The Tigers’ 66-point bloodbath at the hands of the Roosters has shone the spotlight on the merger club amid claims it gave up on the 2022 season.
Head of football Tim Sheens allowed dynamic forward Luciano Leilua to depart to the Cowboys early, while also letting Oliver Gildart and David Nofoaluma leave on short-term loan deals.
The Daily Telegraph’s Buzz Rothfield believes the Tigers have a responsibility to put their best players out on the field every week and accused the club of disrespecting fans by fielding a “NSW cup side”.
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“In my view the Wests Tigers gave up on their season, they gave up, they let Luciano Leilua go, they let David Nofoaluma go, to a lesser extent they let Oliver Gildart go,” Rothfield said on the Big Sports Breakfast.
“That was a sign to me they gave up on their season, they really did, I know Tim Sheens looks at it that it is short term pain that relieves the salary cap and allow them to do more with their money next year.
“I would have felt sick if I was a Wests Tigers fan watching Leilua and Nofoaluma score tries for Cowboys and Storm, celebrating with their new teammates.
“That club has a responsibility to put their best 17 players on the park each and every week of the season.
“It was the most shocking capitulation there last night, take nothing away from the Roosters.
“It was nearly a NSW cup side, they showed that.”
Rothfield questioned why the Tigers “threw in the towel” early in the 2022 season by sacking experienced coach Michael Maguire.
From them on the club were facing an uphill battle and are yet to see any improvement, sitting on the bottom of the ladder.
But Sheens reportedly has a plan to lure talent to the club by relieving salary cap pressure with the trio of departures, meaning the Tigers can table big-money offers to star players.
According to Rothfield, the Tigers could have around $500,000 to spend on top of their 2023 cap, but NRL legend Laurie Daley questioned why anyone would want to move to Leichhardt after watching the club get mauled in Round 23.
“Why did they throw in the towel so early, they sacked Madge (Michael Maguire)… they lose their halves, Brooks and Hastings and then they put in performances like that,” Rothfield said.
“The reason behind releasing these players is that it relieves the salary cap at the Wests Tigers, so what that means is they have another three, four or five-hundred thousand dollars to spend.”
“Who after the weekend is going to want to go to the Wests Tigers after a performance like that,” Daley said.
“You can have the salary cap space but you have to be able to convince them to come to our club and play and be competitive.”
As it stands, the Tigers will welcome gun backrower Isaiah Papali’i to the club — but doubts have been cast over his move.
The 23-year-old revealed he was rethinking his switch after Maguire’s sacking — and the club’s most recent performance would do nothing to settle his nerves.
“Even if they are to pick up players, they are going to have to pay overs,”
“Isaiah Papali’i is talking very strong about not turning up there next year, they might have his contract money to save as well.”
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