Price target. Price target.
Hold on. Welcome to the West Tigers podcast is episode number 240, the mid-week show. And it's Eddie Otto, joined by only Steve Stratton. Steve, what's going on? Looks like Gary, Joel and Declan a rats deserting a sinking ship after two losses.
Yeah well, I think Gary is still curled up in a corner at Lockhart Oval somewhere. And Declan's caught a plane for the coast. Mate, he's gone. Yeah, I think.
He's back to, uh. Is he from Scotland or Wales? He'll get annoyed that he's following Celtic Link rather than the Tigers. But, Steve, we will look back briefly on Sunday. I know it was a horror show and you know, I did get to hear a little bit of your thoughts on Sunday before me. Gary and Joel did the podcast on Monday. You described it as a failure. I said it was an apt. I guess my question to you is, do your emotions sort of ease after a few days or do you sort of see it in
the cold light of day is very similar. By Wednesday.
My emotions have definitely eased, that's for sure. Like doing that, doing that pod Sunday night is always dangerous because you are still highly emotional. But my my opinion on on the on the game hasn't changed. I still maintain it was one of the worst performances I've ever seen from a Tigers team. And I know there's going to be lots of debate about that and it's early season and is that too harsh and all that sort of thing. And I just maintain they had so much to play for.
The season started with so much promise. There was a lot of talk about changes and how proactive the team had been. Probably too much talk, really put put pressure on them I reckon. And then when they came out in round one and that was a poor performance and you can accept that, but then to follow it up with what was just a disastrous afternoon, every single thing that could go against the night went against the Knights
and we still couldn't. We we couldn't do anything. We hardly, you know, shot a shot across their their bow at all. You know, we were rudderless. We were just dead, you know. So. No, it hasn't. It hasn't changed.
No. I mean, I think there'll be a bit of soul searching to do during the week because like you said, you know, Steve, it's not I mean, teams have started out one two before. And, you know, it's not unusual for teams to start. Oh and two, but it's it's sort of the context of where our club is positioned at the moment, sadly, coming off a wooden spoon. And then you get a new side like the Dolphins that win two in a row who've been together for ten seconds,
even the Dragons came out, had a big win. The Bulldogs have had a big win. So sadly, as we've seen earlier this week, the press is already squarely focused on the Tigers. And you have to say, you know, not unfairly in the instance of this performance on Sunday.
No, it's it's unfair the way we are constantly the centre of media attention all the time. And and and there actually I find some of them are now getting to the point where it's just quite laughable they're treating us well. I find that.
I the thing that annoys me is not so much the criticism, but just the, the yeah. The targeting or the smugness that goes with it. They almost, you know, the show I'm talking about, they're almost smirking by the time they're talking about it. So it's I know what you mean and it's frustrating but you know the club in in this instance you know, put a target on its back because like you said, everything went our way Sunday home crowd and still couldn't get the job done.
Yeah well that's the point Like that smugness is annoying, but at the moment we're asking for the criticism. We're, you know, we, we deserve it really. But there's two things that are concerning me. One is the is the game plan. I just think the game plan is nowhere near what it should be for for an early season, for early season games. You know, and that's it's easy to say in hindsight because I was excited after the Raiders trial when we were playing expansively. But we're just
we're not respecting the go forward at the moment. And the other thing that worries me and I've mentioned this before and it was worrying me before the season, I just can't see us performing with Brooks and Dewi running us around the paddock and leading us, you know. You know my thoughts on both those guys. I've got high opinions on both of them, but not, not as game managers, you know, as individual footballers. Yeah, but as game managers, it's not even. It's not even close to looking, right.
No. And it was it was pretty startling. On Sunday I had a look at little bit, you know, I was obviously I was at the game and you see the game and you know, your emotions are high, but you generally have a good feel for it. But then you look at the replay and even when I looked. The replay stood out more times, like the amount of times AP was sort of before he's going to pick the ball up, looking both sides thinking, you know, who's calling, which way am I going to go?
