Wests Tigers 2015 NRL season preview: Tigers to lean on Jason Taylor, young guns for improvement

A NEW coach and the most exciting young brigade in the competition will be the telling factors in the Tigers efforts to play finals in 2015. SEASON PREVIEW

Tigers vs Bulldogs

WITH a new coach and an exciting brigade of youth underpinning their campaign, 2015 could be anything for the Tigers.

Although they fell away at the back end of last season as scuttlebutt over then-coach Mick Potter’s future started to filter into the team’s performances, the joint venture showed enough promise early on to suggest a big season is just around the corner.

For the optimists, the development of young guns Luke Brooks, Mitchell Moses, James Tedesco and Curtis Sironen is enough to approach this season with realistic hopes of a finals berth.

And if they can keep all their young talent on the field there’s no reason to think Jason Taylor can’t inspire a few surprises.

Wests Tigers stats.

Strengths: Firepower — With Kevin Naiqama joining James Tedesco, Tim Simona, David Nofoaluma, Chris Lawrence and Pat Richards, the Tigers have firepower out wide that very few opponents can match. The fact that try-scoring freak Marika Koroibete was frozen out last season tells the story.

Weaknesses: Inexperience — The Tigers will be hoping their youthful roster is a strength, but when it comes to competing with the heavyweights, there’s no substitute for experience. On that score, the Tigers are lightweights.

KEY PLAYER: Robbie Farah — Whether the Tigers are doing well or not, the finger is usually pointed at Robbie Farah. Not many players have as much power and influence over their club as Farah, so if he’s playing well and he’s in a good space, it’s likely to rub off positively on his teammates. As one of the club’s few experienced players, he has to be the glue to keep things together.

ONE TO WATCH: Mitchell Moses — Last year it was Luke Brooks who took the NRL by storm, and 2015 is shaping as the year for his halves partner Mitchell Moses to do something similar. Moses, 20, has long been touted as a star of the future, and following the retirement of Braith Anasta he’s likely to get a full season to grow into a key role in first grade.

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The only gun hooker in SuperCoach guaranteed 80 minutes for round one. Cameron Smith (ankle) and Jake Friend (shoulder) will miss the opening rounds, while James Segeyaro and Issac Luke have Apisai Koroisau and Cameron McInnes behind them, demanding minutes.

BURNING QUESTION: Has Jason Taylor got the magic touch?

It’s always difficult to speculate about a team’s fortunes when a new coach takes the reins in the off-season. But with so much talk last year about player power and club factions having their say over Mick Potter’s future, it will be fascinating to see how the dynamic plays out with Taylor at the helm.

VERDICT: The Tigers should improve from their 13th place finish last year and push for a top eight spot. Luke Brooks will have worked on his flimsy defence and his combination with fellow young gun Mitchell Moses, and those two factors are likely to be telling. The casualty ward will also have a big say, with the Tigers one of the hardest teams hit in 2014. It might just be one season too early for a playoff position.

GAINS: Kevin Naiqama (Panthers), Matthew Lodge (mid-season — Storm), John Sila (mid-season — Bulldogs), Brenden Santi (mid-season — Eels), Josh Drinkwater (London Broncos), Shannon McDonnell and Wesley Lolo (train and trial contracts).

LOSSES: Adam Blair (Broncos), Blake Austin (Raiders), Braith Anasta (retired), Liam Fulton (retired), Marika Koroibete (mid-season — Storm), Ben Murdoch-Masila (mid-season — Panthers), Cory Paterson (retired), Jarred Farlow (French rugby), James Gavet (Broncos), Bodene Thompson (Warriors), Jy Hitchcox (Featherstone Rovers)

PREDICTED ROUND ONE TEAM: James Tedesco, Kevin Naiqama, Chris Lawrence, Tim Simona, Pat Richards, Mitchell Moses, Luke Brooks, Aaron Woods, Robbie Farah (c), Keith Galloway, Curtis Sironen, Sitaleki Akauola, Sauaso Sue. Interchange: Dene Halatau, Martin Taupau, Ava Seumanufagai, Matthew Lodge

REST OF SQUAD: Nathan Brown, Jack Buchanan, Manaia Cherrington, Josh Drinkwater, Andy Fiagatusa, Asipeli Fine, Salesi Funaki, Dallas Graham, Delouise Houter, Lamar Liolevave, Kyle Lovett, Joel Luani, Keith Lulia, Nathan Milone, David Nofoaluma, Chance Peni, Kurtis Rowe, Brenden Santi

Originally published as Wests Tigers 2015 NRL season preview: Tigers to lean on Jason Taylor, young guns for improvement