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It's the West Tigers Podcast and we're up to episode number four hundred and twenty six. I noticed that Eddie's still counting, so I thought I'll get in the spirit of that. I'll look up the number and there you go, four hundred and twenty six and a little bit different for a by round because we've got Zach Kelsey here, Zach from the Tigertown Podcast and Nick is here as well, and although the West Tigers didn't play, there's still plenty to talk about, so we're just doing it a little
bit different. Hello, Zach, Welcome to the West Tigers Podcast.
Thanks Joel. Make great to be here, longtime listener, first time contributor. As they say, no, I made it really good. And as I'd mentioned a little earlier, you know, we had little little get together around West Tigers Unite earlier in the year and thrilled to be back.
Yeah, well it's nearly a year ago since we were doing all that stuff with West Tigers Unit. It was over the off season last season. I'm sort of hoping, or maybe I'm hoping. I'm hopeful that we don't have to go there again. But it's certainly made for an interesting off season. So we're looking forward to continuing to talk West Tigers right throughout the off season. Nick, normally we catch up post game, but the buyer this round,
how's your weekend been? What's I hope we could go traditionally, So what's one word for the buy round?
Oh?
One word? You know what?
I don't know if I can think of one word. The weekend has been amazing. As you know, I'm a bit like Eddie. I'm a probably a bit of a sadday, especially, I guess considering how Gary loves his weekends when the Tigers are playing. But I'd actually prefer the weekends when we're not playing because it's just extremely stress free.
So just been.
Able to enjoy my weekend, Joel, watch a little bit of NRL, do a few other things, don't have to worry about the anxiety around eighty minutes when we play.
So it's been good.
Peaceful is the word that I'm hearing out of all of that.
Nick, Yeah, maybe zen something like that.
Yeah, they're guaranteed two points to helps.
I'm sure I wish we could have twenty seven buys.
So that'd be good. Second just for us though, that'd be good just for us.
Zach. You're up in southeast queens Slade, is that correct?
Yeah, just based on the north side of Brisbane. Mate. I've been up here going on twelve thirteen years now, and originally coross Harbor born and bred, actually born in Sydney for a couple of years and then up to coss Aarbor, mid North Coast there, so found our way up in Brisbane, but hasn't hasn't swayed any of my allegiances, nor should it still bleed blue and cop it fright and center at origin time, and obviously not to look.
There's West Tigers fans everywhere, but I'm in a sea of Dolphins and Broncos up here.
Yeah. Yeah, Well I had about five or six years up there as a West Tigers fan, from about two thousand and four to two thousand and nine, somewhere around those sort of numbers, so I remember what it was like to be a West Tigers fan in Brisbane. But you do see getting a little bit off track, but you do see a surprising number of West Tigers fans getting around in Brisbane? Is it something that you've experienced.
We're everywhere everywhere, I reckon I could fly to abou Derbi in fine West Tiger's fans fear ncam and considering how and where we've been, I guess for the last decade and a half, it just goes to show. Like I think many of us have mentioned, and I think a lot of people suspect the moment that we start to finally catch a little bit of fire. You wait, do you see him come out of the woodwork. It's a nice feeling.
Exactly how did you come to be a West Tiger's fan?
Zact?
Yes, I was mentioning a little bit earlier that I wish I had some sort of elaborate story, dreaming of Wayne Pearce, you know, breaking tackles at Leichard or Lauri Nichols throwing left right combinations on the hill as a youngster. But basically I grew up in a family of Paramatta fans, so blue and gold galore. My old man was Rabbit,
still is to this day. And one day I just walked out with a little tiger stuffed toy and told him that I'm going to be the orange and black sheep of the family, and that was it happened wavered since and it still hurts him.
What do you think was that the right decision to make in hindsight? Any regrets?
Tell you what, it's debatable. It's debatable. A couple of Grand Final appearances for them, many many many more finals than us. But you know, one trophy's got a trump zero trophies and I remind him that every day of his life, Tack when.
You walked out with that little toy tiger, was that the moment you got evicted from Coffs Harbor up to Southeast.
Yeah, yeah it was, Nick. Those were rough times. But even in spite of all that and my football side generally woeful, still made the right to my friend.
I think, sir you did mate well.
Leads me into a good sort of question about as as a fan. We're all fans here and Nick I certainly I'd like to sort of hear your take on this as well. What over the years some highs and lows of being what's the experience been Like the lows seem to be low and there's the highs seem to be a bit of a memory. But you know, what are some things that come to mind having been a Tigers fan for the amount of time that you've been, you know, what are some of the experiences.
Look for me?
You know, we're all fairly pretty much in the same boat. I'm probably a little bit older. I'm on the higher side of my forties, so I've been around since those Tiger days as well. You know, as I've mentioned before, I've had a little bit of history with the Magpies. In two thousand and eight as a trainer, I was lucky enough to be a trainer in the New South Wales Cup for a season, so I do I did feel like I grew a little bit of allegiance to
the Magpost during that year. So I've got a bit of history with both sides of the original foundation clubs. But as we all know, we haven't had a lot of success from either side of the merger. And you know, I guess, specifically speaking about West Tigers, that's been a pretty tough twenty five years.
Where do you start?
I mean, you know, out of the blocks, I guess we came out with a side that was really thrown together from some pretty high profile signings.
From other clubs.
We had some pretty big names like Jared McCracken and Terry Hill come across, and for that first half of that two thousand season, we look pretty competitive.
I think we're up in the top eight for a lot of that.
I actually think we're running second for almost half the season before we sort of fell away a bit. But you know, it took a little bit of time to get some success, and I guess we got that pretty quickly in two thousand and five, which came out of nowhere. Then we fell away again. So just the highs and lows of being a West Tigers fan last twenty five.
Years has been pretty tough.
You know.
We had that Purple Patch twenty ten and eleven where we really did look like a top four team that probably deserved to win a comp that we didn't, So that was one that got away, and then since twenty eleven we've fallen into eight. And the last thirteen fourteen seasons now has just been an absolute spiral, and I think we're just starting to see a little bit light at the end of the tunnel. So I'm hoping, really really hoping that next year we climb out of that rut.
And you know, can get it back into playing finals football at least contending, like seriously contending for a top eight spot.
It's been hard, Joel as we want to.
Yeah, Zach, what about for you? When you think about obviously for me, like five was incredible and we always talk about it. It gets a little bit boring really to keep talking about it because it's so long ago, Like if you think about it in belmain terms, when people used to talk about the nineteen sixty nine Grand Final and you know, back in the early nineties and that it's the same same, and that would seem like a different lifetime ago for a young kid that I
was in those days. But you know, the highlights for me, I think were those, as Nick said, those twenty ten twenty eleven teams. You had that confidence each week that we were going to put in a good performance, even though five it always felt like I was braced for the wheels to fall off. But those years were different, and they're the only two years that we've had of any real sustained success or maybe that's not even the right turn, but that feeling of confidence.
Yeah, I think that the concept of highs and those is just woven into the fabric of this side, this club, I should say, and it's from every element as you boys are talking about over the course of the years, and how the years undulate all the way down to intry game and all the way down to probably a best player in Benji Marshall, and Benji Marshall is nothing else if not highs and lows. So you know, the side black and we're almost black and some black and white,
black and orange, but contrasting colors. So you know, I guess you could view us as a bit of a bipole football club in a little ways and it would be hard to argue otherwise. Not to make that comparison lightly, of course, But look, I think you boys have mentioned the good ones. The big loaers for me that don't often get mentioned are losing some of our real crack and players over the years. And when I say they don't often get mentioned, oh boy, how do they get
mentioned in the media. I mean, I think when people reflect upon low points in the club's histories, it's very easy to gloss over an individual too. But you know, the likes of losing Tedesco. You can look in retrospect at the for feeders of the world, and you know we've got a list a mile long. I think of those things because of what could have bees or beans,
I should say. You know, I watched Mitchell Moses steer Paramatta home tonight off his own back, and you know he still have playing age, and you know we all know where he came from and what could have been there, and there's a lot of those types of examples. So yeah, we could wax lyrical for a long time about moments and years and particular games. But for me, the juniors that we've lost is something worth mentioning, for sure. On the low end, for sure.