Yeah. Yeah. And there was there was more to it than that, too, you know, because the effort there was effort out on the field. Everyone was trying, you know, it wasn't a gutless performance. Right. But those effort plays a talk about those 1% as those little things are good players do and the good teams do constantly. We're just missing from our game. Well, you mentioned AP. You know, I remember on 2 or 3 occasions he made a break or a half break or there was space around
dummy half and there was no one pushing through. There wasn't a forward coming through. Lowrie wasn't coming through one of the houses and looking to support. And those effort plays that make the difference just weren't there. He could have had AP, could have had two try assists, you know, if players had been pushing through on another occasion. I just remember this Brooks grabbing across field and it was it was poor directional play from Brooks but no one no one was there to to come back on his
inside and straighten up the attack. They just was they were there, but they weren't in motion.
I mean, that's the thing that I think is going to take a few weeks for me to work out. And hopefully the team works it out quicker. But it's hard to sort of quantify, Steve, whether it's a lack of effort in terms of because I know what you're talking about when AP jumps out and there's, you know, three forwards not running decoys or just standing back or whether it's just an overcomplicated game plan and no one quite knows when to push the button or what to do.
That's what appeared a little bit more that way to me than guys not making effort. But I suppose it's hard to determine after two weeks.
Yeah, the effort was a hard one because when I say effort play, I'm not talking about effort on the field. I think they were they were busting their guts and it just wasn't working. But it's just having the you know what it is, it's footy nous. It's having the footy nous to know. Um, AP, AP is going to, AP is going to run here. I need to push up and be there in support or or Brooks is
running cross field. I need to fall back in on the inside and straighten the attack and come underneath him and that footy nous and the effort to do that just wasn't there.
Yeah, I mean, I don't want to talk too much about, you know, Hastings, he's gone from the club, but I don't think in hindsight. I remember this time last year after his first couple of wins with us, I thought, well, you know, he should be our marquee player and, you know, worth 809 hundred grand. I don't think having watched him for a year in the NRL, he's quite up to that level. He's he's quite slow and pedestrian. But one thing he does do is bark his sort of troops around.
And I think, you know, the shoe was on the other foot for him, but he sort of managed that Newcastle team quite well. And I just wonder, I wonder, you know, I think Tigers fans wonder across the board whether we made the right choice there in the off season with the halfback.
Well it's, there's no doubt we're missing what he brings. You know, what he brings to a football game is exactly what we need right this moment. But, you know, if you're to go on what Tim Sheen says, and I've got no reason to doubt what Tim Sheen says, he was in the plans. He wanted him as a ball playing 13. And he was and he was honest with him about that and said that's what your role is going to be. And Hastings didn't want that and then took up the opportunity to go and play halfback
at the Knights. That's the story that Tim Sheens is is pushing. And, you know, I imagine that's, you know, true or pretty close to the truth. So, you know, maybe it wasn't our decision in the end.
Just finally on on Hastings because I didn't I didn't catch your opinion on it on the the post game incident on the field with Clough and Klemmer. But I sort of I don't really think there's much in it. Like I said on Monday, you know, I'd be more horrified if I saw Talal joking around with Hastings. And to me, the thing that really Mason actually brought it
up in a podcast. He goes, You know, Jackson Hastings had just done a minute interview on on the camera and the camera to asked him what he's, you know, what about the Tolo incident? And then he's he reckons basically Jackson Hastings was doing that for the camera until hours almost called him out for it. Whereas saying, you know, if you're a real man, you do that in the sheds. Is there a little bit of that going on? Because it looked like the Tigers didn't want anything to do with him.
The more I listened to Jackson Hastings and now that I'm not sort of emotionally attached to him because he's not the club, the more I think he plays the media game pretty well and says all the right things and and comes across the way he wants to come across. Right. But I don't know what happened there. But I'm with you 100%, Eddie. I would much prefer to prefer to see a little bit of fire and brimstone after the
game and players get into each other. Even players from their own team get into each other rather than all this backslapping. And let's have a coffee mate that goes on, you know, after a after.
Heavy loss.
Expectations. Steve, I think, you know, you were the only one on the panel. You tipped us, I think to make the eight was probably more through through hope than, you know, whether you believed it or not. But you did say, you know, top eight or bust. And I think that's the attitude the squad and the coaches have to have. But what about deep down after two weeks?
Do you sort of think. Okay, this is going to be another long season or you sort of thinking, no, these guys have got the quality, they've got to turn it around.
