Wests Tigers need to make changes to avoid another shocking NRL season in 2024

Some players need an attitude adjustment, and others need to be dropped to reserve grade. This is how the Tigers turn things around before round 3.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 16: Apisai Koroisau of the Wests Tigers talks to his team during the round two NRL match between Canberra Raiders and Wests Tigers at GIO Stadium, on March 16, 2024, in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

Saturday was a horrid day for the Wests Tigers.

But as a club they’ve had plenty of those in the past few years.

With a few team tweaks and a switch of mindset things may not be as bad as they seem.

FAN SUPPORT

Much like the Knights, Tigers fans only care about one thing right now and that’s a team that shows effort.

Loyal fans can cop losing if everyone tries their guts out.

That’s where Saturday’s defensive effort against the Raiders falls flat.

They missed 27 tackles, including lazy one-on-one misses that led to tries. And to long-suffering fans of the club it feels like straight up disrespect to the jersey.

Only one Tigers forward made over 100 metres in their 32-12 loss, while Canberra charged for almost 300 running metres and 200 post-contact metres more than the Tigers pack.

That attitude needs to change immediately or the Tigers risk being 0-3 from the first month of the season.

On Saturday night they face Cronulla at Leichhardt Oval, where they’re aiming to win two straight games at the ground for the first time since 2019.

Their last game at Leichhardt was the sensational 66-18 victory over the Cowboys in round 12 last year, and to back that up in front of home fans would be the perfect recovery.

They then face Parramatta on Easter Monday at a sold out Commbank Stadium, followed by the Dolphins at Suncorp.

Justin Olam will return from injury. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

SQUAD CHANGES

Starford To’a is in doubt with an ankle injury, but powerhouse centre Justin Olam will return from a knee injury to face the Sharks.

The ex-Melbourne star will add instant starch to the backline where it’s desperately needed.

After Jayden Sullivan was benched early in the second half against Canberra, Aidan Sezer added a bit more experience and direction to the team even though they were playing behind an ineffective forward pack.

Marshall offered no real explanation for his decision to start Sullivan over Sezer, but it needs to be reversed.

Rookie five-eighth Lachlan Galvin is a breath of fresh air for the club, and looks like a genuine star of the future.

He needs a halfback to support his development and right now that’s not Sullivan.

Skipper Api Koroisau has a word to his side. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

ADJUSTING EXPECTATIONS

The first step is admitting the issue.

Raging success for the Tigers this year is eight wins instead of four.

When Newcastle were battling through their wooden spoon era between 2015 and 2017, expectations for what the team could achieve were incredibly low.

That was deliberate and useful.

Fans stuck by the club, trusting the plan, and eventually brighter days came around.

Last year the Knights finished fifth and reached the semi-finals for the first time in a decade.

They’re still waiting on a premiership, but there’s some solid success to enjoy.

Right now the Tigers are where the Knights were at the end of 2017.

That year the Knights gained their third straight wooden spoon and won just five games.

Last year the Tigers won four.

Within NRL clubs, egos get in the way of the truth sometimes.

But the reality is the Tigers need to go through some more pain to fight their way out of this cycle.

It won’t last forever.

Originally published as Wests Tigers need to make changes to avoid another shocking NRL season in 2024