Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire must take blame for roster shambles
As angry Wests Tigers fans look for someone to blame for the state of their team’s playing roster they need to look at the current coach not the former one, writes PAUL CRAWLEY.
Tigers
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tigers. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Here is the proof that completely dispels the myth under fire Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire is still coaching a squad he inherited from Ivan Cleary.
While Maguire should not be completely blamed for what has gone wrong at the Tigers in recent years, what no one can dispute is that every player in the team that got toweled up by Newcastle was either brought to the club or had his contract extended when Maguire was in charge.
We have sat down and gone through the entire list who took the field in round two and none of the deals are leftovers from Cleary’s’ days.
This is now Maguire’s fourth season in charge but the sad reality is the results show the Tigers are getting progressively worse.
In the 70 games the former South Sydney and Wigan premiership winning coach has been in charge at the Tigers his record stands at 26 wins for a strike rate of 37.1 per cent.
Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.
Maguire has also overseen the arrival of Daine Laurie, James Roberts, Oliver Gildart, Ken Maumalo, Jackson Hastings, Stefano Utoikamanu, Kelma Tuilagi, Jake Simpkin, Luciano Leilua, Joe Ofahengaue and Tyrone Peachey.
And every single player that was previously at the club also signed an extension under Maguire, including underperforming halfback Luke Brooks who is on $850,000-a-season and locked up until the end of 2023.
That didn’t stop Brooks asking for a release twice during the preseason to join Newcastle, but on both occasions the move was blocked.
CRAWLEY FILES: NRL RIVAL DECLARES EELS OVERRATED PRETENDERS
You would be safe to assume the Knights would be happy they missed out after Brooks was completely showed up by Newcastle’s bargain buy Adam Clune and young gun Jake Clifford on the weekend.
It also defies belief why the club would recruit a player like Peachey who arrived obviously thinking he would be starting lock but is playing off the bench behind Joe Ofahengaue.
It was crystal clear in Peachey’s pre-match interview in Newcastle that he was confused and seemingly frustrated about the role, and when he went out he played accordingly, getting sin binned from a shocking lack of discipline.
The player recently named as one of five co-captains even had a smirk on his face when he ran from the field, the embarrassing scene caught on Fox Sports’ match telecast when his team was trailing 12-0 at the time.
'Tyrone Peachey is the captain and comes up with one of the dumbest plays to get his team 10 in the bin' 🗣ï¸
— Fox League (@FOXNRL) March 20, 2022
Corey Parker did not hold back 😳
📺 Watch #NRLKnightsTigers LIVE on
ch. 502 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/mk8ZkVaFzQ
âœï¸ BLOG https://t.co/H5fAesd0IDpic.twitter.com/e6L3Dw0kH1
Hastings’ arrival also makes you wonder where Maguire will play Adam Doueihi when he returns from injury if Brooks stays at halfback.
There is obviously a chance Doueihi could be moved to the centres but he has specifically said in the past he wants to wear the No 6 jumper because he believes five-eighth is his best position.
That is also ignoring another very talented young player in Jock Madden whose career is just wasting away, although at least he now gets a crack against the Warriors with Hastings suspended.
Tommy Talau is the other player who is out injured and has to fit in somewhere at some point.
No question, there is not a coach in the game who could walk in tomorrow and fix everything that is wrong at the Tigers.
But the argument that Maguire has not been given a fair go because it’s a squad he inherited is well and truly out of date.
WESTS TIGERS ROSTER: SIGNED OR EXTENDED UNDER MICHAEL MAGUIRE
Daine Lawrie joined Tigers from Penrith in 2021
David Nofoaluma signed extension until end of 2025
James Roberts signed extension until end of 2022
Oliver Gildart signed from Super League 2022
Ken Maumalo signed from Warriors 2021
Jackson Hastings signed from Super League 2022
Luke Brooks signed extension until end of 2023 (asked for a release twice over summer but was knocked back)
Alex Twal signed extension until end of 2024
Jake Simpkin signed extension until end of 2024
Stefano Utoikamanu signed from Parramatta in 2021
Kelma Tuilagi joined Tigers in 2021 from Melbourne, now going to Manly
Luciano Leilua signed from St George Illawarra in 2020, heading to North Queensland next year
Joe Ofahengaue joined Tigers from Brisbane in 2021
Tyrone Peachey joined Tigers from Gold Coast in 2022
Zane Musgrove signed extension until end of 2024
Alex Seyfarth signed extension until end of 2023
Thomas Mikaele signed extension until end of 2022
TIGERS STARS CAUGHT OUT IN LATE-NIGHT POKIE SHOCK
The Wests Tigers playing-group culture is under question yet again following revelations two players were seen gambling on poker machines at a Newcastle pub on the night before the club’s humiliating loss to the Newcastle Knights.
Fullback Daine Laurie and centre James Roberts left the team hotel and were at the Great Northern Hotel until around 10pm.
The Wests Tigers were thumped 26-4 the next day by an understrength Knights team that was missing Dave Klemmer, Kalyn Ponga, Daniel Saifiti and Jayden Brailey.
Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now >
Revelations that two players were out the night before, albeit not drinking alcohol, is sure to anger Wests Tigers members and fans after their shocking performance.
It says a lot about a poor attitude at the club both on and off the field.
While they have done nothing seriously wrong, it adds speculation and a perception that all is not well amongst the playing group at Concord.
The Daily Telegraph has contacted Wests Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe about what happened but he declined to comment until speaking to the players.
The club has a must-win game this weekend against the New Zealand Warriors, another underperforming team that has lost its first two games of the season.
The Daily Telegraph was alerted to the incident by a Knights fan who wrote in an email:
“I was at the Great Northern Hotel Saturday night before Knights vs Tigers. Was very surprised to see Daine Laurie and James Roberts at the pub having a go at the slappers at 9pm. Made me very confident as a Knights fan. I’d be very disappointed if I found out Knights players did that before a game. I think the performance from both showed the care factor of zero on the Sunday.”
Football general manager Tim Sheens was unavailable for comment.
Luai’s shock Wests Tigers call after GF win
Four-time champion Jarome Luai had a blunt reply when asked about his looming move to the Wests Tigers for the 2025 season.
Wests Tigers coaching shake-up as club legend returns
Benji Marshall will reunite with a 2005 premiership-winning Tigers teammate who is set to return to the club as part of their revamped coaching staff.