Well, right now you'd have to say we're going to struggle to find two points all season, but we're not going to play like this all season. We will improve. We have to improve. We can't play much worse than what we played on the weekend. I'd recommend Can we make the. I still think that we can. I'm going to stick with what I've been saying for probably 12 months now in that, you know, I like I like a lot of the squad. We're still a couple of
players short for sure. But like what the club is putting together, we're all we all have said in the off season and not just us on the spot. I'm talking Tigers fans generally. We've all said how good the recruitments been. You look at this forward pack, you know, you know Stefano and Klemmer with AP hockey, you've got Bloor and you've got this week who's just making huge strides.
Paul look like that is a good forward pack you know with with with tall and often Galli especially coming off the bench and you've got Bateman who's still not even there yet to me that is a forward pack that can play some really good footy. Um, I like what's happening, I like what's happening in the full pack. I'm not so confident about the backline and I'm really worried about our halves and that's where I'd need to be convinced the, the halves have to improve heaps if
we're going to make the eight. But I still think we can push for the eight.
Yeah, it's almost like we just, I just think we need a win no matter how. Steve Just to, just to settle everyone down. You could see, you know, in that last ten minutes, Tim Sheens coming to the sideline, there was, you know, an air of desperation about it just based off the fact of, you know, the the new signings and the expectation because Tigers fans have turned
out in force the first two weeks. And it's you know, when you lose to Newcastle and the Gold Coast at home, I just you know, I wouldn't have been so worried if they had scrapped out a 14, 12 win on the weekend because it just settles everything down. But now that, you know, the pressure, players start to feel that.
But we do that to ourselves, you know, because what we do it on the field, we're doing it to ourselves on the field for a long time, but we do it to ourselves off the field too. And I think the clubs got a lot better at, you know, it leaks don't seem to come out of the club like they used to, but there's too much talk. There's too much talk. Like Tim Sheens is a smart man and he's experienced coach and works the media, I imagine,
pretty well. But. Oregon. He's put pressure on the team by coming out and saying, you're not going to recognise the West Tigers. I'm going to play this really expansive role and it's going to be exciting and our fans are going to love it. That's really hot. And then, you know, Lee had you can tell us he can't help himself because he's got this I don't know how often it is weekly or every couple of times a week on RSN. And of course they're going to question
him and he's on air live. He's got to answer.
Yeah, but it's a trap, isn't it? I mean, the media use it. I saw the show last night that they have on Fox, you know, the Paul Kent Show, whatever it's called. And they they target him no matter what he's going to say. But I tend to agree. I just think the message messaging needs to come from one person and that's the coach. And I don't think Lee commenting on public radio saying, you know, if we attacked better and the performance is, you know, I don't think that helps anyone.
Yeah, I agree with that. It should be. It should be the coach and that should be it. I think they just need to, you know, quiet and everything down and bunker up and just get on with being internal and not listening to the outside stuff, but not creating some of the outside stuff as well. I think that would be beneficial for them for sure. Yeah. The other thing about that that I've, I've noticed and I don't
know Tim Sheens very well, but he looked flustered, man. He, he looked cranky at the media and he looked frustrated already. And that to me is a bit of, a bit of a worry.
Yeah, I saw that in his expression. But I mean, everyone he was feeling the pain of that loss like everyone was. On Sunday afternoon. We're going to preview the Bulldogs game, Steve, because the side has been named and
this and some key changes. But before we look at the team specifically, you mentioned before the game plan and that's the thing that I look at and I scratch my head because I just think early in the season, with so many new signings, especially the signings where they've been made in the forward pack, that the game plan we used in this past, the parcel sort of football and now it looked good in the trial game but under the asset of proper two games it's looked a
bit of a mess. Do they just need to dumb it down and simplify it this week? Surely they do.
Absolutely. That would be my number one first point on a on a game plan sheet. All right. Simplify what you're doing. Like everyone, everyone has a whinge about Taylor Ball and everyone has a whinge about five head ups and kick butt. Early season football, in my opinion, is all about building pressure. The best way to build pressure is play football down the other end of the field and try to get repeat sets where possible and build
pressure on the opposition. Tryline And you've just got to go forward, hit the ball up short when the opportunity presents itself in the right spot on the field, take your advantage. But you've got to do the hard work first and that's got to come off the dummy half. It's got to come off the first receiver. It's got to be lots of forwards in motion, running straight lines hard and and quick, play the balls and just getting that momentum downfield. That to me is how you win early.
