2021 Review: Wests Tigers

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Tigers produce another season in the abyss

The Wests Tigers have struggled for success for the last decade now, but in 2021 we all got to watch almost perversely, at their dire operation courtesy of the Wild Wests docu-series.

The Tigers bumbled from woeful performance to woeful performance - before jagging an occasional flukey win - all season long. They won enough games to stay out of the wooden spoon race, but none of the players seemed to know how they won any of those games.

Coach Michael Maguire was stupidly being suggested by the mainstream media hive-mind to be at risk of losing his job, when all and sundry could see - courtesy of that docu-series - that Maguire had more passion and desire for success than all of the players combined.

14 of the Tigers 24 games in 2021 saw them concede at least 30 points. By seasons end, their feeble defence had leaked 714 points - a staggering 29.75 points per game - their worst ever. (They conceded 746 points from 26 games in 2001 at 28.69 points per game). Only the Cowboys had a worse record defensively than the Tigers in 2021.

It wasn't all misery for the Tigers, with the emergence of Daine Laurie at fullback, Stefano Utoikamanu in the front row and Adam Doueihi at five-eighth, while the club has managed to offload the last of their players on huge contracts. They've used that freed up cash to make some curious new signings - picking up impressive British Test representatives Jackson Hastings and Oliver Gildart, who play in the halves and at centre respectively, which are the positions that Doueihi plays. The club also rehired former coach Tim Sheens as coaching director.

As always it seems, the Wests Tigers future doesn't look any brighter or dimmer. They just remain stationary on the plateau of mediocrity.

Turning Point

The second trial game - The Tigers belted a second string Manly outfit 52-18, giving everyone at the club the impression that 2021 would be a season of great improvement for the Tigers after their diabolical end to the 2020 season.

But after seven NRL rounds, the Tigers had recorded just 1 win, had already conceded over 200 points, and had the worst defence in the NRL. They won of their next 6 games against other struggling sides and an Origin-depleted Penrith side to rise from second last to 11th

What worked

Doueihi at 6 - The Tigers looked vastly more threatening with ball in hand when Adam Doueihi was in the halves. He had a stellar season, despite being shifted to centre for 2 months. Doueihi's running, short kicking, passing and general playmaking game was outstanding all season.

Doueihi is highly skilled, smart and a genuine leader, whose goal kicking was on point all year. A genuine match winner.

What didn't work

Marquee signings - James Roberts was a defensive mess, Joey Leilua continued to worsen and blame everyone else, James Tamou was consistent but mild, Moses Mbye was rocks and diamonds, Luke Brooks needed to step up and own this side but just didn't.

Middle defence - atrocious for most of the season. Communication in the defensive line especially was non-existent.

Best player

Doueihi - the young utility back took ownership of the Tigers attack and started to produce many great point scoring plays. If he had some support in defence as well as options either side of him every time he runs with the ball, his touches could be devastating.

Rookies

The Tigers had 3 young players in just their second season after having played just a few games in 2020.

Daine Laurie played just 3 games for Penrith last year but dominated from day one at the Tigers in the fullback role that he automatically became the clubs first choice custodian. A great running game and a handy passing game, Laurie posed threats on the edges in every game he played this year.

Stefano Utoikamanu was so impressive that he was named on an extended bench for the NSW Origin side for Game 3 this year, and while he didn't get to play, he returned to the Tigers even better and more committed. He's a big body that works hard in the middle and will only get a lot better.

Shawn Blore made a name for himself last year when he smashed Parramatta's Nathan Brown and while he didn't get a full season this year, he has shown he has the potential to be a brilliant attacking weapon on the fringes of the ruck.

Looking Ahead

There's been a few changes made, nothing though that screams out that the Tigers fortunes will be dramatically different in 2021. Hastings returns to the NRL a much more grateful and mature player which is brilliant, while the addition of Sheens to the on-field management could either be brilliantly successful or brilliantly disastrous. Sheens does have an eye for young talent, especially from within the club, which has been sorely missed since he left, but he has also been known to make some dubious decisions about player signings and positional play. How much involvement he has in Maguire's role will be pivotal.

Current projected 2022 lineup

as at time of publishing - 29 October 2021

1. Daine Laurie
2. David Nofoaluma
3. Oliver Gildart
4. Adam Doueihi
5. Ken Maumalo
6. Jackson Hastings
7. Luke Brooks
8. James Tamou
9. Jacob Liddle
10. Stefano Utoikamanu
11. Luciano Leilua
12. Shawn Blore
13. Tyrone Peachey

14. Joe Ofahengaue
15. Alex Twal
16. Luke Garner
17. Tommy Talau

Keep across 2022 Player Movements for the NRL season across all 16 clubs here.

2021 results

(NOTE - 'N' in H/A column indicates match played at a neutral venue)

2021 player record

All stats courtesy of RugbyLeagueProject.