No, No, that resonates with me because one of the big parts about following the club is seeing the youngsters come through, because you do see them in a different way to the guys that you buy. And then to lose them and to see them go on and have success else where, it's a bitter pill to swallow, given
how many times we've had to do it. Every club has to do it, you know, Penrith did it with Fitler and you can name however many, but for us, we've had, you know, almost like generations of players disappear. And although we had an incident this year with one particular player and we let another one go. Hopefully maybe
hopefully that's those days are over. I would say if we are you know, bi polar or we are like polar opposite sort of organization, that hopefully that means that we're going to swing around and have ten years of great success because you know, the pendulum is going to swing the other way. We all hope, but you know, hey, what are the twenty thirties? Look like it's not far away. We might be sitting here in ten years time going what did we even worry about? Like we've everything came together.
Very optimistic, Nick, The.
Only thing that worries about me about that job is whether it'll be a live long enough.
To enjoy it.
If Bingi keeps you on the way he's going, at least in the last week or so, you might have AI assistant coaches. Yeah, yeah, they just sort of out that that attack clunkiness. But we'll see that's right.
That might be something that we need to do at Concorder is feed the data into the AI and.
See when it comes up with Absolutely.
It's another you know how many years as the West Tiger's taken off your life. That's another debate a lot. You know, look at me, but I'm only twenty two. The re signing of Adam Dewey, Zach you know do He gets talked about every week on our pod. He just seems to be the topic of conversation, whether it be highs or lows or in betweens. But what's your take on a couple of years for Adam.
To I think it was essential in the end for a number of reasons. Leadership, goal kicking, versatility, experience, He's a big moment player. My only concern, and I say this is just the caveat with agreeing with the re signing. The caveat for me is it's a contract season and he was playing for a contract, and Adam Dewey is nothing, if not in the past at least inconsistent. But to give him his due course, I would argue he's probably
had his best season in our colors. He's done it in a variety of positions, and he has come up clutch in a variety of situations and one ass games directly, so, I mean the other side of the coin, without going on too much of a monologue, is he has kind of played himself into a pseudo caretaker role around a LA two lock halfback situation. So I think it behooves behooves us to have signed him for that period of time.
And yeah, I'm really happy that it's sort of come through, and I think there's a bit of clarity around that now and we can look forward to what that might look like with the preseason under our belt. At the start of twenty twenty six, Zack, I.
Think he hit the nail on the head that it's probably AD's best season this year, and I'll probably say it's probably his best.
Second half of the season where he stood out.
And he's a real interesting one to talk about, isn't he Because I still don't know if he's locked down a position, and you said it like whether he's going to be half back, whether he's going to be locked
I don't know where you start him. And we spent the majority of the season playing him in the centers this year, and he's always been able to do a job without being overly dynamic in the centers, and I think we really saw last week against the Bulldogs Benji made that switch before the game to put him into the halves, which I think was actually a master stroke because Ad is our best general play kicker in the team.
He's got the biggest boot on him and in those wet, muddy conditions against the Dogs last week, he was going to be the one the correct person to be able to kick the balldowns far possible without getting any bounce or run on that ball. So you're going to get a bit more field position playing off the back of
his kicks. So for me, you've got to really play him either in the middle next year at Locke where he can still be involved and especially in that general player kicking area, or potentially you need to look at him as maybe playing seven now. I don't want to pick him at seven yet because he had one good game against the Dogs. I want to see him back that up and I think we've spoken about that. With doing the past as his consistency, I think he's definitely
lifted his game. I feel like he's really gone to another level this year based on the addition of Jerome Leui and his attitude that he's brought from Penrith. I can see an attitude improvement in Ad. The way that he plays, not just attacking wise, but his defense has gone up an absolute mile this year, so hopefully he can maintain that level and build on it where he plays.
I don't even know if Benji knows where his best position is yet for next year, but I agree with you people are resigning, so I'm really glad that he's sticking around, and he is a Tiger like he loves the club.
Basically, we turned.
Down an extra one hundred k year to stay with us over that Dragon's office, so I'm happy he's staying.
He probably just on that point, Zach made like he's one of us two games this year, which can't be understated when we're in the position that we're in. That's the difference between maybe six and eight, which is huge given last year. I guess a couple of points that come to mind for me, is it by resigning him as well not only be a minor point, but we haven't strengthened the Dragons. They're one of our big rivals for maybe a seventh or eight spot next year, so
I think you know there's a positive there. Definitely, goalkicking without doing our goalkicking is probably a massive issue. But yeah, still question mark's over where to play him next year. But one thing that I think Eddie and the boys were talking on there. The last part that they did was that he's only played about eighty games, and theoretically,
like if you looked at this on paper. I don't know, it's not played on paper, but here's a guy that has twenty six, twenty seven years so coming into some really good years of leadership and experience and only played eighty games. So there's that aspect of it that it seems a pretty good investment for two years. And although it would be nice to know what position he's in,
there's also a luxury in having that flexibility. You could still throw him in the centers at a pinch, if you got really desperate, you could put him at full back. You'll do an okay job at fullback. So I could see the logic behind it, and I think that's I'm glad that it's played out this way. Even though I'm not the biggest Adam Dewey fan, I think it's I think it's strengthened us more than if we'd lost him.
I agree, and I think it's a value based contract. If we have a look at what the average quote unquote contract would be across the league, if we're looking at a rough twelve million. I know it's high elevens. We're looking at around that four hundred marks. So we've basically got him full at or slightly below what an average contract would be. And as you guys have just discussed, you know, the value that he brings is not one dimensional, it's you need, it's multi dimensional. And yeah, he is
a goal kick, as you said. The other thing I want to mention as well is I think we've been the beneficiaries of in terms of the value of the fact that he is now a try acl reconstruction athlete and so he's on it is his last chance saloon, and you can see that in his application, which I think is one of the largest reasons for his inconsistencies in the past, and it's one of the things that have always been questioned. Not so much as he loved
the club. We've known that's there, but it's the aptitude on the field and the willingness to do those one percenters. And so I think all round the contract not only prevent presents a great decision in terms of where we are and what we need at the moment, whilst not answering all of our questions but it presents good value as well for both parties, so everybody comes out of winner.
Yeah, exactly. On the West Tigers podcast forum, Mike does an excellent job of up dating the West Tigers roster spreadsheet and I was having a look at that. It's very interesting to look at, certainly twenty twenty eight. I think there's only three or four guys. There's a huge amount of roster spots of arlabout the West Tigers in a couple of years. Seventeen spots in twenty twenty seven,
but we're at twenty seven for twenty twenty six. That includes Maverick guy A Madden, Pierce Paul and also Sullivan who's still listed in there. We don't know exactly what's going to happen with Jaden Sullivan, any hope, Nick, or can you see you know you've got Madden Lui La Tufeinu Dewey. If everybody's fit and healthy and Sullivan does end up back here, do you see a spot for him other than New South Wales cup or how that might play out?
And is it pronounced javonn Andrews?
Is that his name?
The Yeah, so that's another half too. So it's a lot of pieces to fit into that harvest puzzle, so I.
Don't think but will come back.
I have heard a rumor somewhere I might have seen something floating around on next that South's were trying to do what they could to retain him for next season. So and from all reports, Buds loved his time at the Rabbits this year, so I would have to think that he'll probably stay at South.
I think the other thing that points to that, sorry Nick to Cutchy with him mate, is the fact that Dodd's on the outer and they're shopping, and they're shopping him. You know, he's on big money and obviously they're not getting speaking of value value out of him there. But you know, if they're able to move Lewis on, then they're not going to do that if one of the other backup halfbacks is also going back to his pre
existing club. That's my assumption, and I think, like you say, I think that points to but yeah, staying with the Rabbits.