And then sorry, I'll add to that then a good fifth tackle kick because that is something we um, is pretty scarce from us at the moment.
Yeah. I mean I look through some of the stats and I think David Klemmer only ran for 80m and I don't think you could say, you know, he wasn't having a go out there. I just think it was a game plan we were using where he sort of shuffling the ball on and that might look good in round 10 or 11 when the team's combining and connected. But I just think at the moment someone like AP is going to benefit more from just forwards hitting the
advantage line. Even Stefano, you've got to say he's been pretty disappointing, at least his first first since the last couple of weeks.
Yeah, I agree. I remember thinking I've only watched the game once on TV, but live. Um, and I remember thinking where is Stefano? Where where is Klemmer. Where is awful lot? I just can't remember them hitting the ball up, you know? They should be. They may not all be on the field at the same time, but, you know, two of them should just be hitting that ball up. Play one, play two or play two, play three, one
after another. Quick, play the ball. But that should be incredible momentum with the hooker we've got who can create space and throws a good pass. You know those guys have got incredible potential that you do that and then you go to wide and go out to Blau on an edge who can be incredibly damaging. We should be getting huge momentum.
And I just I think you need to score like it looked like we're trying to score every try by going around them and even the try we did score at the end was just a matter of going through a forward going through and 12 should have scored. And if you can get that consistent, you know if you look at the Bulldogs you know pack this week, it's
nothing really to write home about. If I was coaching the Tigers this week, I'd be saying like, let's put our names up against their names and who's who's got a better forward pack and let's try and win the middle. And if we win the middle and lose the game, so be it. But I just think at the moment, you know, it's 18 errors on the weekend. You just give yourself no chance.
No, that's right. And that's up there with simplifying the game plan has to be error free football, and that comes down to concentration and attention to detail. You know, like like play the ball penalties or, you know, or losing the losing the ball because you play the ball incorrectly. That's just really poor concentration under fatigue, you know, And that's got to that's there's no place that in first grade. But I'd agree with you that that's got to be
up there. But the other thing I'd say looking at the the Bulldogs team, you know, if they can pressure Flanagan and isolate him, he panics. I've said that before. He's not the greatest half in the world, in my opinion, and he, he can be pressured pretty easily. And the other thing is if you put pressure on Burton's kicking game and stop those tearing bombs and then when he does get away, diffuse and actually catch the ball on the fall, then I think we're we're a huge chance
of upsetting the Bulldogs. But if we let Flanagan kick us out of the game. Burton Kick us out of the game and if we don't take on their forward pack, then we'll, we'll be in trouble.
Let's look at the team, Steve, because there's been some, some forced and unforced change starting with the fullback that was that. I think there were rumors that he may have been, you know, slightly injured. But I think this is a tactical change. I think Dane Lawrie obviously hasn't been at his best. It's the first two rounds and I don't mind it because even that last 15 minutes
I liked what Charlie Staines bought. I know he's not so much of a ball player, but at the moment it seems like everyone in the team wants to be a ball player. Maybe we just need someone at the back to run hard and sniff off some of those forwards.
Yeah, I don't mind it. You know, I think Charlie Staines is a pretty good footballer. I, I do think Laurie's injured. There's a reason he got moved to the wing at the end of the game, obviously, but I actually thought he brought the ball back quite well last week. I thought he. I've probably got a different opinion to most. I thought that was one of his better games from that perspective. Bringing the ball back. He he made a lot of yardage from the back, but he didn't catch
the ball and he didn't push through the middle. The thing that worries me about Staines and I don't know what the answer is, Eddie, because Laurie's out and only got one other option, um, at this stage of the season. But Staines, Staines, it relies on his pace and likes to run around the edges. We need someone to come through that middle. We need through the middle support. And I really hope he brings that to his, you know, to his game on the weekend.
