they'll win it
The Tigers have world class players in nearly every section of the park. They have an uncanny ability to score points when you least expect them to, from anywhere on the park. They have several players capable of creating try scoring plays and they can put a bunch of tries on a team in a short space of time. This means that they haven't ever really needed to be the best team on the field for 80 minutes and their opponents have to be on their A-game from the start to the very end. They have fast, strong, agile centres, elusive halves, hard-working back rowers, a clever and creative hooker and aggressive props with quality depth: the perfect recipe for a successful squad.

Why they won't win it
June – The Tigers have won 50% of their games in June just 4 times from 2005-2011. On 3 of those occasions they have made the finals. This year poses a bigger risk with Robbie Farah and Chris Lawrence strong chances to be playing Origin. The Tigers have won just 15 of 45 games without Farah since his debut in 2003. Also, the loss of Bryce Gibbs will have a massive effect on the Tigers defence. His ability to shut down second phase play will be sorely missed. Depth in the Tigers backline is very thin, thus they can ill-afford an injury toll similar to that suffered in 2011. They also lack top quality/experienced players in the 1 and 7 jumpers.

Player to watch
Adam Blair – Blair will be linking up with fellow international forwards Chris Heighington, Keith Galloway, Robbie Farah and Gareth Ellis. It won't be easy to be a shining light, but if anyone has the ability to do so, it's Blair. He will add yet another aggressive, ball playing, strong running forward to the Tigers pack, which just a few years ago was considered lightweight and easily dominated. With Blair and Ellis offloading at will to players like Marshall, Farah, Moltzen, Lawrence, Ayshford and Tuqiri, this will create twice as much second phase play across the width of the park, which is exactly what the Tigers attack thrives on.

Rookie to watch
James Tedesco – The rookie fullback is a strong chance to claim the number 1 jumper at the start of the season. With the loss of Robert Lui, it's very possible that Tim Moltzen will vacate the fullback role to take up a spot at the scrum base. With only part time fullbacks available, Tedesco is a capable of making the fullback spot his own in 2012. Tedesco is an Australian schoolboy who is safe under the high ball, quick off the mark and will relish running off Marshall. He also has an amazing ability to score tries, making him a perfect fit for the Tigers NRL squad.

GainsMatthew Bell (Penrith), Adam Blair (Melbourne), Dane Chisholm (Melbourne), John Grant (Rugby Union), Tom Humble (Parramatta), Joel Reddy (Parramatta), Jack Spencer (Salford)

Losses
Andrew Fifita (Cronulla), Mark Flanagan (St.Helens), Geoff Daniela (Penrith), Bryce Gibbs (Cronulla), Robert Lui (North Queensland), Jason Schirnack (Mackay), Simon Dwyer (released – injury)

Best Line-Up

1 – James Tedesco, 2 – Beau Ryan, 3 – Blake Ayshford, 4 – Chris Lawrence, 5 – Lote Tuqiri, 6 – Benji Marshall, 7 – Tim Moltzen, 8 – Aaron Woods, 9 – Robbie Farah, 10 – Keith Galloway, 11 – Adam Blair, 12 – Gareth Ellis, 13 – Chris Heighington

Interchange: 14 – Matt Groat, 15 – Matt Bell, 16 – Liam Fulton, 17 – Joel Reddy

****This article appeared on www.leagueunlimited.com****