You'd think Dodd may be super league because I can't see any other in our old teams going his way, so that might open that up. So that would be nice, that would if Sullivan wasn't in the picture. Then that leaves four spots open, which is not a bad place to be given you know, spines, he said, all a couple of question marks obviously, as we were talking about. But you know, I think that that that's an okay
place to be at this stage. We'll talk a little bit about our optimistic points, reasons to be optimistic for twenty twenty six, and maybe some reasons to be a little bit pessimistic in a few moments time. Charlie Stains is his off contract, looks like he's off to the
Super League. Your thoughts on Charlie Stains, Zach I would say probably, I wouldn't be surprised if you If you agree he always tries hard, Yeah, just just lacking that physical that physicality for one of a better term, and not overly tall as well, which is a big factor a lot of wingers have nowadays.
Yeah, I think physically he's always pushing it up the hill, so to speak. But I've got to say, to be perfectly fair on Charlie, up until he had that shock a several weeks back, he has been terrific this year, particularly his first drop. Whenever he had come up, he was making big meters at a yard at the backfield. He was pretty reliable in both attack and defense. But I think as we look into wing next year, there's there's a few decisions, and I know there's a lot
of the youth there. But if we look at Tudou and gerrl A's probably having the inside running there. We've got the likes of Hamasi who's banging on the door, luke Lea lali He who is there or thereabouts. We've got Isaac Thompson and Naden who were both unsigned for next year as far as I know, But you know, Naden's obviously been playing well enough to get a recent recall and he did quite well against the Doggies, and Isaac Thompson's been going gangbusters in for the Magpies this year.
So I think that in a lot of ways, I think if we had, if we had far less wing depth, then it might not be an issue. But I think people have sort of come in and cut in front of him in line, and so it's in his best interest to follow Solfa tape over to France.
Yeah, they're going to play the same team over the Yeah, the choice between Thompson and Nayden Nick. I'd be keeping Thompson over Naiden after last week and not just after last week, after a lot of stuff. And I want to like Brent Nadan, but I'll just be relieved when he's not part of the organization personally.
He's had of the trust, isn't he.
I love Naden at his best, but at his worst he's in the sinbin. He's making terrible errors. His attitude can stink. Yeah, but like I just said, on the flip side, he can be a real quality outside back. So he's a hard one. He's a bit of an enigma. But I'm not sure how old Naidan is. He's been around for a little while now.
Yeah, I think we must be about twenty eight.
Yeah, I was going to say twenty seven twenty eight, So yeah, I don't mind what I've seen from Thompson either. So yeah, I think we need like Gary's always banging on too, we need those outside backs that can really bring the ball back with a bit of punch as well, especially if those kick returns and touching on Charlie stains.
I'm the same zacket like I love Charlie. You know, he's a bit in that Corey Thompson type mold as well, like that smaller winger that you know with a lot of speed, but you know they try it harder for eighty minutes, but not with a great deal of you know, ability to break the line when they when they run the ball back. So I hope he I hope you can really find his feet over in the Super League. If that's is that guaranteed where he's heading. Is he actually locked into a contractor I don't think.
I don't think it's confirmed, but yeah, I think with these types of second tier contracts, when you hear whispers about him with respect to Charlie, they are that second tier player. So if you're hearing something, it's probably yeah, where they's smoke this fire, is my assumption. I think with Charlie. I was just going to say with Charlie as well, I think he's the type of character that has gotten everything out of his ability, A very wholehearted player.
You know. It's kind of the anti Dave Taylor. Yeah, well the Brent Naden, Yeah, yeah, better comparison probably yeah.
Yeah, yeah, Like Nadan's got the size and we've got all of those attributes and yeah, whereas you're right. He's If there's one thing that Charlie Steine could be really proud of is that he has squeezed whatever lemon that Juicy's got, he squeezed it out of himself. He's done really well. Absolutely just I just wanted to get your opinion on Stafford Tower, Zach. You know you mentioned Makassini tailor May. We've got these options in the backs. How
desperate are you to sign Stafford? I mean, he's shown some great glimpses, but also you know there's other times where he sort of does go a little bit missing.
For me, Yeah, it's a bit of a copy out, but it's I don't know. And the answer around that is, look, I'm probably leaning towards Yes, it's going to depend upon so I keep banging on about value, but what's the number on the contract and how many spaces do we have? It's a numbers game at the end of the day. I love what Stafford can do. I know, I think
every Tiger's fan loves what Stafford can do. And I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt because up until probably the last four to six weeks, I'd argue he's probably had a career best season in terms
of consistency for us as well. But then you know, he started having issues with that elbow and it seemed to be quite hands hamstringing him for a while, and I've got no doubt that has affected his performances, but he just, yeah, he's dropped off a cliff defensively, and yeah, whether he was dropped or whether he was, he's out because of that injury. I think that at least in terms of this year, he was due a break. So he's a funny one, mate.
I wonder if a lot of that has to do with that injury that he suffered to his elbow or I think it was his elbow. I can't remember the game, but it was out wide fairly late in the game where he went down and he was down for a bit and he was carrying that arm for the rest of that game. It probably was four to six weeks ago.
But ever since then, he's lost his potency in attack as well, because he was really hitting the line and fending off a lot of players with a lot of aggression, and that was really the side to Stafford that we hadn't really seen consistently, and he was putting it together for quite a while up until that moment, and I know that we carried, you know, a censor on the bench and on the extended bench a couple of times
since that injury. And I know that when we beat the Titans at Leichhart, we had Christian Mapapalangi on the bench and he was purely there to cover Stafford in
case he had a problem with that arm. So I think he has been carrying that and I really do think that's had an impact on his performance, which is a real shame because I loved seeing that explosive in dynamic side of Stafford and he was a real terror in attack and really offering a lot of potency out wide, you know, which we're now seeing with Tailor Maye.
So silver linings.
But I'd love to see Stafford come back to his best at some point.
It's also a little bit hard to look in the crystal ball because you've got a guy that hasn't played first grade yet. I mean, he looks sensational against you in schoolboy comps and the lower grades, but he hasn't
played inn RL. And you've got a guy that had eighteen months out because of off field stuff and isn't even signed for next year as far as we're aware, Like, there's definitely some question marks around center, So maybe it would be better to lock up Stafford tire just because he's more of a known and trustworthy commodity perhaps.
But yeah, as far as I'm aware, Stafford is still contracted for twenty six. Yeah, so he's off. Yeah, so he's off from November one, and it's just going to double check. I think something that often gets missed by a lot of people is staff had just turned twenty five. He's been around for a long time, but that's still quite a young man, and he is getting better year on year. I think that his body is let him down, obviously,
and we're alluded to that with the elbow issue. But he's only a couple of minor tweaks away and a good run from injury away from really contending tailor, whether it's tailor may Massi, Macassini, whoever's in those positions. And I think for right now he's probably in our in our starting centers, in that other center alongside Taylan soeh. Yeah, it depends if somebody swoops in and grabs him from November one. That's true. It's tricky. I don't think we
chase it. But if he remains unsigned in the next year and we go six twelve rounds, we'll see where the chips fall. He's if he's a continued and heavy member of that squad seal, I think it's a no brainer.
Well, I mean that was sort of what I was alluding to, is going to Richo's, you know, shake the tree. You never know what comes out. Like Toa could be maybe potentially a trade option. If they believe in Tailor May and they believe that Makasini will be the Center's next year, then Toa would be the kind of guy that you might put in the shop window and find a home for, especially if he's committing somewhere else like a Perth or something like that for twenty twenty seven.
So we'll wait to see what happens there. I don't know. It just kind of feels nick to me with Tower just last thing on him, like a kind of I think I can kind of imagine the team without him, if that makes sense. Like it kind of feels to me like in even though he had really good parts of his year, really good games this year, that he might be sort of on the way elsewhere. That's just a gut feeling that I've got, and.
I actually think this is probably the first time in a while we've had a little bit of depth or other options in the outside backs too, or in the back line.
So yeah, I.
Don't want to see him go. I think he's still a quality player Adi's best. But yeah, we'll wait and see what happens. There are a few spots as you've set up for GRAP so be interesting to see what happens over the off season. Hopefully rich O and Eddie are both out there shaking trees around the NRL, some of those clubs, trying to shake a few quality plays into some of those key positions that we need to fill.