Yeah, a big opportunity for him because, I mean, he didn't I assume he didn't leave the club, you know, a club like Penrith to make a sideways move and be a winger or be a reserve grader. So a chance at fullback for him will be like gold. I hope he takes it this week. Obviously Stafford Taylor comes into the centre as that's with uh, Tommy till now that's out. I think Tommy allows out with it and
then Junior to go onto the wing. I'm looking forward to seeing him because we saw him in the last trial. There's no doubt he's raw, but he's the sort of talent that we need. Steve in the backline, I think we're going to have to take some of the good with the bad, but at least, you know, without bagging off aluma, you know, I just think we know what we're going to get from not for now, which is
a declining footballer for me and someone like Tupou. I think we've almost got to give him the next 610 weeks to to learn and grow into this side.
Yeah, well, I agree with you. I think he's a great talent. He's going to do really well to turbo. What worries me with that with with the backline is as it is, he's jumping out of the line like the fact that it's allows not there this week is probably a good thing from this perspective like he's just been jumping out of the line so much he didn't so much round one he did last week and he
did in the trial. Um, and if you jump out the line you give out a give, give those outside backs in the Bulldogs space or even give Kik our space to wind up at a car. Obviously you're asking for trouble at there. So those, those outside backs on both sides have got to hold their nerve work together and not jump out of the line, otherwise we will get run around. Yeah, I.
Mean that's one thing. I remember last year they were quite good at under Mick Potter is they would sometimes kick early on the second or third time the winger or centre would jam up and Addo-carr got some tries, so they did look good last week, the Bulldogs, but that was against a vastly under-strength Melbourne team. The back row. Steve, it's you wouldn't have predicted that in round one. You probably would have raised a few eyebrows if you saw
power law and parlay. Um, but again, opportunity for them all and you'd have to say that Coppell was probably our best player on the weekend.
Yeah, I have so much time for Cooper. I think he's a great player and I was really surprised when I saw him named in second row in the in the trial. Was it the second round in the trial that that surprised me. But he played fantastically and I haven't seen him up close. I know. Gary's been to a couple of trainings and he said the guy has really bulked up. And so if he's got the size and he's got the ability, let's go for it, because I think he's going to be one of our future stars. And.
Blau You know, if Blau can get around with that injury, he could do anything because he's looked fantastic when he's been on the paddock so far this year. I'm looking forward to seeing him again on Sunday. And I'll say the same about Paul. I think Paul hit the ground running too. You know, there's the potential for those three to be, you know, real stars of the game.
The bench, Steve, are I suppose with Jake Simkin nearly getting killed last week. I hope he's okay. I expect him to be out for possibly more than one week because that was a nasty one that he copped off. So but it gives an opportunity to brand and wake him and that will obviously raise some eyebrows because people will go, you know, he's been playing halfback in reserve grade.
They've won both their games. I know from watching Wakem a bit at Canterbury that he can be very much rocks and diamonds and Gary, by all accounts, he's been very good. The first two state Cup games. My question is, do you expect him to come on and rest as a hooker or do you expect, you know, a bit of a strange shuffle and he could spend some time in the halves?
I expect what happened last season to happen. I expect wake him to come on and play seven and Brooks to go into nine. Yeah. Like that or not. Yeah yeah I do. Yeah I think I think Brooks should have been moved tonight a long time ago but but you know that's another argument for another day. But I do like that. Let me let me preface it though. I watched like him when he started at halfback in that trial and he was absolutely clueless, I thought. But
to his credit, I haven't seen the games. But for those who have said that he's played really good football at seven in reserve grade and so I would like to see him come on and and see what he can do because to be honest, I've got very little faith in what's going on at the moment at six and seven. And that's I just want to again, it's all individually, I like Adam Dewey. I like Adam too, is a football. I'm just saying from a running the team, you know, running the team around the paddock.
Yeah I suppose that's the I mentioned on Monday Steve but I don't know whether it's an advantage, but at least we're not locked into these guys, you know? Daine Laurie's off contract the end of this year. Brooks is off contract in this year. He's resigned at the end of 2024. So very much sort of playing for their futures at the club this season, aren't they?
I can't remember his name. The guy who's can't play at around 11 who's been playing reserve grade fullback. Yeah, yeah. He's got, um, he's got some great potential. So Daine Laurie would be looking over his shoulder for sure. And Brooks and Dewey. Well, we said it preseason, mate. This is their, this is their chance to. To show that they can play six and seven together and round one and two. They haven't done it.
