Blues coach Brad Fittler believes the Wests Tigers may need to revisit their coaching system after a “mashed potatoes” performance against the Cowboys on Saturday night.
Six weeks after inflicting a 66-18 defeat on the Cowboys at Leichhardt Oval, North Queensland made a 122-point turnaround to win 74-0 in Townsville on Saturday night.
Speaking on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show, Andrew Johns said the absence of Luke Brooks and Api Koroisau could explain for some loss in performance, but Billy Slater the club needed to “simplify” their game plan when they’re without their key players.
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“Luke Brooks and Api Koroisau (are) key players in key positions, and when they aren’t there, you need to simplify your game, and build your game around effort and defence,” Slater
But Fittler said simplifying their game went beyond on-field plans.
After Michael Maguire was sacked last season, the club hired veteran Tim Sheens back into the senior role, with Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah in assistant roles with an eye to them eventually succeeding Sheens.
“You’ve got an experienced coach then the up-and-coming coach, Benji,” he said.
“I haven’t been Tigers training, so can’t tell who runs the show there (but) maybe that could be simplified.
“It’s been a really tough year for the Tigers. Their start was poor. Everyone had high hopes for them over the off season.
“Benji hasn’t fronted up to the media or hasn’t had to speak for the team at all which takes an awful lot of pressure away. What it does do is allow him to wear some of this, maybe come up with some answers and see what the club needs for the future.
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“He doesn’t go away battled, you know, or from dealing with this season, especially yesterday’s game. That’s been left to Tim Sheens.
“I think it works in that favour but it’s not working on the field. What we’ve seen on the field is just mashed potato.
“They’re passing the ball coming out of trouble, first tackle, shift, shift, shift. It looks nice but they don’t have the fundamentals to apply pressure.”
Fittler said the club needed to fine-tune “everything .. from the coach all the way down to what their tactics are, then obviously players”.
The club look set to be without Alex Twal next weekend two, who’s facing a one-week ban for a hip drop tackle on Luciano Leilua.
The Tigers are seemingly in a two-horse race with the Dragons for the wooden spoon, with the two clubs currently only split on points difference, however the Dragons still have a bye to come.
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