In 2023 the Tigers used 5 players who were 20 years old or younger, they played a combined total of 13 games. In 2024 the Tigers used 10 players who were 20 years old or younger, they played a combined total of 80 games. Of course of those 80 games Lachie Galvin and Samuela Fainu played more than half, 44 between them. But it's still a lot of very young players and six were in their rookie year. Of them Lachie, Samuela, Latu, Tallyn and Luke Laulilii and possibly Heath Mason all showed that they will have futures in the NRL, at least a few of them, you'd think, will have very bright futures. How good they will be is the question, the mystery. And this is what got me thinking, when making our predictions of where we might finish next year we don't know just how much improvement is in these young players, you could add Sione and Johannssen as well because they are still young and just beginning their careers at this level. In my opinion there is a helluva lot of improvement in them all, Lachie, Luke and Heath went from schoolboys to NRL players in less than a year so surely they'll be better. Sam was player of the year yet had only played 5 other NRL games before this year and he played most of the year in a position he'd been unaccustomed to playing. And playing and training with Luai will surely help their development and confidence, Jahream might also improve more than we expect given this season was his first full (almost) season at the back. I don't think there is any other club in the NRL right now that has 4, 5 or 6 players 20 or under who look to have so much talent yet have the scope of improvement that these players do, obviously I could be wrong. So just how much can they improve?
In 2023 the Tigers used 5 players who were 20 years old or younger, they played a combined total of 13 games. In 2024 the Tigers used 10 players who were 20 years old or younger, they played a combined total of 80 games. Of course of those 80 games Lachie Galvin and Samuela Fainu played more than half, 44 between them. But it's still a lot of very young players and six were in their rookie year. Of them Lachie, Samuela, Latu, Tallyn and Luke Laulilii and possibly Heath Mason all showed that they will have futures in the NRL, at least a few of them, you'd think, will have very bright futures. How good they will be is the question, the mystery. And this is what got me thinking, when making our predictions of where we might finish next year we don't know just how much improvement is in these young players, you could add Sione and Johannssen as well because they are still young and just beginning their careers at this level. In my opinion there is a helluva lot of improvement in them all, Lachie, Luke and Heath went from schoolboys to NRL players in less than a year so surely they'll be better. Sam was player of the year yet had only played 5 other NRL games before this year and he played most of the year in a position he'd been unaccustomed to playing. And playing and training with Luai will surely help their development and confidence, Jahream might also improve more than we expect given this season was his first full (almost) season at the back. I don't think there is any other club in the NRL right now that has 4, 5 or 6 players 20 or under who look to have so much talent yet have the scope of improvement that these players do, obviously I could be wrong. So just how much can they improve?
Yep, it’s exciting. Hopefully Luai helps us get more out of the more senior guys and provides a good bridge to the youth.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
In 2023 the Tigers used 5 players who were 20 years old or younger, they played a combined total of 13 games. In 2024 the Tigers used 10 players who were 20 years old or younger, they played a combined total of 80 games. Of course of those 80 games Lachie Galvin and Samuela Fainu played more than half, 44 between them. But it's still a lot of very young players and six were in their rookie year. Of them Lachie, Samuela, Latu, Tallyn and Luke Laulilii and possibly Heath Mason all showed that they will have futures in the NRL, at least a few of them, you'd think, will have very bright futures. How good they will be is the question, the mystery. And this is what got me thinking, when making our predictions of where we might finish next year we don't know just how much improvement is in these young players, you could add Sione and Johannssen as well because they are still young and just beginning their careers at this level. In my opinion there is a helluva lot of improvement in them all, Lachie, Luke and Heath went from schoolboys to NRL players in less than a year so surely they'll be better. Sam was player of the year yet had only played 5 other NRL games before this year and he played most of the year in a position he'd been unaccustomed to playing. And playing and training with Luai will surely help their development and confidence, Jahream might also improve more than we expect given this season was his first full (almost) season at the back. I don't think there is any other club in the NRL right now that has 4, 5 or 6 players 20 or under who look to have so much talent yet have the scope of improvement that these players do, obviously I could be wrong. So just how much can they improve?
Definitely exciting for the future, there are just too many ifs in all that for me to be confident for next year.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
