NRL 2021: Wests Tigers pay high price for lack of discipline as Canberra start season with victory

While the Tigers’ enthusiasm and desperation in defence kept them in the game until halftime, they just didn’t have the control or respect to stick with the Raiders in the second half.

The Tigers bring Hudson Young to a grinding halt.

It’s time for the Wests Tigers to grow up.

It’s time for them to learn some discipline.

It’s time for them to learn to tough it out and win tight games through grit and hard work and not by cutting corners.

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Unfortunately that was the story for them last year and judging by what we saw in Canberra on Sunday they haven’t learnt from their lessons over the summer.

It must be so infuriating for Michael Maguire.

Here is one of the most disciplined and hardest working coaches in the game whose work ethic transformed South Sydney into a premiership force.

Alex Twal charges into the Raiders defence.

But at the Tigers it’s like he’s coaching to a different script.

And it’s a shame because there were parts of the Tigers’ performance against Canberra that showed some positive signs but in the end their lack of discipline cost them any chance.

Luke Brooks had a start to forget with some shocking kicks and while he set up the opening try for Jacob Liddle in the end he was still part of the problem.

Make that a big part of the problem.

Jordan Rapana scoots over for the decisive try against the Tigers.

Brooks is now 26 years of age and this is his ninth season in the top grade.

And he’s never played finals football.

Then you look at a player like Joey Leilua.

He has all the talent in the world when he’s on his game.

But time and again, throughout his career and again on Sunday, he came up with brain explosions that just took away from anything good that the Tigers did.

Jacob Liddle was one beacon of hope for the Tigers.

Whether it was giving away a dump penalty or throwing a silly pass under pressure, Leilua just lets his emotion get the better of him and it sets a bad standard that just seems to impact across the entire team.

Joey Leilua lets his emotions get the better of him.

The Tigers’ enthusiasm and desperation in defence in the first half had kept them in the game when it was six-all at the break. And there were glimpses of hope in attack.

The Raiders had a majority 56-44 per cent split of first half possession with the Tigers forced to make 41 more tackles and 20 more in their own quarter.

But ultimately they just didn’t have the control or the respect to stick with the Raiders in the second half.

While the scoreline finished 30-12 the Raiders were a long way from their best.

Now the Tigers take on the Sydney Roosters this Sunday at Campbelltown.

If they turn up with the same lack of discipline it will be a cricket score.

But it is no use pointing the finger at the coach.

It’s about time some of these players put their hands up and said enough is enough.

Only then will the Tigers’ culture change, because that’s what separates the really good NRL teams from the rest.

They don’t look for excuses, they find a way to get the result.

Not a reason why so-called ‘bad luck’ seems to follow them around every corner.