Season Preview: 14th – Wests Tigers

The Tigers came within one result of a finals birth in 2016, yet with a big home crowd on side, and everything to play for, they were reduced to spectators by the Raiders.

Unfortunately that summed up their 2016 season; brilliant at times, but ultimately they let themselves down when it counted most.

Despite the clever pick up of Idris, and the depth signing of McIlwrick, the Tigers enter 2017 looking much the same as the side who fell at the final hurdle last season.

Despite playing together for a season or two, this is a still a young side, and their best is probably a few years off, but they have the ingredients there to push for a shot at the finals, if they can unlock all their attacking weapons on a consistent basis.

Weakness: Forward depth

Club captain, and representative certainly Aaron Woods aside, the Tigers pack lacks the intimidation factor that the more fancied sides carry.

Don’t think for a second that the likes of Taylor and Sue don’t have opposition forwards thinking twice about hitting the ball up, but they don’t have the name factor of the likes of the Storm, Sharks or Raiders.

Aloiai is one of the game’s best emerging second rowers, and Chris Lawrence is a seasoned competitor, but once again, I don’t see either making the large majority of run on sides.

The Tigers love to prove people wrong, and having said what I have you can bet the Tigers pack will all have career defining years, but if Woods or Sue go down, then what?

Strength: Freakish ability

On those rare days that Tedesco, Brooks, Moses and the likes of Nofouala or Simona hit their straps, this side is arguably the competition’s most exciting side, and they’re almost as hard to stop.

This is a side who can play poorly for 30 minutes in a half, yet put together a ten minute blitz and pile on three tries in amazing fashion.

No one knows what to expect from the returning Jamal Idris, who was once a representative mainstay, and looks in the kind of shape to wreak havoc across the competition.

Up front they have players who can pop a freakish offload out of nowhere to kick start an attack, and the speedy outside backs to finish off any given move.

If only they can find some deal of consistency, then watch out.

Star Player: James Tedesco

Tedesco’s 2016 saw him become the New South Wales first choice fullback, and arguably the best number one in the game.

His 17 appearances saw him produce 14 tries, 12 try assists and 15 line-breaks.

A long off-season combined with the removal of metal screws from his previously injured knee, have him reportedly primed for his best season yet.

If Tedesco can achieve the heights many expect of him in 2017, which looks somewhat scary, then he could very well lead the Tigers to the promise-land much like Jarryd Hayne did for the Eels.

He’s that good.

Pressure On: Mitch Moses

Moses had an incredible finish to 2016 and became the Tigers main man after injury ended Tedesco’s season.

He is now the club’s chief play-maker, goal kicker, and one of the club’s genuinely marketable stars.

He also has a huge, possibly career defining decision to make over the next few months, which will shape both his and his club’s future.

That is a lot of pressure to place on a young man who is still only 22 years of age, with less than 60 NRL games to his name.

Prediction: 14th

The Wests Tigers are one of the most difficult sides to accurately predict. If Tedesco, Moses and an outside back or two fire, this side can very easily make the eight.

If Tedesco misses an extended period, or Moses lets contract talks distract him from his footy, this side could really fall away and finish much closer to last than eighth.

Despite all the talk of distractions, Robbie Farah is a huge loss in terms of footballing ability, and the way Ballin and Liddle can settle in will really have a big say in the Tigers season.

Woods aside, I just can’t see their forward pack winning enough battles to see them challenge for the finals.

That’s not to say they can’t, as when this side gets it right, they’re tough to beat, and incredibly fun to watch, but there’s just too many what ifs to predict any higher with any great confidence.