No. You mentioned Jerome Buller and that you might be right about Daine. Laurie Steve because he's he's on that extended bench which I thought under the NRL rules being outside the top 30, he wasn't allowed to qualify until after round ten. So I notice him being on that extended bench may suggest an injury to Daine Laurie but also seems like our Pommy from from he's come off Bondi Beach Steve and he might be playing this week uh Tony Bateman I personally think he has been injured.
I don't know why the clubs surrounding it in mystery because I only think it's invited ridicule. Um, but guess, would you rush him back if he has been injured or do you think if it's a genuine ankle injury, which I'm sure it is, I don't think for any reason you'd put him out for two weeks to acclimatise. Um, would you play him this week?
Oh, my. I think it's really simple. If he's ready to play, he plays. If he's not, if he's injured, he's not ready to play. He doesn't play. I can't see any reason other than that. Not to play him.
So secretive about it then.
I'm not.
Idea. Yeah. I just don't get it. Unless it is a change. You know change can be stubborn. You might just be saying, well, he does need 2 or 3 weeks to get himself up to speed. But for me, like, I think someone like John Bateman could have been handy last week just to get people's heads off.
Yeah, well, I agree. You know, it's obvious that confidence has dropped already only after two rounds, and a guy of Bateman's experience would be handy out there. Um, but I will say Sheens has said that he's not considering him until round four, so I was surprised to see him in the extended team list for this week because I can't see Shane's going back on that unless he threw that out. There is a furphy. We'll find out I suppose, on Saturday.
I wouldn't be surprised if he's playing Sunday. I don't know if he'll start, but I reckon he might play the Bulldogs. We mentioned them for me. There's the other. You know, the club can't escape the storylines. Last week it was Hastings back to Lockhart. This week it's Cerrado. Not that I really care about Cameron Cerrado, Steve, but you can imagine, you know, there's that extra layer to the game given we went after him and missed out and it'd be nice to see us get one over him.
Oh, it certainly would just be nice to get two points. Don't worry about who we're getting, though. Just good to get two points. But you know what it will do if they win? If they if the Bulldogs beat us, you can you can bet for sure at that angle. Yeah the story all week will be tigers missed their man and miss Tigers man demolishes the tigers you know it'll be that sort of garbage.
It's interesting because I think since they've been back to Belmore, they might have played about six games and lost five of them. So they've been a little bit like us like it, their sort of spiritual home. I was thinking about going to Belmore Steve, but at the moment I can't think of anything worse than being surrounded by 12,000 Canterbury fans, you know, at Belmore. So I'm sort of going to hold my, my judgement on whether I go until Sunday maybe.
Of course, there's another aspect that could come into play. Eddie, and that's Josh Reynolds, who's on the extended bench, comes into the 17 and plays a blinder again against us.
That would pop it off. Really mean this first blinder for.
What, five years or something? That would be, um, please, surely, surely not. But we will give our tips. Steve. I'll leave our game till the end. I'll just flick through the round three games and you can give me who you think might win. Uh, starts off tomorrow night. That's been my highlight of the year so far. He was watching Parramatta lose. They go to Manly, so I'm going for Manly. I think they'll knock Parramatta over.
Yeah, I am. Yeah, that's a that's a toss of the coin for me. That one. Yeah. I think I'll go manly as well. Yeah. If they're playing good footy under Sivo. Well they've, they've played one game didn't they. They had the bye one game so yeah. Their first game was solid.
Knights. Dolphins that's in Newcastle. Newcastle are actually outside because they're just ravaged by injury as we saw last week. Yeah.
Well you know you can't tip against the Dolphins at the moment.
Premiership favourites win, which will set up a huge round four game against the Broncos for them the Derby South Roosters two teams. I can't stand it. I think Souths will beat them again.
I'm gonna go roosters roosters.
Titans storm on the Gold Coast I think I know it's early days but I think this could be the year the storm almost missed the eight. I don't know missing a heap of players Munster. But they looked to have some holes this year.
Yeah they do but I'm expecting a Craig Bellamy. Yeah, he's going to have the Craig Bellamy effect. They're going to he will they will respond to him and they'll play well this week.
We think we'd probably think the Cowboys would beat the Warriors at home and the Broncos beat the Dragons at home. Um, I don't see Steve disagreeing there. Raiders Sharks is the last game Raiders I think maybe the only other team without a win could be wrong. Uh against the sharks. He wins that one.
