Wests Tigers: Round 1 Team Comparison

STAFF WRITERS | February 17, 2017 - 9:15am

The 2016 NRL season for the Wests Tigers culminated in club stalwart and former captain Robbie Farah finally leaving.

His running battle with head coach Jason Taylor had dominated the headlines and most likely had a major effect on the team in general which finished just outside the Top 8.

2016 Round 1 Team

The big change for the Wests Tigers in 2017 is the loss, or perhaps departure, of Robbie Farah. Farah only played nine games for the club in 2016 but prior to that, he was the heart and soul of the club. Who will fill that role going forward?

It's likely that Matt Ballin will wear the No.9 jersey for the majority of the 2017 but he's still recovering from injury and will miss the first few rounds. Youngster Jacob Liddle and well travelled Matt McIlwrick will fill the role in the meantime.

Overall, the majority of the Wests Tigers 2016 squad will return for 2017. Mid-season signing Elijah Taylor will be better after a full pre-season with the club. Aaron Woods will continue to lead from the front and has plenty of experience under his belt now. The addition of Jamal Idris to an already potent backline could be a masterstroke, with his big frame able to break tackles and offload to the likes of Kevin Naiqama and James Tedesco.

The plenty of big names off contract at the end of the year, this could work in two ways for the club. Players either step up to prove their worth and earn the contract they are after. Or, they get distracted by prolonged negotiations and the team suffers.

How will the young halves pairing of Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks handle the pressure of leading the club post Robbie Farah, while also making sure they get paid going forward?