Wests Tigers weren’t disgraced in the 20-0 loss to Souths last Saturday. But the inability of the Tim Sheens side to disturb the scoreboard attendants stood out like the proverbial.
The Wests Tigers haven’t got a problem getting to their opponent’s red zone inside the 20m.
But even with a repeat set the side just can’t find a way to score too many points.
It’s partly to do with all of the spine combinations being new.
In the halves, Luke Brooks, who will be running out for his 200th game for the Wests Tigers in Saturday’s clash against the Cowboys at Leichhardt, is still getting to know his new partner Brandon Wakeham.
Same goes for the hooker, Api Koroisau, who is slowly getting back to his best but is not quite there yet.
The final piece of the spine is fullback Jahream Bula, the least experienced member of the band.
He is an exciting prospect, no doubt about it, and while his contribution in defence has been absolutely brilliant, Bula’s attacking prowess is rather limited.
Given time, this spine could become one of the best around. But does the club have time, in the sense of sacrificing another season with finals footy?
Probably not, which is why coach Sheens needs to look around for another attacking weapon to boost what the spine is offering at the moment.
One suggestion would be a ball playing forward, something the side is lacking right now.
There is one young player in the squad, Justin Matamua, who fits the bill according to his mentors through the club pathways.
Every week though young Matamua, pictured above, is named in the extended squad but just misses out being in the 17 that end up with game time.
The forward pack has done a great job this season, especially the past four or five matches, but there isn’t a genuine ball playing one among them.
Tim Sheens will need to throw caution to the wind at some stage and give Matamua a run – after all, the coach has nothing to lose at this stage of the season.
Matamua has been named at 20 in the extended squad for Saturday’s Indigenous Round match against North Queensland Cowboys at Leichhardt Oval.
The only change is prop forward Aitasi James coming into the extended squad. The New Zealand-born 22-year-old joined Wests Tigers last season and has been playing in the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup for Western Suburbs Magpies.
TEAM LIST:
1. Jahream Bula
2. David Nofoaluma
3. Starford To’a
4. Tommy Talau
5. Junior Tupou
6. Brandon Wakeham
7. Luke Brooks
8. Stefano Utoikamanu
9. Api Koroisau (c)
10. David Klemmer
11. Isaiah Papali’i
12. John Bateman
13. Fonua Pole
INTERCHANGE:
14. Jake Simpkin
15. Joe Ofahengaue
16. Alex Twal
17. Asu Kepaoa
18. Alex Seyfarth
19. Shawn Blore
20. Justin Matamua
21. Daine Laurie
22. Aitasi James