Sharks haven't got it together. Where's that being played at Canberra. Canberra?
Yeah.
Now. I can't sleep again. Nicole Hynes is still out, isn't he? Yeah, I go right, I'll go right.
It's right is okay.
And our tip for Sunday, Steve, I. I'm going to. I backed us the first two weeks. I'm trying the reverse psychology this week I'm going to go 3416 bulldogs and a bit of an ugly day. Hopefully that works.
Yeah, I'm expecting a pretty ugly game. But I am. And this is maybe more heart than head, but I'm just hoping that some soul searching after last weekend brings a Tigers out and a huge response. And they they do whatever it takes to get the two points I'm going to tip tigers.
Very good Steve I know your favorite part of the show. You've missed it for the last few months but it's your this quiz now. These ones are pretty hard.
So I'm a bit naked here, right? There's no one. No one around.
Gary's disappeared today, so I'll just read them out. And these are basically for the viewers at home. I might give you a couple of clues, but I don't expect you to get some of them because they're tough. Question one, who were the two oldest players to debut for the West Tigers having not played for another NRL club? One of them was a superstar import. One of them was last year, I think is no longer with us both. They were both 27 years of age.
Oh, my. I am just terrible. This one.
Gareth Ellis wouldn't have said it. Thought he was given.
When he came out. But there you go.
27 in 2009 and last week. Last year, Thomas Barney was also 27. Question two Apart from Robbie Farah, who's our only other starting forward to have scored a hat trick, apart from Robbie Farah, this is a this is a not a trick question, but he transitioned from the outside backs to the forward pack.
Oh, I'd have to say. Chris Lawrence It.
Was round 17 of 2007 against the Panthers.
Question three Is that it? 50%, one up, one down like that.
That's a pass.
Which number Jersey did Pat Richards Where in the 2004 World Sevens final, Not number two and number five seven.
All right.
Don't think that means he played prop. I think that.
Must be the the sevens and the way they structure the numbers.
Which of these NRL clubs, Steve have we not held to zero in A game? A, Canterbury, B Penrith, C, Canberra or D Brisbane.
Um, I seem to remember a Canterbury one. Was it 50 Donnell or was 50 kilos?
It was 50 for two. So they're actually they're actually the only team. We haven't held to nil because we beat Penrith 30 nil in 2012, Canberra 40 nil in 2012 and Brisbane think it was 48 nil like in 2020. Canterbury was beaten 54 two and 56 four but never held them to nil. Okay, I want you to name as many West Tigers players as you can who have played for the Kangaroos while playing for our club. There are six.
Wests Tigers players.
Kangaroo as well. You'd say Robbie Farah. Yep. Five for Australia. Brett Hudson. Did he play for Australia?
No. No.
So whilst.
We played for Australia.
We ran the 2010 side. There were a few. So we had Robbie Farrell was 2009. Scott Prince did in 2005. I don't remember that lot to carry 2010 with Chris Lawrence. Keith Galloway did in 2011 and Darren Woods did in 2014.
Maybe things was looking after a few of the boys there because I think he was Australian coach during a fair amount of that period.
Last one and this one you doubt you'll get excluding the Dolphins, which is the only NRL club to get to play at one one of our two spiritual home grounds. So there's one club out there that hasn't played it either like Out or Campbelltown in our 20 plus year history. I'll give you a clue. It's out at Campbelltown, which team's never been out there?
You know, I'm going to say, I'm going to say I don't know about never. I'm going to say Parramatta because that's usually in it's Homebush with it's home.
Usually there, but they have.
Been there a couple of times at Souths because Souths is always either put at Homebush.
Or like South Sydney have never played.
At Campbelltown.
That's it. Steve I notice my zoom is ticking down, I've got about a minute before it explodes, so I'll say thank you for coming on tonight and not deserting the ship like Gary, Joel and Declan, and let's hope we have something positive to talk about on.
Sunday or Monday night.
Yeah, let's talk about the two points we've earned.
Thanks, Eddie. Thanks, Steve. Straight to the top. Can't the guts got the glory? Whether this. We're not gonna stuff just the team with a will to. Whether. I guess it's the. Rising up to the challenge. He stops his prey in the night. And you're watching us. Where? Where's tigers? Cressida.