NRL Spoon Bowl 2024: West Tigers ‘win’ yet another wooden spoon
The Tigers have ended their season in the worst possible way but coach Benji Marshall insists that won’t change his approach and he won’t waiver from the long-term goals for the club.
Wests Tigers rookie coach Benji Marshall says he isn’t worried about his future after collecting the wooden spoon because he’s not coaching to save his job.
Marshall became the first coach since Paul Langmack at Souths in 2003 to win the spoon in rookie season when the Tigers were thumped by the Eels on Friday night.
This season was the first of a five-year deal for Marshall but the former champion player conceded he may not have “time on his side”.
However, Marshall insisted that won’t change his approach and he won’t waiver from the long-term goals for the club.
The Tigers used more players than any club this year as Marshall debuted 12 young guns, with his halves and fullback on Friday night all teenagers.
“It (time) doesn’t worry me because I’m not coaching to keep my job,” Marshall said.
“I’m coaching to try and make this club better. I’m coaching to try and make these kids better.
“I honestly believe I can do that and if that’s me for the next two years and we don’t get the rewards and I’m not here and someone else does, that’s how much I care about the club.”
Marshall said he had a plan in place which was around the development of the young players like Lachlan Galvin and emerging star Jahream Bula.
The coach knows the rising stars won’t be peaking for a few more years and wants to ride it out with them.
“The thing that people probably look at is success now and having overnight success,” Marshall said.
“We’re looking at trying to have success for a long period of time, not just winning one year and go missing for the next three.
“The biggest thing is when you haven’t done the job before you think you know what the team needs and then when you’ve had a season doing it you get a real understanding of what it is.
“It’s probably my fault today because I encouraged them to play footy and, hence, we had a lot of errors coming out of our half.”
MATCH REPORT: EELS THRASH WESTS TIGERS IN SPOON BOWL
Their fans turned up but the Wests Tigers didn’t as Parramatta avoided a 15th wooden spoon with a 60-26 thrashing at Campbelltown Stadium on Friday evening.
If the Tigers players were as passionate as the 17,311 fans who turned up they would’ve been a chance.
Instead, it was the third wooden spoon in succession for the Tigers as Benji Marshall became the first coach since Paul Langmack at Souths in 2003 to win the spoon in his debut season.
And it looked like a game for the wooden spoon with both sides easily striding up field all match and refusing to get into any sort of grind.
In true Spoon Bowl form, in the first 15 minutes, both teams kicked out on the full off the kick off, dropped plenty of ball and lost both captain’s challenges.
The Eels went into halftime with a 22-10 lead and the second period got worse for the Tigers when Latu Fainu threw an intercept pass to Bryce Cartwright who took off before sending Will Penisini over for his second.
A Latu Fainu try gave Tigers fans some hope.
But it was dashed in the 51st minute when captain Api Koroisau was sin-binned for a lifting tackle on Clint Gutherson.
The Eels took advantage of the 12-man Tigers defence and ran in three tries to kill off the match.
Eels coach Trent Barrett said the win may have been soured by the news that five-eighth Dylan Brown may have ruptured his ACL, which would see him miss a large chunk of 2025.
“There’s a bit of concern for Dylan but we don’t know yet,” Barrett said.
The interim coach also revealed that skipper Clint Gutherson went into the match with three broken ribs and a torn quad muscle.
Gutherson said there was no way he was missing the game.
“A lot of players do a lot of things to get on the field each week,” he said.
“It’s just about playing with the team. We’re losing a lot of players next year.
“I knew I could do a role for this team and that’s why I played.”
It was a good win for the Eels, even if they were celebrating a little too much post-game.
“You only remember when you come last and we knew we had to come here and get it done,” Gutherson said.
“We’re celebrating like we won the comp.”
ONE-MAN SHOW
Lachlan Galvin has been the shining light for the Tigers this season and that’s part of the reason why his side ran last.
When a teenager is running the show and is expected to create all the points, you’re in big trouble.
Galvin, described by Phil Gould as the best teenage player he’s ever seen, was again doing all the creating for his team on Friday.
"Look away, you Tigers fans!" 😢
— Fox League (@FOXNRL) September 6, 2024
The Tigers are falling apart here...
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He grubbed early in the tackle count to deliver Josh Feledy a try in the 11th minute.
But it was his cut out ball to send winger Junior Tupou over in the 14th minute that was a work of art.
Andrew Johns would’ve been proud of the inch-perfect pass that gave the Tigers a four-point lead.
It was a shame that the Tigers could only complete at 68 per cent for their star five-eighth who would’ve felt helpless for much of the match.
And the Tigers as a club would want to get their act together next year.
A kid that good doesn’t stick around for too long if his side stays down the bottom of the ladder.
Jarome Luai’s addition next year is much needed for the youngster.
“We’re bringing in a guy who’s a winner and can control a footy team, like he’s shown at Penrith this whole season, and that’s only going to help Lachie,” Marshall said.
BENJI WANTS TIME
Benji Marshall has a long-term view for the Wests Tigers which is the right one to have.
Unfortunately, clubs generally don’t and demand success straight away.
It’s why he needs to get the Tigers off the bottom of the ladder as soon as next season starts.
Marshall conceded that he may not have “time on his side” but he won’t waiver from the long-term goals he has for his beloved club.
“It (time) doesn’t worry me because I’m not coaching to keep my job,” Marshall said.
“I’m coaching to try and make this club better. I’m coaching to try and make these kids better.
“I honestly believe I can do that and if that’s me for the next two years and we don’t get the rewards and I’m not here and someone else does, that’s how much I care about the club.”
Marshall said he had a plan in place which was around the development of the young players like Glavin and emerging star Jahream Bula.
He knows they won’t be peaking for a few more years and wants to ride it out with them.
“The thing that people probably look at is success now and having overnight success,” Marshall said.
“We’re looking at trying to have success for a long period of time, not just winning one year and go missing for the next three.
“The biggest thing is when you haven’t done the job before you think you know what the team needs and then when you’ve had a season doing it you get a real understanding of what it is.
“It’s probably my fault today because I encouraged them to play footy and, hence, we had a lot of errors coming out of our half.”
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