Wests Tigers legends dissect the team’s biggest weakness

As another year goes to waste for the Wests Tigers, legends of the club have identified the most glaring issue the team needs to fix.

The Wests Tigers are crying out for a leader. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Balmain legends Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach and Benny Elias believe the Wests Tigers need to recruit an experienced player to lead the side if they are any chance to rise up the standings next season.

Heading into the final round, the Tigers are 13th on the NRL ladder and are set to miss out on the top eight for the 10th year in a row — the longest finals drought of any team in the competition.

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Fans have been given unprecedented insight to the Tigers turbulent season thanks to a groundbreaking documentary, which is the first of its kind in the NRL.

The four-part series Wild Wests: Tales from Tiger Town, available on Fox League and Kayo, was granted unrestricted behind-the-scenes access to capture footage of the Tigers coach’s box and dressing room throughout the season.

Tigers coach Michael ‘Madge’ Maguire was criticised for constantly trying to rev up his players with motivational speeches in the sheds before the game and at halftime.

More often than not in the documentary, each match ends with him tearing shreds off his troops for their lacklustre performances and for showing a lack of intent and determination on the field.

A lack of player leadership has left Madge to do all the talking. Picture NRL Images

Roach and Elias argue Maguire’s passionate speeches are a sign the Tigers are crying out for a leader among the playing group themselves.

“The best teams that I’ve ever seen have had a leader that sets the standards not only on the field, he sets the standards off the field in his training and all that sort of stuff,” Roach told the Tales from Tiger Town review show.

“He’s the bloke that sets the standards for the whole lot and raises it.

“For me, the Tigers, when I watch them and sit around and listen to them talk and watch the Tales from Tiger Town is that they lack a leader. And it’s not their fault.”

Roach said James Tamou, who was recruited from Penrith at the end of last year to captain the Tigers, has not been given enough game time to showcase his leadership capabilities on the field.

“You can see that Madge doesn’t think he’s (Tamou) a leader the way that they’ve used him this year,” he said.

“They’ve bought a bloke who’s probably past his best and that’s not his fault.

“The Tigers have signed him to be a leader and maybe he’s not really what they wanted and maybe he hasn’t performed the way that he wanted but he’s at the end of his career.

Wests Tigers captain James Tamou has played very limited game time this season. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Roach, who was part of the legendary Balmain side of the 1980s, believes the Tigers desperately need an experienced player to help lead the team on and off the field.

“That’s the trouble. The whole pack are all same-so,” he said.

“They’re all around the same age, they’ve all played a similar number of games.

“There’s no real experienced leader there. Now I know that’s why they bought James Tamou but James wouldn’t mind me saying this. He probably thought, ‘I’d be happy to hang the boots up but I’ve got this offer from the Tigers I’ll go and try and help them’, but look at the amount of time Madge has used him this year.

“He plays 10 or 15 minutes in a half and then the poor bloke’s standing on the sideline. If he’s the leader that you’re looking for, why is the coach using you like that?”

“Why would you name a captain and a leader and only play him a quarter if that of the game?” Elias added.

“The Tigers have not been the same since Gareth Ellis left us. He was a leader and he set the standards and he said, ‘You follow me, I’m going to show you the standards that I want and if you don’t get on board you’re gone. You’re not in my footy side.’

Adam Doueihi has been earmarked as the Tigers’ next skipper. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

“That’s what you need, you need leaders. We need someone who sets the standards.”

Roach and Elias both believe the Tigers should appoint Adam Doueihi as captain next year and look to recruit an experienced player such as former Canberra Raiders star John Bateman.

Earlier this week, reports suggested the second-rower was considering moving back to Australia from the UK where he plays for Wigan, but Bateman swiftly quashed those rumours.

“Just a quick message to address rumours about my future at Wigan,” he tweeted.

“Firstly my GIRLFRIEND … not my wife @amy is not one bit homesick and she has in fact been living the best life ever by being on holiday for the last 4 months.

“So let me assure you she’s not homesick, if anything she’s absolutely loving England.

“Also I assure I’m 100% committed to being at @wigan and my life back home with my family and friends.

“I can’t wait to get stuck into the back-end of the season with the lads.

“Thank you for the messages of concern I appreciate it but there is really no substance to any of these stories whatsoever.”

There hasn’t been much to cheer about this year for the Wests Tigers. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Elias reiterated one of the Tigers’ biggest issues is they struggle to recruit marquee players from other clubs who want to play for them.

“Who can they get? They can’t attract anyone at the moment,” he said.

“That’s one of our big problems.”

Recapping an underwhelming season in which the Tigers have only managed eight wins, the Balmain legends were also concerned their club struggled to deal with expectations when a game was high-stakes or they were expected to win.

“Every time there was an expectation on the Tigers, they failed,” Roach said.
“There’s something wrong with the side mentally.

“It is 90 per cent psychological because they hard work’s all there,” Elias added.
“The mind is the most powerful weapon that you can have.”

Originally published as Wests Tigers legends dissect the team’s biggest weakness