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Benji Marshall ... will be key to the Tigers' sucess in 2013. Source: Phil Hillyard / News Limited
As the 2013 NRL season looms, we look at the prospects of Wests Tigers as Josh Massoud predicts Mick Potter could be sorely tested.
The desire to avenge last year's failure is ringing loudly, but otherwise the volume has been turned right down at Concord this season.
Declared outright premiership favourites 12 months ago, Wests Tigers are no longer the talk of the town following the most radical overhaul since the joint venture was formed in 2000.
THE VERDICT
Premiership favourites this time last year, the Tigers haven't rated a mention among the prime contenders 12 months later. And that's to be expected, given the enormous cultural overhaul that's taken place at Concord with the departure of Chris Heignington, Beau Ryan and coach Tim Sheens. New mentor Mick Potter has a clean slate to stamp his authority, but he'll be sorely tested should starting props Aaron Woods and Keith Galloway not last the season.
X-FACTOR
Marika Koroibete (Supercoach price: $259,900)
Storming from the Fijian highlands with a four try haul in just his second NRL appearance, Koroibete was the most unlikely find of 2012. His imposing physique and explosive speed has gone to another level over the summer, ensuring the 20-year-old winger will be one of the competition's most talked-about players this year.
ROOKIE MONSTER
David Nofoaluma
Wingers don't normally determine matches, but they were the driving force behind the club's Under 20s premiership-winning campaign last year. On the opposite flank to Koroibete was former Australian Schoolboy Nofoaluma, with the pair frequently combining to haul their team out of trouble and finish attacking raids.
PREDICTION: 11th
GAINS
Braith Anasta (Roosters), Eddy Pettybourne (Souths), Bodene Thompson (Titans), James Gavet (Bulldogs)
LOSSES
Chris Heighnington (Sharks), Beau Ryan (Sharks), Ray Cashmere (Retired), Tom Humble (Panthers), Junior Moors (Storm), Gareth Ellis (Huddersfield)
Gone is coach long-serving Tim Sheens and a number of support staff, including football manager Brian Hyder.
Then came the stunning defections of club favourites Chris Heighington and Beau Ryan to Cronulla, on top of Gareth Ellis's premature return to England.
Taking into account Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita's departure the previous year, the changes represent the end of an era and the dawn on a new culture under rookie NRL coach Mick Potter Understandably, the adjustment has taken some time and still isn't complete ahead of tonight's trial against Parramatta at Campbelltown.
"It's been a lot quieter without those guys here," winger Lote Tuqiri observed.
"We still miss them every now and again, but we've had to move on just as they have.
"There's not been as much nonsense around training, even though we've still got a few jokers left like Liam Fulton.
"There's not as much mucking around as we did before, but in time that will all come."
Under Potter - the coach who returned home eying a job in the coal mines after working without pay at insolvent Bradford for much of last season - Wests have embraced a more workmanlike persona.
Equipped with attacking weapons such as Robbie Farah, Benji Marshall, Chris Lawrence and Tuqiri, Wests have routinely backed themselves to score simply score points than the opposition.
But this summer the emphasis has been on stopping the points, thus putting less pressure on the usual suspects to conjure victory.
"We've certainly worked a bit more on our defence this year," Tuqiri said.
"And there's been no leniency towards the older guys or the younger guys.
"Everyone gets the treated the same.
"We're known as an attacking machine, but our defensive game needs to improve and with the amount of work we've done I hope we'll be a lot better."
Potter has vowed not to "re-invent the wheel" with ball in hand, but wants the team's playmakers to be less individually minded.
Stay tuned as we roll out our NRL team previews in the countdown to the start of the season
"This has been a very well coached team for a long time," Potter said.
"They lost something like six games by less than four points last year, and if they won a few of those them I'm not sitting here talking to you.
"They like to play their plays and with guys like Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall, who wouldn't you?
"I don't want to squash that. It's not only entertaining, but it also wins football matches.
"Sometimes they've over-cooked things and we just need to temper what we do.
"We need to keep all things in mind - the scoreboard, the clock, who's just come on the field and what's right for the team."
While Farah, Marshall and star recruit Braith Anasta will undoubtedly be the focus, their talents can't be exploited should the Tigers re-encounter shortages up front.
As was the case last year, their engine room appears an experienced big man short of the ideal mix.
Starting front row combination Aaron Woods and Keith Galloway could well spearhead NSW, but a serious injury to either will expose one of the competition's smaller packs against monster from Canterbury, Newcastle and the Roosters.
"Gareth Ellis will be a big loss because he was the leader of our pack," Tuqiri said.
"So there's a real opportunity for some of the younger guys to step up, and we've got Aaron Woods and Keith Galloway, who I think are Origin material.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing what they can do."
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