I will mention it is nice to actually have a possible problematic selection choice in the centers for once. Yeah, what a position. I don't think we've been in that ever, but maybe when Chris Lawrence was around, But even then I think we had two at best.
So yeah, yeah, yeah, it's been a problem for quite a while. On the West Tigers podcast forum, we'd run a poll asking what the recruitment policy or priority needs to be for twenty twenty six and just about everybody voted for Prop middles. We need more impact upfront, Zach. I know you listen to the West Tigers podcast and you hear me bat Not about it all the time. But are you of the same opinion that that remains our Achilles heel? Is that impact up front?
Yeah? And most definitely for me, it's you talk about you banging on, I bang on about something remarkably similar. But it's momentum changes. So we need people in our pact that are momentum changes. And what I mean by that is, you know, you've got that organic momentum that
you can shift. You've got inorganic where the ref might do something that will shift momentum, but when you're up against it, as all sides are at certain points, I think the better sides have one or two or even three characters within their side who one of their primary roles is to shift momentum, whether it's I think one of our prototype attempts at that this here was Roy's hunt, and I think early in the season we saw elements
of it. Obviously that disappeared, but you can do it in so many ways, whether it's someone shooting up out of the line to try to force a mistake, someone pushing out heavy at market to try to cover a b better, contesting on kicks, kick pressure, kick chase, all that sort of stuff. You can look across the league. I mean, Kurt Man's doing it exceptionally at the Dogs. Leam Martin has been at penwith doing the same thing for EON's Canber has just got about an entire side
full of them. And I look around our side and look a simwell, a finer I can see most definitely growing into that mold. Seafath tries to do it and ends up slipping over and getting sent off. But I think, yeah, in terms of prop I think that impact specifically, somebody who is geared to be a momentum change. I hate to say it because it's the low hanging fruit, but someone in the Spencer Lenu mold that can do it on both sides of the ball would be a big difference to us.
Yeah. It's funny, Nick, because we last off season we were talking about Skeleton and Taruva providing something different to us, and that's getting some momentum going at the start of sets, and we've kind of got that nailed and they've brought that and we're going bang bang off the kick and then we kind of go blok and grind to a halt.
So you're of the same opinion. If we've got a guy or two that can just get that line going and get that momentum going in our favor and gaining us that extra ten or fifteen meters a set.
It campletely agree.
And your example there is just about you know, those sets being started by a Jurel Skelton and Taruba, you know, taking the first couple of hit ups to Ruver's been taking probably two hit ups a set, like he's doing half the work that the forward should be doing. I know, I'll go back again to that Bulldogs game, and I know the conditions are terrible because it was wet, heavy, but the forwards we're having a lot of trouble, especially in that second half, getting back on side after each set,
well after the balls returned back to us. So Uva was doing a lot of that extra work. But I definitely agree, And you know Gary said a lot during this year Terrell May is brilliant. He can be an eighty minute player. I know he probably wants to be an eighty minute player. I know he's played probably seventy a lot, especially the back half of this year, seventy minutes. But we do need someone to compliment what he does
or add to what he doesn't bring. And while he's a big man and he's hard to bring down and he can punch out a lot of minutes, he doesn't have that sort of phenol poly type impact when.
He hits the line.
Spencer lenu Zach would be perfect. And I know his name has been thrown around a couple of times, even towards the start of this season, or maybe it was the end of last season. I'm not sure what's happening with him contract wise, but and I have heard some rumblings that he's maybe not happy in the East and suburbs. I mean, why would you hold and want to live in the East and Well, no way. I'm much happier
about Concord sort Penrith area or Kempbelltown area. But I'd love a player like him, sort of with some controlled aggression like Alex Cefaff has, but with physical impact on top of that and some muscle. I think is exactly the type of play we need. So yeah, definitely needs someone hard hitting in the props.
We saw. We saw nick a proto type performance by Alex Twile in the Bulldogs game. If you go back and watch, I said in the show, in our show last week, he put about four or five giant hits on that he didn't wasn't required to do, and he nearly Kmkazi one or two blocks in the meantime as well. So I'm not suggesting that Twali is that guy, but
I'm saying that type of role. We saw it and it was tremendous and it really really caught my attention because what you're alluding to there as well, he played that role. The problem for Twili in he shaved his hand, so I know he can do it so when we're not seeing that impetus out of him, when we're not seeing him taking the game to the opposition, which he I love to Ali, but he can. He can be somebody who goes through the motions a bit of a
stat runner. Then the goodness may if he can, if he can find that string to his bow, maybe he's the long lost hope. I won't hold my breath, but the proof of concept is there.
At least Lake Blue may be very late, our longest serving player. When was the last time a team won a premiership without without one of those guys? Like maybe we didn't have it in five, but I can't really think of a team that hasn't got that forward leader or a couple of those guys that just go bang bang. And I think if you looked at our team and you threw in a lean you I think that I
think we're certainties for top eight. I think if you put him in our team, that's that's how important I think it is to it a little bit like Penrith. I think a lot of the reason why Penrith struggled earlier in the year as James Fisher Harris wasn't there. I mean he if there was a guy that you could that you could buy in terms of props, he would. He would have been ideal for the West Tigers. You put him in our team and I think we were Our performances would have been a lot better. So we
need to find one. The trouble is is that we don't seem to be growing them and they're not too easy to come by. So because every team wants to hang on to their impact forwards, but it's something maybe even the UK Zach might be worth looking at, or I just think it's just a vital need. Like I've got big raps on Siony Feiner. He's really reliable, but he's not your number one man. And Derell plays the game that we all know he plays now, but it's
just so desperately needed. I just don't know, We've got to look outside the box or something to find some impact.
I think a lot of people, I think for Noah Ballet is that player. A lot of people are hoping will grow into that, and I don't think it will come as a us prize to most people that you know. I think many are wishing he was a little bit further down that road. But again, age people forget that Venua is only just twenty two. I think we sleep
on a little bit. I think is very very quickly putting a pretty darn good resume together that he particularly from the I like him starting, but particularly from the bench. He he just has a knack for being impactful, whether it's footwork at the line, a little hit, a little bobble, or sneaky strip that doesn't get picked up, or you know,
there's there's a couple of names floating around cap. I know that Peter Tartello, I think it is it came over from CAMBERU midseason, has been doing some pretty good things in that type of mold. So yeah, look, there's there's certainly options and it's it's going to be interesting the way that they go into next year. I don't know that we have the cap space to go out and hunt somebody of note on that. So then you awesome pipe dream and I hope that Richie can pull
it off. He's pulled off far crazier cups in his time. But if we can uncover one like I guess you're alluding to there, then yeah, I think, as you say, whilst not a fair complete goodness, may it would change the dynamic of the side in a lot of ways. And I think far too often we are the hunted and we need a couple of hunters in the side.
Yeah, yeah, exactly, that's it. We've need them for a while. Yeah, Okay, let's have a look at some re What do we want to do first? We want to do pessimistic first or optimistic first for twenty twenty six.
I don't think we can finish in the bin. I think we should start with the pessimistic that.
It's the easiest with this club anyway.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Well the good thing was that our on the on the forum, on the podcast FUM, nobody left any pessimistic answers. They left optimistic. So I can start with my three pessimistic The first one related very much to what we're talking about now. Still look a little bit light up front. That's number one reason to be pessimistic about twenty twenty six for the West Tigers as far as I'm concerned. Another one's the Buller contract situation.
I think that might be something that hangs over the club a little bit next year. Nick, the Buller situation is one that we're going to want to put away as quickly as possible.
I think agreed.
Yeah, He's definitely a player that adds a hell of a lot to our team. You saw that last week when he came back for injury. His quality and he's getting better and he will continue to get better with better quality plays around him. So he's definitely gone to another level in my opinion this season. He's one hundred percent of play.
We've got a lockdown.
