Under-pressure Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire insists his team's season is still alive despite slumping to their ninth defeat in the opening 12 rounds.
The Tigers endured their worst half of the year on Saturday, falling from 18-12 up against South Sydney to 44-18 losers as they let in six straight tries.
After showing promise in the first half in attack, the Tigers were unable to rebound after an early first-half call went against them and put them on the back foot.
Ultimately it epitomised the first half of the Tigers' season, as both Maguire and captain James Tamou conceded it felt like a case of a step back for every one forward.
Maguire remains one of the most under-pressure coaches in the NRL, now in his fourth season at Concord and with the club missing out on playing finals since 2005.
But the former Rabbitohs coach insisted the Tigers' season is not over, making reference to the club's only premiership-winning team of 2005 as part of his argument the club can turn things around.
"The season is still alive," Maguire insisted.
"You get a run and you can go back in time at this club where you get all your players back in.
"(Adam) Doueihi, (Alex) Twal, David Nofoaluma back in. You just have to have a passage of consecutive wins. I know it is in this team.
"We just have to play an 80 minute game. We did it last week and against Souths and Parramatta.
"If we win every game (we can play finals). And we roll up every week with the attitude to win every game."
Maguire's comments come after a Sydney Morning Herald report earlier this week claimed Tigers powerbrokers needed to see the team on 10 points by the end of round 13.
That figure is now impossible to reach, with the Tigers having a bye next week.
The club are set to get Doueihi back immediately after that, setting up a question of what Maguire does with halves Luke Brooks and Jackson Hastings.
Nofoaluma is already available for selection but has not been picked as he fights to meet club standards after a concussion, while Daine Laurie and Brent Naden at least showed good signs on Saturday.
"The boys are consistently trying to put 80 minutes of footy together. It is frustrating," Tamou said.
"We completely lost that game.
"Somewhere in the patches in the first half we played our game we wanted to play.
"In the second half we just weren't ourselves. We went away from what we spoke about all week and that is the difference at the moment."
Australian Associated Press
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"We just have to play an 80 minute game. We did it last week and against Souths and Parramatta.
"If we win every game (we can play finals). And we roll up every week with the attitude to win every game."
Read that a few times and really think about what he’s saying.
We didn’t play 80 against Bulldogs for a start.
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Yeah this was a really big game.
If we won, we would have been on 10 points after the bye with Doueihi back and a fighting chance but the season is looking pretty bleak now.
@helmesy I was waiting for the ‘trust the process’ strategy from both in the presser 😃
We won 2 games by 1 point and then another against the wooden spooners. I know the team is playing better than the results have shown but it is a fair question as to whether another coach could get more out of this squad
He’s delusional. 3.5 years and we have gone backwards. No improvement whatsoever. He needs to be moved on immediately. The WT board wasted 2022 by keeping him in the coaches role, can’t afford to waste 2023 too.
@avocadoontoast How much longer do us supporters need to put up with this guy !!!
Honestly 4yrs of failure 3 wins all seasons and he still rolls out the SEASON is not yet done .It’s amazing what self preservation can do to cloud one’s reality!
Next season only 2 additions to the squad and a few ok players leaving .. I ask one question are things going to be different,
I still believe this is not that bad a squad .. I do believe the coach is not up to it !
Name a new coach for next season before it’s to late as the excuses will just be the norm and 2023 will be a disaster.. 5 seasons of failure!
@avocadoontoast How much longer do us supporters need to put up with this guy !!!
Honestly 4yrs of failure 3 wins all seasons and he still rolls out the SEASON is not yet done .It’s amazing what self preservation can do to cloud one’s reality!
Next season only 2 additions to the squad and a few ok players leaving .. I ask one question are things going to be different,
I still believe this is not that bad a squad .. I do believe the coach is not up to it !
Name a new coach for next season before it’s to late as the excuses will just be the norm and 2023 will be a disaster.. 5 seasons of failure!
In doing so Snake,we might be looking for a new Jackson Hastings,also trigger caveats in the contracts of Api K,and Papali’i.Be careful what you wish for.
This side doesn't have 8 straight wins in it ...especially after you look at the draw
@avocadoontoast How much longer do us supporters need to put up with this guy !!!
Honestly 4yrs of failure 3 wins all seasons and he still rolls out the SEASON is not yet done .It’s amazing what self preservation can do to cloud one’s reality!
Next season only 2 additions to the squad and a few ok players leaving .. I ask one question are things going to be different,
I still believe this is not that bad a squad .. I do believe the coach is not up to it !
Name a new coach for next season before it’s to late as the excuses will just be the norm and 2023 will be a disaster.. 5 seasons of failure!
In doing so Snake,we might be looking for a new Jackson Hastings,also trigger caveats in the contracts of Api K,and Papali’i.Be careful what you wish for.
If that’s the case they can all go with him. We are never going to be a successful club with Madge coach, no matter who we sign.
The only players I would be worried about losing because of a coaching change already don’t play at WT (ie Tedesco).
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
@avocadoontoast How much longer do us supporters need to put up with this guy !!!
Honestly 4yrs of failure 3 wins all seasons and he still rolls out the SEASON is not yet done .It’s amazing what self preservation can do to cloud one’s reality!
Next season only 2 additions to the squad and a few ok players leaving .. I ask one question are things going to be different,
I still believe this is not that bad a squad .. I do believe the coach is not up to it !
Name a new coach for next season before it’s to late as the excuses will just be the norm and 2023 will be a disaster.. 5 seasons of failure!
Sorry Snake ...you don't think this is a bad squad ...how many of them make the Penrith or Melbourne sides .....maybe 4 at Melbourne ....2 at Penrith .....this isn't a good squad
@avocadoontoast This is fact players have to much input into this club and team .. it’s time the club started calling the shots if players want to play under
a coach that can not come up with the goods then well and good show them where the front door is .. the players that have made these comments are not world beaters .. a younger hungrier coach will FINALLY attract quality players that want success not want to be all encompassed by failure.
What ever player wants out if Maguire is punted please do not hesitate !!!!
HAD A GUT FULL OF THE CRAP.!
yup i think Madge must be really feeling the pressure now, his use of the bench does puzzle me.. We had our strongest team on the park last night and it was one of our worst performances..if the SMH article was true Im sure the head honchos would be having some interesting chats over the next few weeks..i dont think sacking him now is going to help much for the rest of the season..i know this has been said before but this team is his picking so he cant keep blaming past coaches for players that he didnt sign..For me time is up at end of the season, my coach for next year is Kristian Wolfe
@snake I am so frustrated by the lack of action by the board. Canterbury knew Barrett wasn’t the answer so they cut their losses and got rid of him (in his second season). Here we are in season 4 and they still won’t pull the trigger. It’s a classic example of why we are such an unsuccessful club.
