After the Wests Tigers put on a miserable performance in losing to the NZ Warriors 26-20 last Friday night they copped a decent size social media pile on.
There were a lot of upset fans speaking out but there was one that stood out.
“I’ve seen this Wests Tigers performance 100 times,’’ was the comment on Twitter, and whoever it was that wrote it was spot on.
You could visualise hundreds of fans nodding vigorously after reading such a comment.
And no wonder the coach’s plastic chair in the sheds went flying backwards at the half time break.
Way things are going Maguire may sack the club, ticking one for NRL coaches, who are usually the ones getting the chop when things aren’t going so well.
This Saturday Wests Tigers will be heading north on the F3 and Newcastle where they will tackle the Knights in the 5.30pm match.
And not for the first time, the team lineup is very different from the one that took the field at the SCG against the Warriors.
Most notable of the changes is seeing Moses Mbye with the number 9 next to his name.
He’s there because of a knee injury to Harry Grant – and because Maguire seems prepared to try anything to shake the lethargy from this team.
Luke Brooks, pictured above, has been recalled to the starting side after doing three weeks of penance coming off the bench.
Bad boys Joseph Leilua and Russell Packer both return from suspension and take their place in the run-on side, while new recruit Asu “AJ” Kepaoa has been named to make his NRL debut on the wing.
Sam McIntyre earns a promotion to the starting side and has been named to start in the back row, with Chris Lawrence shifting from the centres to the bench alongside fellow forwards Shawn Blore, Thomas Mikaele and utility Billy Walters.
Matt Eisenhuth also returns from a knee injury and replaces Alex Twal at lock, who is out with a minor rib complaint.
The match will be a big occasion for two old stagers and Wests Tigers life members, Benji Marshall and Chris Lawrence, pictured below.
The pair will play their 250th game and will become just the second and third players respectively in Wests Tigers history to reach the milestone – with Robbie Farah (277 games) the other.
Marshall and Lawrence also currently sit atop the club’s all-time top try-scorers list with 84 tries each for Wests Tigers.
It’s a wonderful achievement for both, but no doubt the coach will just want an 80 minute performance and two premiership points.
WESTS TIGERS:
1. Adam Doueihi
2. David Nofoaluma
3. Joseph Leilua
4. Tommy Talau
5. Asu “AJ” Kepaoa
6. Luke Brooks
7. Benji Marshall (captain)
8. Josh Aloiai
9. Moses Mbye (captain)
10. Russell Packer
11. Luciano Leilua
12. Sam McIntyre
13. Matt Eisenhuth
INTERCHANGE:
14. Thomas Mikaele
15. Shawn Blore
16. Chris Lawrence
17. Billy Walters
RESERVES:
18. Alex Seyfarth
19. Luke Garner
20. Josh Reynolds
21. Elijah Taylor