So I get very worried when I know we talked about it last week or the week before when we spoke about whether it was him or not sitting in the Bulldogs camp now watching Galvin a few weeks ago, and I spoke about when the Bulldogs players all came over and shook his hand after the game last week and they said more than a nice game to him, they all had a real big hugain. They look very friendly to him. So that makes me a bit concerned,
and but he feel good. Was on X yesterday posting you know a photo where am I and he was clearly sitting at like cutover, probably watching lower grades game, but probably nothing to do with West Tigers. But I thought, that's the type of person that's going to come and poach someone like Dream Buller, and he's definitely a key piece of that puzzle that we can't.
Lose, So he needs to be retained.
Zach. I think it's not just what he brings, but just the optics of losing a young player like Buller and what that would mean for our for our brand, like Galvin. You can a lot of people had sympathy for the club for Galvin, like we were kind of got a bit taken there a little bit had the silver. Still, most people who aren't in the game would say that he's not approven first, yet they can see that. They can see that, you know, we had happy there, and
you can kind of see the logic behind it. But I think losing Baller would be a really, really bad look for the.
Club in a lot of ways. What I love about Jeram is he is so authentic and he's marketable for that reason. He gets around to so many positive charitable events and movements and doesn't chase fan fare. He's quietly spoken, he's humble, and then he just has the skills and ability on top of it. So those types of players, I could eat them up all day. He's tremendous, he's classy. We've only just scratched the surface for what it's worth.
I don't think he's going anywhere, And in fact, the fact that is or Isaac Moses is managing him now makes me even more confident, because Isaac Moses above all other things, including Benji. My assumption I don't know him personally. My assumption is that he would hate not getting a good deal for himself, and if he doesn't renegotiate Dream's contract, we take up the offer at nine hundred, Dream gets nine hundred, We get Dream and Isaac gets nothing. Has
to wait another twelve months. So that gives me a little bit of confidence that we might see a resign because he doesn't mind lining the back pockets in the right way, does Dear Isaac?
Maybe Isaac Moses also feels like he needs to keep a part of his clientele within the West Tigers so he doesn't become completely alienated by the club because obviously.
If he starts.
I know his stories is that the Roosters refuse to sign a player that's managed by Isaac Moses.
I think it's something I've heard.
Whether that's true or not, I'm not entirely sure, but he wouldn't want to get to a point in his in his career where, you know, there's a sad amount of NRL clubs that don't want to entertain his players, because that'll make it harder for him to, you know, to sell off those players or to give them contracts. So yeah, that might be that might be an angle that he might have to work on too to you know, maybe that's an idea.
I like that idea.
Zach Dream has to stay West Tigers with Isaac Moses.
I like it. Well, let's hope it go. It's a situation that we can put behind us and move forward.
Also for him at this point in his career where he is really turning into a really good first grader, just to put it away, get it out of the way, and not having hanging over you, you know, coming into such an important year in twenty twenty six, and last one for me was still at this point in August twenty twenty five, and I look at the twenty twenty six roster, there's still some non performers or some guys
that are shreder shreda worthy still hanging around. So it'd be nice to sort of clear out a little bit more dead would. We've done a pretty good job so far, but a little bit more there would make me happy. It maybe open up a couple of more spots. It would be nice to get that Sullivan situation lockdown as well and get that spot opened up. I don't see it being good for Sullivan, al West tigers him coming back here. So they are my three reasons to be
pessimistic at this stage. What do we got guys, Nick? What do you got for us? And the pessimistic stakes.
I really didn't enjoy putting any pessimistic points out there, Joel. To be honest, I really did enjoy putting the optimistic ones down, but pessimistic was a bit of a challenge. But my first one is exactly what you spoke about. I said, you know, players like Galvin and Tallon leaving or wanting out during the middle of this season is
a trend that we've seen in the past. So you know, that's damaged us for a good eight years since you know, Tedesco, Moses and Woods left and it's been very, very hard to recover out of that. So you know, again I'm scratching, but you know, Galvin probably will go on to a decent NROL career, hopefully not too good Talon the jury is still out, But yeah, we don't want to see
more young players. I'll throw out a scenario, what if Hamasi comes out middle of next year and says, I'm not happy playing under benj you want to go somewhere else. I know, but that these kids are enirational players, right and same as Tedesco. Look at what Tedesco has gone and achieve in his owner L career. So it's just the fear of that continuing to happen. But maybe this is the point in the club's history where we do turn the tables and these guys want to stay, and
that's what I'm very hopeful will happen under Benji. So that was my first one. The second one I put down was the uncertainty around Campbelltown Stadium and what's going to happen going forward, and you know, not just playing at that stadium, but our overall presence in the Southwest off the back of that, because we can't have the West Tigers not playing out of that Campbelltown region. So
I don't know what's going to happen. I know Richo came out and said a while ago that if we didn't secure funds, I think it was by the end of June, or I think it was June, that we weren't going to play it in twenty twenty six. I haven't heard any certainly around that rumor. I don't know if you guys have.
So I think originally it had lapstill come close to lapsing and he gave him a brief extension round line. Yeah, okay, there you go.
Okay, So hopefully that's still ticking. On in the background because we definitely need to get Cameltown upgraded, as we are hopefully doing very soon at like Art, so we can cement our footprint out there and keep players or teams like you know, the Bulldogs and Penrith away from that Southwest corridor because that is ourse.
It's a It's a strange world where an inner city you know, seat whichever way you want to describe it from an electric electoral position or a politics position, gets funding for an upgrade. But out in the southwest where there's an airport and there's all of this development and thousands of new homes and it can't get any funding. And I know politics is involved, but it's a topsy
turvy world. It should be Cambelltown that's going ahead and getting the new you know, forty million dollars or whatever it was investment that like Art's getting. It's it's a little bit topsy turvy and counterintuitive because you'd think it would be out there where there's you know, voters to win over and those sorts of things.
But yeah, and just seeing a gy and growth area too exactly think that's where investment would be going. Not that I'm complaining about the capitol they're boring into like out, because I'm pretty excited about what that's going to become.
So yeah, waiting say, you're absolutely right, Nick. It's such a big part of West Tigers and if we're not playing there, then we're not representing the area and it changes the whole optics of the club.
It really does.
So let's hope Camilltown gets that money because we need to update that asap. And the last point I had Joel on my pessimistic side was whether our currents squad that we have locked in so far for twenty twenty six will be strong enough to make an improvement on where we finish over the next month or so in twenty twenty five. So now we've made great strikes forward this season, I really hope everyone hopes that we can build on what we've done so far and improve that
again and be pushing for finals appearance. But yeah, I just a little bit a little part of me is afraid that we're just going to tread water again and finish around the same spot. But you know, I probably will really come down to those key positions of who we can recruit over the next you know, a couple of months, two three months leading into off season, and then you know, hopefully we're as stronger going to next year.
It's an interesting point, isn't it, Zachus? Twelve months ago we were sitting here thinking to ourselves and talking about well Leuai's coming next year and to Uver's coming next year, and we could kind of see these building blocks that we're going to take us from here to here hopefully, but next year not so much. At this stage, it's kind of like we've kind of got the core and as Nick saying, is there enough juice in that limit? Can we make it? Can we blow the balloon up
a little bit more? With what we.
Got the double edged sword? I think, and I've been speaking about this a lot recently, and in an odd way, I'm pleased that this squad is looking a lot more clear as to what it looks like in the medium term. But the difference with the issue that I still have though, is that there's a lot of assumption that I personally make, and you mentioned a couple of them before, like I've got Taylor May in there on that wing, sorry, in
that center position, but there is question marks about Taylor May. Firstly, are we going to resign him. I'm assuming that that will be done. It has to be done. But you know, how is he going to continue with his recovery? We all cross fingers and we hope that's okay, but we don't know Latu is he going to kick on to that next level enough to have an impact on twenty six if at all. I'm very big on Lato. I have been since he was at Manly, so I know
that there is an absolute spectacular player in there. But as an example, we don't. You know, these are things that I know that I make assumptions about, you know, and there's a myriad of them. How is Kai Pierce Paul going to fit into a different system? Is that going to work on his edge? That that is going to take time to develop? You know, So the list
could go on in that area. You know. We spoke about haw Marsi Makassini before, very very careful not to blow him up too much, but all the signs point to he's going to walk into it and be able to do it on his ear, which will be phenomenal to witness Joseph's s elite you like. But we don't know. These things aren't certain sa Yeah. My first is that probably I'm making a few assumptions and leaning on the
positive and that's sort of a negative. So maybe being realistic around some of those squad holes, but they're certainly diminishing and that's a pleasing thing.
