End to off-field drama top of mind for Tigers coach
Sebastian Tan |
Coach Benji Marshall believes his relationship with halfback Adam Doueihi is salvageable as Wests Tigers grapple with the fallout from their 56-10 capitulation to Canberra.
The Tigers (7-12) suffered a sixth-straight defeat on Saturday at GIO Stadium, effectively ending their hopes of reaching the finals for the first time in 15 years.
But their preparation for the crunch clash was far from ideal as the bombshell decision by halfback Doueihi not to play in the nation’s capital after being shifted to lock dominated the headlines.
Marshall admitted the noise got to the team and his family, although the coach was confident that his relationship with Doueihi, who is contracted with the club until the end of the 2029 season, was not over.
The Wests Tigers legend did back his decision to thrust teen Javon Andrews into the No.7 jersey for the clash though.
“The first thing is we’ve just got to sit down and talk through what it looks like, how it feels, and what’s going to work for everyone,” Marshall said of the Doueihi situation.
“We’ll try and get to a resolution next week at some stage and put the noise to bed.
“We have to find a resolution. Obviously, that situation was a tough one to deal with this week. It was unexpected, to be honest.
“We’ve had a shitload of noise the last two years off the field, that doesn’t help. But again in all these situations, you’ve got to keep growing and keep learning.”
Doueihi’s decision follows star Jarome Luai’s announcement that he will join Parramatta next season, ahead of his move to the PNG Chiefs in 2028, fuelling speculation that Marshall has lost the dressing room.
It comes as the joint-venture club has endured a slippery slide down the NRL ladder, having sat in the top four at the start of the season.
Rumours have also circulated that different players unhappily approached Marshall over the decision to move Doueihi, but the coach rubbished those claims.
“I did have a lot of players in my office trying to get their head around the situation, but no other players came to me upset,” he said.
“When you’re winning, there are no problems, and nine rounds in, there were no problems … Winning hides things and losing brings everything to the forefront.”
Hooker Api Koroisau dodged questions on how he felt about Doueihi’s decision as a leader of the playing group, but conceded that not every player had all the information.
“It was a big week for us in just trying to get out there and do our job. It was a complicated situation,” he said.
AAP