Former Tigers legend Tim Brasher is urging fans to keep the faith with the club this season, and thinks the current side aren't far away from recording their first win of the season.
A new-look Wests Tigers side, featuring some big name recruits this year including skipper Api Koroisau, England international John Bateman and Isaiah Papali'i, have struggled to gel so far as a team and as a result, are 0-5 to start season.
However, Brasher – who played 185 games for Balmain between 1989 and 1997 – said he thought the early signs pointed to the side being able to turn the corner soon.
“Well, number one, they can't keep losing,” Brasher said.
“They've got too many good players there and they've got some great coaches.
“They've got the team, I've got belief.
“I think they're showing signs, they've just got to put it together on the one day and that's sometimes hard with a new team that you've put together, but I believe in the boys that are there.”
Speaking to NRL.com as a club representative at the recent Magic Round launch in Brisbane, Brasher said he also had faith in the coaching staff, headed by Tim Sheens with Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah as his assistants.
“I was coached by Tim Sheens and I found him to be one of my better coaches,” Brasher said.
“At the moment, obviously things aren't quite gelling and that happens … and (with) having the three coaches, it makes it probably a lot easier not to gel (early)… some players might go one way, another way; but if they can get them all together on the same page, all believing in the same thing, they can definitely win.”
Brasher said that if the harmony amongst the playing group was in order, it would more be a case of working on combinations to make plays stick.
For tomorrow’s game, there has been a shuffle of the line-up, with players returning to the side. Adam Doueihi has moved back into five-eighth, with Charlie Staines included at fullback. Brent Naden is also set to returned from illness at centre, while forward Joe Ofahengaue has been added to the bench.
“It's hard to pinpoint what exactly is going wrong,” Brasher said.
“Throughout my career; whenever teams were as one, we played way better, whereas if we had a couple of little factions where guys didn't get on, that's when things can fall apart on the field because the cohesion's not there.
“But if it's not that; well, then it's obviously just a bit of combinations maybe and getting used to each other … they have had an offseason, so you can
argue that they had an offseason to get those combinations together.
“But I have belief in the coaches that are there, they'll pinpoint where the issue is, put the right players in the right spots.
“I think that they've done a little bit of shuffling around, which I think is for the best and hopefully moving forward, they'll win some games.”
Last year, the Tigers also had a similarly poor 0-5 start, but were able to earn their first victory in their corresponding match against the Eels.
While fans will be hoping that this Easter Monday is again the day to shatter their duck egg, it will be a tough challenge against Parramatta side that may consider themselves unlucky in a few close matches this season.
Match: Wests Tigers v Eels
Round 6 -
home Team
Wests Tigers
17th Position
away Team
Eels
13th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