Yeah. Yeah, And looks as I'm constantly saying, you need to build off consistency, you need to build off a base, and hopefully there's a strong enough base there that you can just add in and get that extra because ultimately
it's a twenty percent consistent, twenty percent increase. Let's just pull that figure out of the air of where we are to where we need to be, because if we won, if do we if Galvin grounds that ball, if one or two other results go our way, the whole conversation is different, and we're instead of talking about finishing on twenty eight points, we're talking about how do we get the thirty four points next year? Like it's not a massive jump that needs to be made, which.
Is absolutely and it's I think we've lost something like five or six games by six points or less this year. The Warriors game Surreal may dropped it over the line as well. We were two knock ons away from being on the edge of the eighth right now, and that's having a season I think many would agree has been tumultuous. We've had a lot of squad changes. We haven't had long term injuries, but we've had our fair share of injuries at opportunity times and we haven't, in my opinion,
particularly an attack played very well. I've been saying for a lot of the year this side has looked like it is in second gear and just can't quite get over that hump. And in spite of that, it's probably one of the optimistic things I should mention later. But in spite of that, we've still been winning football games. But you know, we didn't quite win enough to get us to that next level in that next conversation, on the edge of finals really even if we are a
mathematic chance, so it's not that far away. But you know, like you said, there's a lot of burials between lot of game.
Yeah, sorry, Zach, I was just going to say a lot of those close losses. I don't think he'd find better teams like you know, Melbourne and and the Bulldogs and the Roosters, even they wouldn't lose those games, they would find ways to win those games, and I think that will come. So the longer that this team that we have is together and the more cohesive we get, I think we'll probably get a little bit better in
terms of managing games. And that probably takes me back to even signing someone like ad Agan for the next couple of years. He's pretty pivot in that leadership group as well. So hopefully next year is the year that, you know, we start to win a few more of
those closer games rather than losing. And like you said, Joel, there's not much difference between where we sit now in the ladder and where we could be if we icd a few of those moments, So we could well be sitting here talking about, you know, potentially playing finals, but it's probably not going to happen.
But we're not far away.
Are you still doing the math? The other thing too is if you look at rich O's meter average, like if we're shooting for average, and I think the definition of average is consistent, so we need to and we've been mostly pretty consistent this year, where you know, West Tiger's the last maybe five or six years, I mean, we've been periods are consistently dreadful but you know, the team hasn't been consistently probably since Ivan was here. We've been sort of up and down or all over the place.
So that's maybe something to build on, but we're not quite there because Ak's got some more pessimistic points or maybe shares some of else.
Yeah. Yeah, definitely everything you mentioned so far couldn't agree with more. Just a couple of quick ones are the second ones, very very quick. I still have coaching concerns systematically defensively. I've seen big improvement and it's decision making. But the defensive systems appear better this year, so hats off to John Morris for that. We've still had lapses and individual misses, and people will make mistakes, particularly on the free quarter line. Now our free quarter line has
been a disgrace fifteen years. But that's another side. But in attack, and I understand we've been missing dream for large portions. I understand that we've lost Lockey Galvin a third halfway through the season. I understand all of that. There's just been times where the attack has looked, as we all know, deplorably bad and probably beyond a level
that is satisfactory. I think Brett Hodgen probably then needs to undergo a review of sorts around that, and if we can make improvements, so be it, and Benji by extension. Obviously nothing nothing happens without Benji's Benji's oversight, and it may well be some of his game plans around that too, And I think he's got a lot of work to do there as well himself. So I still do have some concerns about the coaching staff. It's not that my methodology is correct by any way, shape or means, but
I yeah, the questions. There is probably questions to be answered there, and Benji may turn around and answer the questions with his performances next next year and blow me away. And look, I certainly am a supporter of Benji, but there's concerns there. I'd be lying if I said that there wasn't. Small though they might do.
You know, I think where Benji's at as an NURL coach is probably you could probably say he's on his green peas. He'd probably sat through his learner's license a few years ago, and last year is probably you know, red peas and having a great time, and now he's got a bit more responsibility. He can't quite drive the speed limit yet, but he's not far away. So hopefully next year, you know, he hits his hits the ground running.
He's got a bit more experience under the belt, and I know he's made some better changes bench wise as well in recent weeks, so he's still learning on the job. But I know he's spoken in recent pods too, he probably needs some different people around him on the coaching stuff. I'm not sure if anything will change on the coaching stuff over the off season, but we'll.
Wait and see what happens. But I'll back Benji.
I think he's got what it takes to be a good coach. He's definitely good people people manager.
Well, the counter to that point, Zach is if we're if we're talking about the value of consistency, are we better off because we talk a lot about he needs more experienced people around him, But is there some value in keeping a consistent team together that are growing together and growing their bonds and rather than bringing in an outsider that he's going to blow it all up again?
Potentially For me, Joel, outcome is everything. So if they show over the next month and I've got on winning three the next four, I called four or five a couple of months ago and got called a lunatic, but it's crossed if they finish the next month strong and strong doesn't have to mean three or four. Strong can mean strong performances even if we do have a couple of close losses. I think you're right there because they will then have another off season, another preseason to work
on deficiencies. And are we looking for a wizard or we're looking for people to build a project. I think we're looking for people to build a project. And you can't be dropping single years on people and expect them to turn around entire systems in a club that has struggled for years on end, in a squad that is rebuilding and started from extremely low base and has a lot of has had a lot of chopping and changing both between years and entry years, so there's been a
lot of challenges there. I'm not necessarily. I think earlier in the year, out of frustration, I was like a lot of people arguing that we needed some sort of olderhead experience coach to come in and in the right ways challenge bens Benji on some perspectives. If the current setup can continue, I wonder if it's recency biased with the Bulldogs win. But a lot of us are feeling
good off the back of that. But if they can continue to show that that is the trajectory now that they can then henceforth go to then by all means, roll the dice again and the proof will burn the outcome. If our systems can look that you're talking percentage points, five, ten, fifteen, whatever, the arbitrary number is better again next year, trajectory, he's going the right direction, then absolutely, if they're winning games, it doesn't matter who's on the coaching team.
That's it. It's funny. It's kind of like just listening to talking there, Zach I was thinking about like West Tiger's fans have been conditioned, I think because of what happened early on in our history to use the term wizard. But like that sugar hit, like it just happens so quickly that we've sort of believed that anything is possible. Now we just need to make you know this change and everything is going to change. And what that has led to is impatience and not trusting the systems and
not sticking with systems. Certainly definitely a million times over not having the right systems.
Nick the Wizardary left when Ron Palmer took his fairy dust away.
We've always been in a patient club, mate, haven't we? And the last fifteen years look up in patients in the dictionary and there's our logo there. We just have gone through coach after coach, system after systems, CEO after CEO. Finally we've landed on a good one. So stability, clarity, all those things are something that West Tigers have never Yeah, other than the Tim Sheen's years, I guess, other than
that period, in some ways we've never really valued. And it appears as though Richo is placing a lot of value in putting roots down in a number of context of this club and how that leaches into coaching and systems and pathways and the squad itself. And good because I think I think as a club and a fan base,
we need a bit of stability for a while. And that's why people calling for Benji's head I think are white of the mark, regardless of how we went against the dogs and how we'll finish, because yeah, it would be like up ending a tree that's about to blossom. If I could be optimistic.
Yeah, yeah, well I think you know now even worst case scenario, Benji's got the job until halfway through next year, you'd think at very least, which is there's a fair amount of stability there. So yeah, let's hope that. Let's hope he's a great success and it all comes together and we're successful. But we're being pessimistic right now, and I think you might have another one or two maybe now.
My last one was just that I'm pessimistic because West garred. We're a scarred, fragile, sensitive fan base. We have every right to be. So that's why I carry a certain certain pocket full of negativity every single year.
