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Warrick Nicolson | 07/02/08
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STATE OF PLAY
The 2005 Premiers have only themselves to blame for missing the Finals in 2007 as they imploded in the last five weeks of the season, winning just one game.
Even in the final match against Newcastle they looked to have the win wrapped up, before ultimately being beaten right on full time by a Kurt Gidley penalty goal.
When you consider how many things went right for the club during their 2005 campaign, perhaps they should’ve expected a few years of pain as payback.
Last 3 Finishes:
2005: 1st
2006: 11th
2007: 9th
ROSTER ROUND-UP
Even if former Dragons halfback Mathew Head is only fit for the last third of the season, the Tigers have made a calculated gamble on a player who is the closest thing to Scott Prince currently available.
If he’s healthy, Head will do a far better job as a poor man’s Prince, than the job John Morris tried to do in 2007.
Head’s arrival should also allow Benji Marshall to stay at five-eighth where he belongs. Marshall is also in a contract year, so as long as the injury curse stays away he will have a massive season. The club also thinks 19-year-old Tim Moltzen has a bright future.
Robbie Farah is such a brilliant player he will go very close to knocking off Danny Buderus as NSW’s hooker in 2008.
Farah’s understudy Stuart Flanagan is well versed in the Tigers attacking style, so the club shouldn’t miss their golden boy too much at Origin time, if Farah is selected.
Despite playing behind a disappointing pack last year, Farah still made things happen even when his forwards are being dominated in the ruck.
Speaking of the forwards, only Todd Payten and Chris Heighington can hold their heads high based on individual performance in the 2007 campaign.
Too often both were left to carry the load, as other veterans and rookies alike struggled to back them up.
Keith Galloway and Ryan O’Hara received big contracts to be the team’s front rowers of the future before the 2006 season but have been colossal disappointments so far.
The time is now for Bronson Harrison, Liam Fulton, Dene Halatau and Bryce Gibbs to take on extra responsibility as forward leaders alongside Payten, as they enter their fifth season in the top grade.
Corey Payne joins from the Dragons as a serviceable backup and big Ben Te’o should continue to evolve into a wide running forward in his second season.
Brett Hodgson considered a move to the UK Super League but after playing just 15 games in 2007, he will stick around for at least one more year to give the Tigers a valuable veteran presence at the back.
Powerhouse winger Taniela Tuiaki, tryscoring freak Chris Lawrence and Dean Collis will start in the three-quarter line.
Off-season signing Nick Youngquest is the man most likely to round out the quartet on the wing. The rest of the depth chart includes Shannon McDonnell, Beau Ryan, Shannon Gallant, Rhys Hanbury, Trent Cutler and possibly Halatau.
STRONGEST LINE-UP
1. HODGSON, Brett
2. YOUNGQUEST, Nick
3. COLLIS, Dean
4. LAWRENCE, Chris
5. TUAKI, Taniela
6. MARSHALL, Benji
7. HEAD, Mathew
8. GIBBS, Bryce
9. FARAH, Robbie
10. PAYTEN, Todd
11. HARRISON, Bronson
12. HEIGHINGTON, Chris
13. FULTON, Liam
14. HALATAU, Dene
15. GALLOWAY, Keith
16. O’HARA, Ryan
17. MORRIS, John
FEARLESS FORECAST
The Tigers biggest concern entering 2008 is that their forward pack appeared undersized last season.
But the club is relying on players already on the roster to reverse that trend, so Sheens obviously has faith in his unit.
However, even if they prove up to the task the team’s playoff chances will still hinge on the health of Mathew Head and Benji Marshall.
PREDICTED RECORD: 11-13
PREDICTED FINISH: 9th
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