This has been such a miserable year for Wests Tigers you have got to feel sorry for their long suffering fans.
As if getting the wooden spoon two years in a row – with a third looming this season – was not enough, these loyal fans have had to bear witness to their club also becoming the departure lounge of the NRL.
This was confirmed this week with the club announcing the departures of prop Stefano Utoikamanu and English forward John Bateman.
They join the exodus along with Isaiah Papali’I, who’s off to the Panthers next season.
It would be easy to say “good riddance’’ to these three and anyone else jumping off the Tigers bus, but the fact is they point to the fact that we were wrong to think the club had reached peak basket case status.
That’s why here at the South West Voice we think that the plan to play home games at Parramatta from next year is just plain stupid.
It may make sense from a financial point of view – and it puts pressure to expedite upgrades to Campbelltown and Leichhardt – but the biggest thing this club needs to do right here, right now is to start winning games.
And a major factor in this, apart from the roster, is building a fortress mentality at your home ground.
Wests Tigers being a joint venture have two home grounds and that’s where the priority should be to help Benji’s babes start winning – playing all home games at Campbelltown and Leichhardt.
That means no more home games taken to regional areas, Brisbane for Magic Round, nor New Zealand.
The club need to put the interests of the footy team first for a change, because, let’s face it, the club’s success heavily depends on results.
Sure, players still come to the club even though it’s a basket case, but let’s call a spade a spade: they come for the money, and the minute they’re sick of being in a team that hardly wins, and a better offer comes along, they’re on the departure lounge quicker than you can say try.
In the meantime, poor old Benji Marshall is looking for his fifth win as a coach and has just five matches left to do it in.
Last night he named a 22-man squad for Thursday’s Round 22 match against the Cowboys at Leichhardt Oval and there are a handful of injury-forced changes following last Friday’s narrow loss to the Warriors in Auckland.
David Klemmer returns to the side at prop in place of Fonua Pole (rib injury) with Isaiah Papali’i to start the match at lock, pushing Alex Twal to the bench.
Justin Olam will start in the centres replacing Starford To’a (hamstring) while Solomon Alaimalo takes the place of Luke Laulilii (HIA protocol) on the wing.
Api Koroisau returns to hooker after starting the match against the Warriors at halfback, with Latu Fainu to partner Lachlan Galvin in the halves.
TEAM LIST:
1. Jahream Bula
2. Solomon Alaimalo
3. Solomona Faataape
4. Justin Olam
5. Charlie Staines
6. Lachlan Galvin
7. Latu Fainu
8. Stefano Utoikamanu
9. Api Koroisau
10. David Klemmer
11. Reuben Porter
12. Samuela Fainu
13. Isaiah Papali’i
INTERCHANGE:
14. Tallyn Da Silva
15. Alex Seyfarth
16. Sione Fainu
17. Alex Twal
RESERVES:
18. Heath Mason
I agree that the $40 million being spent is an insult to hundreds of thousands of voters who elected Labor members to every seat in MacArthur without these members Minns would not be able to form a government. The sooner the residents of MacArthur realise they have the votes to make or break governments then we should see the flow of infrastructure funding come including a top stadium for our teams