But hopeful we're going to say medication.
Yeah, there's more than a pocket. There's our backpacker full of that. Long may maybe I can start to empty these pockets and be optimistic head in the next year.
It would be nice. Okay, let's switch gear into optimistic. On the West Tigers podcast forum, Mac Tiger had three reasons to be optimistic about twenty twenty six for our club. Firstly, improved roster, not just for the first grade side, but for the Magpies, which is a really really good point.
Like it's pretty sad when the new South Iales Cup teams getting lapped every week, but when they're doing well, you kind of feel like there's a little bit of hope and there's some options and you can believe and trust in the system a bit more. So. That's a good point a more experienced Benji. Yeah, so you know, as Nick said, you'd be onto the green peas. He's almost there like you. And when do you stop using the term rookie coach because they still do it in
the commentary and in the media. They refer to him as a rookie coach. But that's surely that's going to end, maybe next year. So yeah, we'll see and hopefully Mack Tigers is a confident ending to the twenty twenty five season. We're not there yet, Mac Tiger. We've got to actually do it before we can say it's a confident ending of the year. Tigertown SFS. Benji third year as head coach hopefully means we've crossed over beyond learning into being
a genuine coach. He has man management down. Pat is a great recruiter, but he lacks game plans. Number Two, the squad is ninety percent capable and another off season with multiple teams in the league expected to be in rebuild mode, gives us the chance to cherry the rep level quality that we need to get into a top four threat, but a rebuild team can't utilize. Cowboys and Titans are the key targets for these At Lastly, a strong finish this year and start next year should cascade
into more positive media narrative. The likes of the Bulldogs and bizarrely the Eels are getting this year. This finally lifts pressure off the club that has held us back and Cambra Tiger Number one optimistic reason cut a lot of dead wood. Yes, we have more to come hopefully. Number two the talent floor has been raised, especially in the second row. And number three Happy was quite in his first year and really broke out in his second.
I reckon the same might happen with Leui and I haven't got that on my three things to be optimistic about Nick. But sometimes people need to come into a club and be here for a little while before they work it out and work out the lay of the land. And I think Leui for this year for the Galvin staff, and he's come out he said I'm not going anywhere. I think he'll better next year. For what's happened this.
Year, Jerome one hundred percent will be better. Yeah, we've spoken about it too, Like Jerome's had several different partners in the halves over this season. He's worn to seven and the six he started literally just feeding the border lockey because Lockie was the whiz kid you know that was going to run the show who ended up walking on the club. You know, then Lar two, you know Lart two is going to be the future. But he's coming off the back of hamstring problems for who knows
how long, and he's been eased in. I still haven't seen a decent long game kicking game from Latu, and Zaki said, you watched a bit of Latu manly does he have a long general kicking game anymore?
He can kick long and he's got a surprisingly long boot when he lets it go, But he's not a long kicker specialist. No, he's a runner of the football primarily, can play short and wide and he's got a good He's got a decent short kicking game, but I'd probably say long kicking he's probably one of his weaker points, which you could almost argue that is probably Lewi's weaker kicking game too, so that's the problem.
Yes, Jerome's definitely got the better short game short kicking game in my opinion anyway over long. So yeah, to enter your point, Joel, I think Jeromes one hundred percent is going to be better off for this season under his belt, and you know, with a few key positional changes next year and recruitments as well.
Anyways, up, m.
Well baby, yeah, you could say that in the last three years, but not this year. What do you think about What do you think about that, Zach? For Leui to go to another level next year with us.
There's more So that last statement when we won our first spoon and we said the only way was up and then we went to side lower because the Dolphins came in, we got worse. Yeah, yeah, Louis for sure for a number of reasons. Nick nailed it. Leui played caretaker the first half of the year, being selfless, and yeah, we can comment retroactively on what what that was about. But I think just moving forward, there's going to be
so much more. We're going already see it. He's finally taken control of the side and he's not going to be the type of player sorry to win games. Always off his own back. I think he's going to be the type of player We've seen it already that's going to bring sides together and combinations. Wise, we've seen what
is now our future spine. The assumption is moving forward, the likes of even just having happy, Jerame and Buller around, whether it's Ad or Lato at the moment sliding in, they don't have reps in the tank yet, and so I think him being the lynch pin of that and being captain of the side and everything that comes with that. Yeah, we're just going to see collectively an entire side that's more cohesive, and he by default is one of the key players, is going to be the same.
One thing you just said, Zack about Jerome being the player that brings everyone together, and he is exactly that. In a conversation we had earlier on in the Pot, we were talking about Ad and how Ad is a big moment player in a big game player, and how he won those two games off the back of a field goal and he's converted his penalty.
Goal whatever it was. That's interesting, isn't it.
Because Ad has been a bit of a bit play He's either on the bench ories at locker, he's at seven, or he's in the centers. We're not really sure where he fits. Drame's come off the back of what four premierships, and he's feeding he's literally feeding the ball to Adam Dewey to make those moments for our team. Like he's the player that's put his hand up and said, I'm
going to win this for us and jerme. Rather than him putting his hand up and saying, you know what, I've won four comps, let me kick the field goal or let me make that moment, he's actually probably recognized that, you know, I'm just going to do what I need to do to get us in the right position and let let someone else take those moments.
So I love it because it's pure collaboration and he's smart enough to recognize that he has other talents in his side that he can facilitate them having their moments, which is for the betterment of the side. I'm sure at some point you probably feed Lar to the opportunity to win a game for us, and I can see that he would be that type of selfless player, and that's a true leader, not thinking as though they are a one man band. And so yeah, I love it.
You can also see some value in over the next four weeks touch Wood fingers crossed that the Spine can stay together and play as much football together over the next over the last four weeks of the competition, I think that'll be really important for us for twenty six
as well. So my positives, So Benji, another year of experience, another off season, you know, I think that that that you just as much as you can have wizards or mentors or or whatever, like, just nothing beats actual experience and learning from your mistakes and putting things into practice seeing how they go. So that's I think that's a positive. I think it's going to hopefully be another another step in the ladder for Benji. Our spine looks most settled.
Madden is a good option as a as a backup, or he may end up playing a bigger part than that. But you know, there are worse guys that we've had coming into play seven over the years than Jock Madden, and I've got here Macasini and Taylor like impactful centers. But it's not just that. It's a chance of an impactful back line with Buller, Skelton, Taruva. You know, I'm starting to like the look of that and what all of those guys can bring on their on their day.
But also coupled that with Feinu and Kay Pierce Paul who look to be you know, NRL standard second rowers. So you know a lot of the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fit. So there's my three reasons to be optimistic for next year. Well, we'll keep it in the same order, Nick, what have you got for us?
Almost the carbon copy of what you said, Joel. So my second point, which I'll start with, was Taylor May and Macassini and the strength that they will both add to our back line. We've seen what Taylor can already do in a very very short period of time since he's come back, and he's been very impressive. I've only seen highlights of Macassini. I can't wait to see him play live, really looking forward to that. Do they know
whether he's going to get an opportunity this season? Wouldn't be surprised if he does, but also would understand if the club wants to maybe give him a few cup games and just you know, let him play against men in the lower grades and then potentially look at you know, maybe I would say they were one hundred percent trial m next season and then decide whether they're going to bring him to the starting team from round one. But yeah, there's a lot of potential there. And also you spoke
about Lastu. I want to see him get through the rest of this season injury free and full of confidence, and then really hit his straps after a full preseason. If he can come into Round one next season fully fit and ready to go, then I can't wait to see what he brings to our team next year without any hindrances in terms of injury.
So really looking forward of that.
