The return of the NRL and the first game with the new rule regime saw the Tigers secure a 28-16 come from behind victory against the Sharks.
Michael Maguire’s men adapted very well to the new rules, especially in the second half putting on an impressive attacking display.
Here is my immediate reaction to the game.
The right edge continues to be a problem in defense
For the second round in a row, the Wests Tigers right side has been an issue in defense.
Wade Graham terrorized the combination of David Nofoaluma and BJ Leilua in the first 40 minutes but for some reason, the Sharks didn’t seem to shift the ball this way in the second half.
The pleasing thing about Leilua’s performance however was his gritty work from dummy half which helped generate some much-needed momentum for the team.
With youngster Tommy Talau not getting any game time in reserve grade, the ex-Raiders centre is surely under pressure to keep his spot if he doesn’t find some form soon.
Slow start from Thomas Mikaele and Josh Aloiai but a great second stint
Although the team started well, I was disappointed with the first stint of the two starting props.
Both players came up with poor mistakes in the Sharks end of the field that gave momentum back to the opposing team.
With the new rule changes, teams can’t afford to give away cheap position and it was a big reason why the sharks went onto score three unanswered tries.
Although credit must go to Mikaele for putting in a much better performance in his second stint.
Mikaele provided great value with his offloading in particular and Aloiai did really well to combine with Billy Walters to score their 4thtry.
Hopefully, the two big boys can replicate this form against the Titans next week.
Great start from Brooks and Grant
As predicted by many, the combination of Luke Brooks and Harry Grant was electric in attack and didn’t take long to generate points for the team.
When the team had momentum, it looked like the Sharks had no answers for Brooks and Grant pushing the advantage line and with more games under their belt, the combination is only going to get better.
Grant also got through an impressive defensive load and Brooks stood up when it mattered most with his kicking game which is great to see.
Benji Marshall was also very impressive with his passing game which shouldn’t come as a surprise.
The team adapted very well to the new rule changes
Credit has to go to the fitness of the Tigers squad coming back from the break.
The game was all locked up going into the 4thquarter but the conditioning and fitness of the Tigers was far superior to that of the Sharks who let in some soft tries down the stretch.
It’s clear that the Tigers coaching staff did a great job getting the team match fit for the return of footy.
Moses Mbye had a solid game coming back from injury, especially in defense shutting down Jessie Ramien on multiple occasions.
Here’s hoping that Mbye can nail down the left-center position this year as the Tigers desperately need his leadership.
Congratulations to Alex Seyfarth for making his first-grade debut
I have to give a big shout out to Alex Seyfarth for making his first-grade debut for the club.
Seyfarth is a local junior who’s been in the club’s system for a while now and it’s good to see the young gun get rewarded for his hard work.
I thought Seyfarth was solid from the bench and I look forward to seeing him develop this season into a great middle forward that the team needs.
Adam Doueihi had a great game from Fullback
In his first full game at Fullback for the Tigers, Adam Doueihi really impressed me, especially with his ability to bend the line from kick returns.
The longer the game went on, the more impressive Doueihi looked with the middle forwards fatiguing in the middle.
It’s clear that like Grant, Doueihi’s game will skyrocket with more experience under his belt at Fullback.
(Image: weststigers.com.au)
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