Shane Richardson famously declared at a Wests Tigers’ sponsorship announcement last November how his club had “the best spine in the game”.
And after watching Jarome Luai, Lachie Galvin, Api Koroisau and Jahream Bula combine for the first time in the NRL last Sunday, there might be some truth to what Richardson said.
Melbourne quartet Jahrome Hughes, Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Harry Grant are in a league of their own when it comes to the team with a superior halfback, five-eighth, fullback and hooker.
They were awesome against Penrith on Thursday night, combining beautifully for Papenhuyzen’s crucial try.
As for the other big guns? Penrith are now relying on a rookie five-eighth in Jack Cole, Manly have a tradesman-like hooker in Lachlan Croker, and while Cronulla’s spine players are all consistent, they have arguably reached their ceiling.
If the Tigers’ spine is not the best in the game, they certainly deserve to be on the podium.
Best spine in the NRL? Wests Tigers’ players Api Koroisau, Jarome Luai, Jahream Bula and Lachie GalvinCredit: Nine
Brisbane’s Adam Reynolds, Ezra Mam, Ben Hunt and Reece Walsh – the Broncos’ first-choice spine once Mam returns from a ban – would be the other team on the dais.
The Tigers’ key players all touched the ball for Sunia Turuva’s first try against Parramatta. It seemed simple, but Luai said this week it was a play they had rehearsed at training. They also all featured in Turuva’s second.
When you remind coach Benji Marshall on Friday about Richardson’s comments late last year, he smiles and tells this masthead: “I think he said, ‘one of the best spines’.
“We’re far from the best at the moment. We have good players, but we have a long way to go before we talk about being the best.
“I like my spine. I’m happy with who we have got. It doesn’t happen overnight. We’re lucky we have some really good forwards who lay a platform, and that helps.
“I honestly don’t know how long it will take. I just want them to keep building and enjoying the way they play their footy.”
Several players spoken to by this masthead discussed Koroisau’s dominance out of dummy-half, and how that would make life easier for Luai and Galvin, two players who enjoy being free spirits.
Marshall could understand that logic but was not completely buying into it.
“The bonus of having a No. 9 like Api is he can control the ruck, and deal with what’s happening at the ruck, which then allows the halves to deal with what’s happening outside of them,” Marshall said.
“Sometimes when you’re a half, and you don’t have a No.9 who controls the ruck, you have to control both, and that’s hard to do. Having Api there is a bonus.”
Marshall said it took time for him to gel with halfback Scott Prince, hooker Robbie Farah and Brett Hodgson before they helped the Tigers to their only premiership 20 years ago.
“I was lucky because I had Scott Prince controlling everything, and when I called it, he’d give it to me – Robbie would control the ruck, Scott controlled all the kicking, and I didn’t have to do much when I was five-eighth,” Marshall said.
Wests Tigers’ recruit Jarome LuaiCredit: Sam Mooy
Luai grew up playing with Nathan Cleary and said it took years for him and the game’s best player to develop a proper understanding of their games.
Cleary was always the more dominant half, which allowed Luai to float aroundand inject himself when he saw fit.
One question before the start of this season was how Luai and Galvin – two traditional five-eighths – would cope with one forced to call the shots.
Luai was not worried and said of his on-field chemistry with Galvin: “Lachie is young and wants to play free. I can help him with cues and what to look for out on the field, and when to play.
“We have that dynamic of [Galvin’s] young flair, and then experience and knowing what works. That’s the balance we have, and it will only improve.”
One person who was keen to see how the Tigers’ spine performed at CommBank Stadium was Melbourne and Queensland legend Billy Slater.
Slater’s chemistry with Storm teammates Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk remains one of the greatest the game has seen this century.
The former fullback said Cronk was the first player he ever struck up an on-field relationship with, which took place in 2001 when he was a centre, and Cronk his five-eighth at Brisbane Norths in the Queensland Cup.
“I scored 34 tries that year, purely from Coops feeding the ball in [a] good position,” Slater said.
“The Tigers’ spine is among the top handful in the game. You could make an argument for them being in the top three in the NRL.
“I was really excited to watch them work together last week. You could see the lack of time they’ve had together, but they will only improve. When you’ve got such quality in the key positions, everyone else in the team starts thinking to themselves, ‘if I do my role, those guys will take care of the rest’.
“I don’t think it will take them long to click at all.”
Slater has said in the past he can see Galvin eventually moving to halfback and being that on-ball player, even if it meant continuing to wear the No. 6.
That’s exactly what is happening now at Cronulla with Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall.
Slater and Marshall are big fans of Bula, and said his teammates needed to ensure they were always finding ways to inject him into the action.
The Tigers head to Queensland to take on the winless Dolphins on Saturday evening.
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