Also, I've already spoken about the early recruitment that we've made, so obviously Kyle Peace Paul coming into the back row. Again, I've only really watched him this year and playing in the team that I don't think plays with a great deal of cohesion, so I think he'll probably for me, it's an unknown, but from what I've seen of his skills, I think he can fit into our squad. It just depends on how quickly he picks out up. I guess Benji's ideas about what he wants to do with or
how he wants to fit into our system. So there's definite potential and we one hundred percent need that stronger position in the back row going to next year. And then obviously the strength signings that we've made in Maverick Guyer, Ethan Roberts. Jock Madden's an interesting one. I could actually see him potentially starting next year in the halves. We'll
just have to see what happens there. And also Javonne Andrew is a young fellow as well, so some really good strength signings which, as he spoke about as well, Joe hopefully to mag Pies will have a better season next year because that confidence will then run through to the NERL team as well if our reserves are doing well. So yeah, some big signings there as well in terms
of depth. And the last one I had just the obvious improvement of the NERL team this year compared to the last several seasons, because obviously it's no fun.
Coming last, especially when you do it three times in a row.
So you're right, Zach, I did say the any ways up, But yeah, we've probably got ourselves in a predicament now, don't we that potentially we might finish as high as ninth.
I think I long for those days, say to.
I, mate, but I mean the only way to the finals from ninth is up, So I guess that's where I run with that idea.
Yeah. Interesting. I still all of that just highlights that I hope we don't throw it away by not having that impact that we that we need. Like it just seems to be like, yeah, I look at this team for next year and I go bang bang saying tic tic tik tick. But there's still that rich O. Get on to point, Zach, what do you got for us?
Yeah? I agree with everything you've said. I tried to pick a couple sort of left field, so I didn't double up. Lack of reps was one, and I mentioned it earlier. Our side is only just piecing itself together, and I think we've had the framework there over the course of the year. Obviously, we had an obvious detour or diversion we had to take, but then injuries sort of caught up with us a little bit. So we just simply haven't seen the core of this side play together.
Taylor May has been a recent edition, and we've all agreed he is a lock on that free quarter line next year, provided we get the signing done. So by virtue of that fact, I think that by almost default, we're going to be improved. We know that increase reps over preseason offseason, the more they rain together, the more they're more cohesive they're going to be and it will simply look better on the field regardless. Now I didn't
know how much better that brings about. I'm not sure, but that's a reason for me to be optimistic that we are winning football games with combinations and people in positions and a side set up at the moment that is relatively unfamiliar with one another, where they certainly don't have a year or two as a cohesive squad, so that we will get heading into next year and that's
pleasing in and of itself for me. We've touched on it a few times as well, is the clarity around the particularly the seventeen or maybe even just the thirteen. We've spoken about the need for those high impact props if we can add in that space. We've spoken about how Locke seems as though it has a short to medium term solution. Now, I think when we've got clarity, that is just going to provide a better foundation for the team and the squad and the coaching plans in general.
But I also think something I'm really happy about is we can really start to map out clear air apparents in those positions too, and I think we're actually starting to place them there. About the debarclar around talent to silver leaving mid season, Jared Haywood looks sensational and he is far closer to what talent was than people think. He's doing great stuff in Flegg was the best in the fleg game against the Silk Tales on the weekend
as well, that's Hooker. We've got the likes of Phoenix God and the who is pushing up into high where he should be as well in the second row, and he's a tremendous talent as well. We've got Christian Tapaw Moores down there. We've got Hamasi obviously, who is getting pretty close to a taboo, whether it's this year or next.
So for me, not only are we seeing clarity around the squad and the best thirteen and seventeen to start, we're also starting to see what that might look like into these transitional squad periods into the future, which to me is a big thing because if we're going to future proof this club and go through three wooden spoons and fifteen odd years of pain. I want them to be putting systems in place that mean I don't have to when we don't have to endure that ever again, please,
So that's pleasing to me. And the last one was just the trajectory. Trajectory. I keep stumbling out of that word tonight and Nick alluded to it a moment ago. Everywhere across the board, we are improving. We've had more wins this year. Defense is better, attack is better. But even the nuances of those, the systems look better. People are making individual choices better. I think there's more plays this year in career best form that I've seen in the Tiger side for a long period of time. They
looked more cohesive culturally as a unit. So I think we're heading in the right direction. And that's a pretty good reason to be optimistic.
Well, I was just going to you sort of stole my thunder there at the end there, Zach. But I was going to be cheeky like because the host it's like the one word submission, so the host always gets the opportunity to, as you know, you know, make up new rules along the way. But I was going to add in another one, and that is the cohesion and the bond and the connection of the boys. And there's something that that hasn't really been highlighted enough, and that
is that we we had adversity this year. We lost Galvi and were for all those dramas. We lost all those games on the run. But the team hasn't fallen apart touch would It looks like the team is still cohesive. It looks like the team is still playing for each other, and it looks like they haven't given up. And that's something that in previous years West Tigers, by this time of the year, you'd say they're just going through the motions.
Nick, it's a shame we had that sixty four no loss to Melbourne. Yeah, but saying that that could be the only actual, like real flogging, hopefully that will endure for the season.
So hopefully there's no more.
I don't want to put the mock on us for the next month of footy, but you know, over the last few years we've had several of those running into the back half of the year where the effort drops and heads go down and plays start thinking about you know where they're going next. Year, or looking for early releases, or thinking about we're the holiday you know, and it come you know, finals time. So yeah, hopefully those days are over because I don't want to think about that
Melbourne game again. I'm already starting to get shit is thinking about that eighty minutes in. But yeah, hopefully we don't see that anymore in our future. There's always one that sneaks in. But again, I'll go back to the point I made earlier. Good teams don't lose games by that margin, so hopefully hopefully those days are gone.
But to extend yeah, sorry, I'm just going to say Zach in saying that you know number good teams have really bad off days too. The trick is that we don't do it two three, four weeks in a row like what we've experienced.
And yeah, our off days, we want to be thirty two sixteen instead of sixty four nil. So that would be nice to just to feed off that you both had mentioned it and in the past for EON's we
have been a club that has crumbled in advertsy adverse city. Sorry, but with the Galvin scenario to your point both of you, I think that if anything we've almost it's almost amalgamated the site and the telling thing to me and not sorry to keep referencing the Bulldogs game, because it was fantastic and I think enjoying reliving it in my mind, but that was the first time for me particularly, and it was a particular note that was an emotional football game.
And I can think of countless examples where this club, not this side, but this club has entered into an emotional football game for whatever reason, coming up against Ivan Cleary again. Look, if there is mum passing the Tommy Rodonegus game, playing the Sharks at like art to get in with a raucous home crowd, we've crumbled on every single occasion. We don't handle emotional football matches. This side went into the Bulldogs match and handled it absolutely brilliantly.
And that to me, as you're saying, is it a signal that this culture can use adversity in the right way as a motivator. And we've also seen how they've risen over advertisy at numerous adversity It's getting late for me on a Sunday night. Boys, Sorry about that.
You're starting to sound a bit like Gary.
But yeah, look, and that's been sensational as well.
So yeah, it's a good point. Yeah, and it's if we're aiming for consistency, then there needs to be some degree of ability to overcome obstacles and setbacks and adversity and not fall apart because an average team will keep showing up, may not be winning, but we'll continue to put in a consistent performance and until we get to that point. And hopefully we're there now, but I think the next four weeks really important and we'll give us
a really good idea where we're at. The other thing, too, is you know, as you said, Nick, in the past, often guys would be going, well, I'm out of the club in a few weeks, so why am I going to put in Whereas almost this entire team is going to be here next year. So that's a slightly different one as well. So yeah, fingers crossed for a good
finish to the year. So Gary and any Rob and Steve, they are recording out the micd Up Studios in Paramounta this evening, so that pod will drop maybe on Tuesday, there'll be a midweek edition of the West Tigers podcast. I don't know who'll be in that lineup, but it could even could be me, you never know. And then next Sunday we're going to come back with a post game edition of the West Tigers Podcast, hopefully a post
victory edition. Hope you can join us Sack for that one, and we'll keep an eye up for the Tiger Down pod as well. That will drop sometime during the week, middle of the week.
Yep, we're a Wednesday morning drop normally, jail. So yeah, looking forward to get that one done with my co star, and yeah, looking forward to Tiger's playing again because we're on a high and we're all feeling optimistic.
Mind you, I do like a good bye weekend. That's goods and bye weekend exactly.
Thank you boys, Thanks very much.