Hey all, I thought I would start a thread to discuss season 2026 through the rest of this season and the off-season.
Firstly, we’re recording a pod tomorrow night and one of the topics will be - At this early stage, what are three things to be optimistic about for next season, and what are three things to be pessimistic about at this point?
Please feel free to add in your answers here and we will discuss your contributions on that podcast.
Thanks!
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
1. Improved roster for both the first grade side and Magpies
2. A more experienced Benji
3. Confident ending to 2025 season
1. Benji 3rd year as head coach hopefully means we have crossed over beyond learning into being a genuine coach. He has man management down pat, is a great recruiter but he lacks game plans.
2. the squad is 90% capable and another off season with multiple teams in the league expected to be in rebuild mode gives us it he chance to cherry pick the rep level quality that we need to get into a top 4 threat but a rebuild team can’t utilise. Cowboys and Titans are the key targets for these.
3. A strong finish this year and start next year should cascade into more positive media narrative that the likes of the bulldogs and (bizarrely) the eels are getting this year. This finally lifts pressure off the club that he held us back.
1. Cut a lot of deadwood
2. The talent floor has been raised. Especially in the 2nd row
3. Api was quiet in his first year and really broke out in his 2nd. I reckon the same might happen with Luai.
So, after that second half last night, where are we at for 2026?
I think the backs are sorted. Forwards and winning the collision (albeit we did a good job against Canberra in this regard) are still the main problem imo.
I'm not sure KPP fixes this, but it does allow Sione to move back into the middle rotation. We're still one genuine wrecking ball (JFH, AFB type) away, I think.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
@joel The major concern for 2026 is why this group of individuals can not compete for 80mins ,this is nothing new 2024 was the same under Marshall as coach . There obviously is a missing link in the organisations high performance area , it’s not the facilities at the COE as this was always the complaint at the old training facility at Concord . Adding more players is well and good but that’s a useless exercise if this entrenched issue is not addressed…the game is for 80 min but with Marshall as coach the team can only be competitive for 60 mins there is only one question that needs to be asked at the seasons end review why is this !
@joel The major concern for 2026 is why this group of individuals can not compete for 80mins ,this is nothing new 2024 was the same under Marshall as coach . There obviously is a missing link in the organisations high performance area , it’s not the facilities at the COE as this was always the complaint at the old training facility at Concord . Adding more players is well and good but that’s a useless exercise if this entrenched issue is not addressed…the game is for 80 min but with Marshall as coach the team can only be competitive for 60 mins there is only one question that needs to be asked at the seasons end review why is this !
Look at our bench and you find your answer. Still too many players that aren't NRL quality, this leads to you over playing your players so it hits you on 2 fronts.
Your replacements aren't able to compete at the same level and your starters are unable to maintain the same level as they are being over played.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
With everyone fit and healthy we have a competitive top 8 starting 13. Our 14 - 17 is bottom 4 at best as it provides zero impact. The remaining 13 players comprising the top 30 is just sub-par.
Whilst disappointing, finishing 13th certainly beats earning another wooden spoon. We have some of the competitions best young talent and are a couple of middle forwards away of being in the finals.
KPP at worst will solidify our right edge defence and best case scenario he'll have the same impact as Samuela in attack.
An article I wrote this week for Code Sports:
Give up? Raise the white flag? Walk away? Most reasonably minded Wests Tigers fans have likely contemplated finding an escape hatch at some point in the past decade.
Consistently losing on the field, the desertion of generational talent to other clubs, having a coach walk out mid-contract to win four straight premierships elsewhere, a CEO that was fudging membership numbers, archaic home grounds, and never-ending boardroom and ownership turmoil would test the most patient and loyal sports fan.
We Wests Tigers fans have been through it all. You name it, we’ve probably experienced it. We’ve been to Hades so many times it feels like we have a standing reservation!
Read the rest here...
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
This why true Wests Tigers fans are the most loyal around 🤣
@garry Now Richo has stated that no more signings for 2026 my question remains 2024 - 60 min team … 2025 - 60 min team where does the extra 20 mins come from if the concensus is the roster stinks ! I believe it’s more than a roster issue we will see in 2026…
I popped over to Mounties in Sunday as Api was guest speaker for the GF there. I managed to have a good chat with him before he spoke on stage. I asked him why the Panthers were so successful, I suspected it to be because of leadership & a great 7 and the confidence in their roles etc. Api responded by saying it was because of the fitness of the team and the style of game. He mentioned transition and how they put a lot of effort into the transition moments e.g. kick chase and when receiving the ball from a long kick having players back quickly to be in position to make the carries. There are also those moments after a mistake from the opposition being able to take advantage quickly etc. But the point was to have players fit enough, mobile enough to do all this. He emphasised that the speed of the game has made this so important. It seems an obvious point to make but still worth sharing when hearing it from someone like Api. Watching the Grand Final on Sunday simply confirmed his view as the game was so fast and intense.
My question is how do you think the Tigers stack up in this regard, fitness, mobility & speed? And who currently off contract or off contract next season do you think could help improve these areas at the Tigers?
Tonga Vs Samoa match will be epic in Brisbane
Fitness was better in 2025, aided by the boot camp in preseason. But while we were definitely fitter, you could see several teams who were fitter than us on aggregate and i thought we needed to get to the next level in order to compete for longer, especially the last weeks of the comp where we were dropping our bundle in the last 20 mins. Benji said to Terrel in his recent vlog to expect a flogging this off season, so sounds like it's an area identified and our next stage of maturity as a professional footy side.
