Daine Laurie under fire over 'disgraceful' act after Wests Tigers axing
NRL fans have condemned the Wests Tigers player's questionable act.
Wests Tigers star Daine Laurie has been condemned by NRL fans after an eye-opening act on social media, following his side's fifth successive loss. The Tigers are the only team yet to win a game so far this season after crashing to a 46-12 defeat to the ladder-leading Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
Laurie played no part in the match after being dumped to reserve grade by under-fire coach Tim Sheens. However, the fullback still managed to find his way into the headlines after liking a social media post showing one of Brisbane's eight tries as the Tigers' woes went from bad to worse.
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The NRL posted a video of Selwyn Cobbo's intercept try for the Broncos, in which the Brisbane flyer ran 88-metres to score after snatching a wayward pass from Tigers forward John Bateman. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that among those to reply to the post was Laurie, who raised eyebrows by giving it a 'like'.
In an already embarrassing start to the season - in which the Tigers have become the first team since 1969 to lose the first five games in consecutive seasons - it was a terrible look from Laurie. The fact it came in the same week that he was relegated to reserve grade made Laurie's actions even more questionable.
Laurie started the season at fullback but has been replaced by Adam Doueihi, with Sheens using the halves combination of Luke Brooks and Brandon Wakeham - to limited effect - for the past two games. Following his social media move, however, many fans are calling on Laurie to be dropped from the side permanently, with some suggesting a mid-season trade is a formality.
“It’s disgraceful, disloyal and shows his (lack of) love of the club and teammates,” one fan wrote in response to Laurie's social media move. Another added: “He’ll never play for us again. Mid-season switch likely, surely.”
One fan posted in response: “It’s against his team. Not a huge deal but not good.” Another Tigers supporter added: “It is a minor thing but also a hint that he’s not happy at the club.”
It's not the first time Laurie's commitment to the Wests Tigers has come into question, with the 23-year-old forced to apologise in 2021 after being pictured in a Penrith jersey celebrating the Panthers' grand final triumph over South Sydney. Laurie - who spent five years at Penrith coming through the club's junior system - called it a "silly mistake" at the time.
Laurie's latest move has once again led to scrutiny about his attitude towards the Tigers, with one fan questioning whether his heart has been in it at the joint venture club. “Just another reminder he has never been committed to the club,” another user added in reference to the Penrith jersey saga.
Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens feeling the heat
Laurie is far from the only issue that veteran Tigers coach Sheens has to contend with at the NRL's wooden spooners. The Tigers faithful hoped 2005 premiership-winning coach Sheens and his title-winning heroes Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah as assistants would be the dream team to turn the club around after 11 years of missing the finals, but a porous defence and stuttering attack have left long-suffering fans with little hope after the first five rounds.
"They are a quality group of guys, and they have got talent individually. We have just got to put the 17 individuals together and make sure it works," Sheens said. "That's my job...and as a coaching group we've got to put them together. Not pick them apart or get over-anxious about it because it is only going to make it worse for them.
"We have to wear a lot of this, and, in saying that, we've all got to work a lot harder - staff and players." Sheens is drawing optimism from the 1999 Brisbane side that lost five games in a row to start the season and eight of the first 10, before recovering to make the finals.
"These things can happen. Of course, the more you get beat the tougher it is to dig your way out of it, but we need to find a way and we will continue to work hard to do that," he added. "You get one win, you'll get two and maybe you are up and running."
with AAP
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