Last night was one of many performances marked by a shapeless, directionless Tigers attack. Doueihi’s limitations as a half (replacing the now banished Madden) were obvious. Luai at No. 6 was erratic and below par. 

We now say goodbye to our marquee signing. It’s likely unsettled the team, a flighty group easily put off by distractions like this.

I like Luai and think he’s done a lot of good at the Tigers.

But here’s the rub. The Tigers have not had a good halfback since Robert Lui. They have tried and failed to turn a bunch of No 6s into halfbacks - Luke Brooks, Benji, Moses Mbye, Josh Reynolds, Lachlan Galvin, Jerome Luai, Adam Doueihi. Arguably we’re about to do it again with Latu Fainu. 

A few genuine halfbacks have come to the club, most of them below NRL standard. Hastings was serviceable but obviously has issues fitting in. Aiden Sezer was at the end of his career. 

My point is this. No. 7 remains arguably the most crucial player in the team. We’re on a 15 season run without a good one. Funny enough that’s also how long it is since we played finals.

Fix this and maybe the drudgery of watching this mediocre team play out season after season in the bottom half of the table will end. 

Last night was one of many performances marked by a shapeless, directionless Tigers attack. Doueihi’s limitations as a half (replacing the now banished Madden) were obvious. Luai at No. 6 was erratic and below par. 

We now say goodbye to our marquee signing. It’s likely unsettled the team, a flighty group easily put off by distractions like this.

I like Luai and think he’s done a lot of good at the Tigers.

But here’s the rub. The Tigers have not had a good halfback since Robert Lui. They have tried and failed to turn a bunch of No 6s into halfbacks - Luke Brooks, Benji, Moses Mbye, Josh Reynolds, Lachlan Galvin, Jerome Luai, Adam Doueihi. Arguably we’re about to do it again with Latu Fainu. 

A few genuine halfbacks have come to the club, most of them below NRL standard. Hastings was serviceable but obviously has issues fitting in. Aiden Sezer was at the end of his career. 

My point is this. No. 7 remains arguably the most crucial player in the team. We’re on a 15 season run without a good one. Funny enough that’s also how long it is since we played finals.

Fix this and maybe the drudgery of watching this mediocre team play out season after season in the bottom half of the table will end. 

Last night was one of many performances marked by a shapeless, directionless Tigers attack. Doueihi’s limitations as a half (replacing the now banished Madden) were obvious. Luai at No. 6 was erratic and below par. 

We now say goodbye to our marquee signing. It’s likely unsettled the team, a flighty group easily put off by distractions like this.

I like Luai and think he’s done a lot of good at the Tigers.

But here’s the rub. The Tigers have not had a good halfback since Robert Lui. They have tried and failed to turn a bunch of No 6s into halfbacks - Luke Brooks, Benji, Moses Mbye, Josh Reynolds, Lachlan Galvin, Jerome Luai, Adam Doueihi. Arguably we’re about to do it again with Latu Fainu. 

A few genuine halfbacks have come to the club, most of them below NRL standard. Hastings was serviceable but obviously has issues fitting in. Aiden Sezer was at the end of his career. 

My point is this. No. 7 remains arguably the most crucial player in the team. We’re on a 15 season run without a good one. Funny enough that’s also how long it is since we played finals.

Fix this and maybe the drudgery of watching this mediocre team play out season after season in the bottom half of the table will end. 

Better assistant coaches

Better players 

Better depth.

Better defensive 

Better attacking structure.

Overall just need to be Better at everything.

Missed tackles, missed every decent opportunity with the ball, missed direction and missed out on playing finals again.

He’ll be gone next week.