'He must go': Brutal truth for 'poor and weak-minded' Wests Tigers
You sometimes wonder if footballers fully realise the impact losing has on fans.
You wouldn't think so given the laughter and giggles you often see from losing sides as they joke around with the opposition after full-time.
We've seen blokes show more pain at missing out on the chops and snags at the Friday night meat raffle.
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I once asked legendary Parramatta lock Ray Price how long it took him to get over a defeat.
"Kick-off the next Sunday," came his reply.
He didn’t follow it up with a laugh or a smirk.
Wests Tigers fans haven't laughed or smirked for 11 years.
There are finals droughts and then there's finals droughts, Wests Tigers style.
The joint venture club last made the NRL play-offs in 2011, finishing anywhere between ninth and 15th in the ensuing years.
Every other club has made the top eight at least once in that period. Yes, even the Warriors.
Players' careers have started and ended in the time between Tigers' finals appearances.
You'd be finishing primary school this year if you born in the same year they last made it.
A new season should bring new hope to supporters of every club, but some Tigers fans are wondering how much more they can endure after just two rounds.
I bumped into a Tigers supporter early Monday morning, the day after an insipid 26-4 loss to a Ponga-less Newcastle.
"The thing is there is absolutely nothing to get excited about….same shit, different year," he said.
"You look at a club like Canterbury and you can see they're headed in the right direction.
"What's there to look forward to at the Tigers?"
Not much.
Luke Brooks has to go
The Tigers don’t appear to have a roster with the ability to follow and execute a game plan for the full 80 minutes.
When the going gets tough, players go MIA or rogue, playing off the top of their heads without a hint of game management.
Premiership winner Scott Sattler labelled some members of the squad "poor and weak-minded", accusing them of not having the work ethic required to operate at NRL level.
Coach Michael Maguire is again under the gun and won’t see out the season unless there is a dramatic shift.
Perhaps he's just the right bloke for the wrong job.
Halfback Luke Brooks cops the bulk of the criticism and that comes with the territory and pay slip.
It doesn't matter if he wants out of the club, wanted out of the club, never wanted out of the club – but go he must.
As we've written here before, there is no player more in need of a change of environment.
The Tigers would be doing him and themselves a favour by opting for a fresh start.
If not, some of their fans might be looking for a fresh start elsewhere.
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