Interesting comments from Doueihi in the Fox Sports piece on Brooks copping criticism…
“He’s had a really good pre-season this year, it’s been more enjoyable for myself and him. We have a clear picture of how we want to play, there’s a style of footy this year that suits both our games and we’ve enjoyed that.“
I think I’m not just keen to see the new recruits, but also to see us play a more exciting and hopefully effective style than what we’ve had for the last couple of seasons.
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Let’s hope
The boys look better prepared physically than the last couple of years.
Noooooooooooo dont say it!!
Last year is the best I have ever seen the boys look in preseason and in every game we looked gassed 20mins in. Im hoping they are working on aerobics, not aesthetics.
On an incredibly thinly linked point, I posted a link to a Bulldogs video in another thread and made the point that it looked the same as the preseason videos made when Cleary was here and it looks like whoever made it followed Cleary and then Ciraldo. In the video a very big deal is made of the players all taking the time to learn about each others different cultures and it has all brought them together as a unit and made them tighter and that is going to flow into their performances. We heard similar things out of the Tigers last two years with our connection to the Indigenous programs. I think these programmes are good and worthwhile, but Im really hoping not to hear any of that this year from us.
I dont want to hear how they are celebrating diversity, or anything else other the joy of finally learning how to run, pass tackle. So far so good.
A few Wests Tigers will be in action in the All Stars game.
Brent Naden and Will Smith made the Indigenous squad and Starford To'a was selected as part of the Māori squad.
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Sheens tips basketball convert to push for Tigers’ No.1 in three-way battle: Off-season Central
Tigers coach Tim Sheens has tipped young gun Jahream Bula to challenge for the No.1 jersey in a three-way battle with incumbent Daine Laurie and star recruit Charlie Staines.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported Sheens believes Bula can leapfrog Laurie, who has also been training in the halves and Staines, who is also being considered as a winger at some stage during the 2023 season.
“Jahream Bula will be a kid who comes out of nowhere,” Sheens told The Herald.
“Daine's has been training at halfback and fullback, ‘Stainesy’ at fullback and wing, but this kid has been playing fullback all year in the second team. And he has been the best trainer at the club.
“I’m not afraid to throw blokes in, and if they’re good enough they’re old enough.”
A product of the famous rugby league nursery Keebra Park State High, Bula was discovered by the Titans back in 2019.
As a 17-year-old Keebra Park student, Bula was spotted after just two games for the renowned nursery’s top rugby league side in 2019 after a season spent mostly in the B team.
Before that he was a budding basketball player. He joined the Tigers this year and impressed the Tigers’ coaching staff with his efforts in Jersey Flegg.
Keebra Park high school is a rugby league nursery that has produced some of the NRL’s biggest and best names, including Tigers legend and current assistant coach Benji Marshall.
During his stint with the Titans Bula told The Gold Coast Bulletin his upbringing in basketball had fast-tracked his rugby league career.
“Basketball has really helped my rugby league, with the jumping and catching and footwork,” Bula told The Gold Coast Bulletin.
Daine has been training in the halves.
“Basketballers need good court vision and I find that helps me read defences too.”
Junior Titans System coach Jamie McCormack knew Bula’s athletic base and size at just 17 years of age would bode well for future success.
“Sometimes when we do junior recruitment and talent scouting it’s great to keep an eye out for genuine athletes,” McCormack said.
Tigers recruit Charlie Staines has been training at fullback and wing.
“Whatever skills they may be deficient in, that’s our job to make sure they improve.
“Jahream is just an athlete – for an outside back coming from a basketball background, the ability to jump high in the air and catch balls above his head (is helpful).
“His athletic ability and power base to get high off the ground gets him into try-scoring situations.”
Bula - anyone heard of him before today?
Top 8 2023
It will be interesting what happens to Laurie, if Bula does take his spot.
I like Laurie and think he's an honest competitor. But is missing the X factor we need at fullback.
Top 8 2023
Didnt realise how slight framed Tumeth was looks like a midget in this photo. A lot of weight work over the next few years.
Didnt realise how slight framed Tumeth was looks like a midget in this photo. A lot of weight work over the next few years.
Still a teenager body really.
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I had a chance to get out to training yesterday, some observations from the session.
It was a very interesting afternoon, very expansive style of football played in a full opposed session, they are driving ball control hard, while playing expansive football.
Ad straightening the attack and creating space, I asked Tim about Ad after about how he was straightening much better. Tim said they have worked hard on it but it is also the strength in the knee returning allowing him to drive off that leg. From what I saw spine will 100% be Brooks Ad and Laurie at fullback.
Coaching structure really interesting with Benji and Robbie running training, Sheens watching on and doing a lot of individual coaching with players.
Warren Smith was also there checking out training as he is calling the NZ trial on Thursday.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
