NRL 2024: Senior players not holding up their end of the bargain at Wests Tigers, letting down rising crop of youngster

Senior players at the Wests Tigers aren’t holding up their end of the bargain, with a lack of leadership, discipline and resilience letting down youngsters like Lachlan Galvin.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 30: David Klemmer of the Tigers is tackled by the Roosters defence during the round 17 NRL match between Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers at Allianz Stadium, on June 30, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

The Wests Tigers’ youth policy is masking a bigger problem at Concord – the senior playing group isn’t holding up its end of the bargain.

It’s time for the club’s senior players to show the leadership, discipline and resilience that comes with years of experience at the top level.

If that doesn’t change in the next five days, Melbourne, like the Sydney Roosters last weekend, will make the Tigers pay.

The Tigers missed 49 tackles in the 40-6 loss to the Roosters last Sunday and played part of the game with 11 men after losing Adam Doueihi and Api Koroisau to the sin bin.

Benji Marshall’s battle for the club to avoid a third-straight wooden spoon won’t get any easier in the next for weeks with clashes against the Sharks, a rejuvenated Rabbitohs and the Warriors waiting.

Tigers fans have every right to be excited about the emergence of Lachlan Galvin, Heath Mason, Jordan Miller and co under Marshall’s rebuild.

David Klemmer is a senior forward who made less than 100 metres against the Roosters. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

But they are also well in their right to feel let down by the likes of David Klemmer, John Bateman, Isaiah Papali’i (injured) and Stefano Utoikamanu, all who are on big dollars but are struggling to deliver value for money.

Young forward Fonua Pole was the only Tigers forward to run more than 100 metres.

With a raft of barely legal players getting a taste of NRL this year, its incumbent on the club’s senior players to not only be leading the way, but showing the way.

Bateman played with some intensity against the Roosters and made 31 tackles but moments of ill-discipline and frustration were never too far from the surface. For an experienced forward on around $750,000, Marshall should demand more from the Englishman in the back-end of the season.

Adam Doueihi was sent to the bin against the Roosters. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Klemmer was once one of the most feared big men in the game but returned from the weekend with little venom against a Roosters pack of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Terrell May and even Naufahu Whyte hellbent on bullying the Tigers.

He’d been sidelined for three weeks for dangerous contact, his fourth charge so far this year. Again, poor discipline, which has been a theme for the Tigers this year, rearing its ugly head.

Utoikamanu is commanding between $800,000-$1 million per year on the market but is yet to deliver that value at Concord.

When Utoikamanu, who dished up 10 runs for just 61 metres against the Roosters, is on his game he looks like a world beater but his inconsistency must be frustrating for Tigers fans.

Benji Marshall’s rebuild won’t work if senior players don’t pull their weight. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

The Tigers pack needs to hunt like a pack, roll up their sleeves and get into the grind to show the youngsters the way forward.

CEO Shane Richardson has already put the entire roster on notice making no secret of his intention to move on players, but it is yet to elicit the right response from senior players.

It’s not all doom and gloom in the senior ranks, skipper Koroisau leaves nothing on the field and Doueihi has returned from a third ACL looking refreshed and playing with intent.

Doueihi was inspirational against the Roosters running for 156 metres in just his second game back from 18-month injury absence

If the Tigers are going to avoid the spoon it’s time for the side’s senior players to pick this club off the canvas, rather than bank on the exuberance of youth.

Originally published as NRL 2024: Senior players not holding up their end of the bargain at Wests Tigers, letting down rising crop of youngster