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Johns: Leilua is the man to get Wests Tigers’ season started

(@helmesy)
Wests Tigers Development Player Admin
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 4740
Topic starter  

There’s a lot of talk about Wests Tigers, their coach Michael Maguire and halfback Luke Brooks.

But, for me, the person who can help dig them out of the hole is back-rower Luciano Leilua, starting with the match against the Titans in Thursday Night Football at Cbus Super Stadium.

For starters, the Tigers need to strip everything back to the basics: high completions, effort areas like the speed of the defensive line, being the first to a loose ball, pressuring the opposition’s kickers, never clocking off at marker ...

All the things the fans don’t see but are essential to winning.

But it’s in attack where they really need to keep it simple: everyone moving forward, supporting the ball carrier, not waiting for the big play.

That’s where Leilua can become the real X-factor on the right side.

If his teammates are supporting him, with everyone moving forward, it enables him to get into more one-on-one tackles, from which he can break free and offload.

That, in turn, brings the likes of Daine Laurie and Brooks into play.

I made comments last week saying Brooks hasn’t reached his potential at the Tigers. Madge came out swinging for his halfback, which I’d expect, but, for whatever reason, it just doesn’t seem to be working there at the moment.

I stand by the comments. You can see Brooks isn’t playing at his best and I honestly believe a change would be the best thing for all parties.

What about getting rid of Maguire? The question must be asked: if he goes, who comes in and what changes need to be made?

The Tigers need to take the same path as Phil Gould at Penrith a decade ago: identify their juniors and coach them in a style that suits the identity of the club.

There’s no quick fix. They’ve tried to dig their way out through buying talent from other clubs, but it hasn’t worked.

Neither the Tigers nor the Titans know how to win at the moment. The close ones, at least.

Both have high energy in attack and much less in defence, which means a high-scoring, entertaining game, but the team that turns up wanting to defend wins.

The term “momentum” is the game’s latest catchphrase, along with “eyes up footy” and “going through the process”.

The Titans’ young halves are learning the hard way how to hold on to momentum and also how to rescue it back and keep it.

A great example of that was last week’s loss to the Raiders: they were up by 22 points but couldn’t keep that momentum in the second half.

How do you rescue back momentum?

Kick early in the set, strong kick-chase and pressure in the next set of six, wrestling back momentum through field position. And they can’t give away seven-tackle restarts. That’s a big no-no.

The Titans have the best young pack in the comp with Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, David Fifita and Moeaki Fotuaika. Isaac Liu, with his clever ball-playing, has been a really smart signing.

Halves AJ Brimson and Toby Sexton need to feed off the go-forward their pack provides.

JOEY’S TIP: Titans by 10
FIRST TRY-SCORER: AJ Brimson
MAN OF THE MATCH: Tino Fa’asuamaleaui

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/why-leilua-is-the-man-to-get-wests-tigers-season-started-20220330-p5a97n.html

Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!


   
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(@helmesy)
Wests Tigers Development Player Admin
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 4740
Topic starter  

I love how he says all that, but still tips Titans 🤣 

Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!


   
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(@unhappy-tiger)
Wests Tigers Jersey Flegg
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 1226
 

Thought Joey was talking about Joey .....


   
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Frullens
(@frullens)
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Andrew Johns explains how embattled Wests Tigers can ensure long-term success

League legendAndrew Johnssays sacking coachMichael Maguireis not the answer to fixing the Wests Tigers' woes.

Instead, Johns wants to see the embattled Concord club completely revamp its pathway programs to set the team up for long-term NRL success.

The Tigers have slumped to an 0-4 start to season 2022 and have now won only three of their last 15 games.

They haven't played NRL finals in a decade, and are the laughing stock of the competition once again.

Andrew Johns says sacking Michael Maguire as coach would not necessarily solve their problems.

Maguire narrowly avoided being sacked at the end of last season, but he is again under pressure to keep his job despite a heartbreaking last-minute loss to the Titans on Thursday.

Johns was then asked whether Maguire's neck is on the chopping block.

"Well then you are just wall-papering over the cracks," Johns said of sacking Maguire.

"A new coach comes in, there might be a reaction the first couple of weeks, but then the problems are still there.

"The solution is the model which Penrith did six or seven years ago - brought in all their local juniors, identified their juniors, coached the hell out of them a certain way, they all came through together, and it means something to them.

"They come through from the age of 14 or 15 and it means something to them.

"At the moment, I don't see an identity or a DNA to the Tigers."

https://amp.nine.com.au/article/3aba5450-f2e8-474a-a3c7-14f8da10a1e8

Top 8 2023


   
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