Tigers chief says honeymoon is over

By Steve Mascord
February 07, 2007

WESTS Tigers players are to be told their performances last year were "unacceptable" and there will be no excuse for missing the finals in 2007.

After grasping a fairytale premiership win in 2005, the club languished in 11th last year, prompting a long debriefing session involving coaches and management during summer.

"If we were running a park footy club for fun, we might not be too worried about last year," chief executive Steve Noyce said yesterday after the announcement of trucking company UD as a sponsor.

"But this is professional sport, expectations are high and to win a premiership and then miss out on the finals is just unacceptable.

"I think we let the honeymoon from 2005 extend too far into 2006 and we have to stop that happening again.

"The good thing about our meeting with the coaches and management is that we questioned each other and no one blamed injuries, which is perhaps what some fans have done."

Noyce said it would be up to Sheens how the off-season findings are communicated to players.

"Generally when you look in the mirror, if you're honest enough, you find what you have to do," he said. "I don't know that we're into these big sermons.

"Eight out of 16 - 50 per cent of the teams - make the finals this year so we've got to be that good, surely."

This time last year most were making their way back from an unsuccessful World Club Challenge clash with Bradford.

The key to Wests Tigers' hopes is the fitness of five-eighth Benji Marshall.

The exact date of Marshall's return from a shoulder injury remains uncertain.

"He's started to do a bit of training with us but I don't think they're in too big a rush to get him back," utility Daniel Fitzhenry said.

"They want to make sure he's right.

"If he was back for round one, everyone would be really happy but I guess there's no use him being back for round one and him not being around for the semis."

Despite a poor 2006, the club reports an increase in season ticket sales and corporate support this season.