In the back of the Belmore Sports Ground grandstand, Benji Marshall’s voice echoes down the corridors. He’s shouting instructions through the headsets to the Tigers lieutenants on the sidelines.
“Transition! Transition!”
It doesn’t matter that it’s February with the temperature nudging the high 20s and we’re in the final minutes of an exhausting first half, his forwards hunched over in downward dogs and all types of rest poses. Marshall wants his team to quickly morph from defence into attack, the way he knows.
If this isn’t Benji’s team in name, then it certainly is in spirit. And it sounds like it too.
All summer the Tigers have promised a bit of razzle dazzle and the first glimpse of it came on an oppressive day at Belmore a fortnight before the season even starts, and included a try which started inside their own 10 metres.
Even if they don’t win much this year, it’s going to be fun to watch anyway.
Tommy Talau scores for the Tigers.Credit:Getty
The Tim Sheens-Robbie Farah-Marshall second coming is off the mark after they thumped Canberra 36-4 in their final match of the pre-season challenge on Sunday.
Despite missing Luke Brooks, John Bateman, Joe Ofahengaue and new captain Api Koroisau, the Tigers had far too much spark for the listless Raiders, whose week won’t get any better when Jack Wighton fronts court on charges of allegedly fighting outside a Canberra nightclub.
It might have only been a trial, but trials can vary in importance depending on where you finished on the ladder the previous year. The Tigers need confidence, not only for themselves, but that fan group which has waited a decade for something to properly cheer for.
There was plenty of that when the Tigers spread the ball inside their own quarter, aware they were exploiting a 12-man Raiders defensive line, and touched down moments later down the other end when Asu Kepaoa raced away after a break from Junior Tupou.
Canberra veteran Jordan Rapana trudged back onto the field in between try and conversion after being sin-binned just before half-time for a high shot on Adam Doueihi, who signed a one-year extension at the Tigers earlier this week.
It’s not new territory for Rapana. He copped two bans even before round one last year – one for a tackle in the All-Stars match and another for an off-season drink driving police charge – and the match review committee sheet will almost certainly have his name highlighted on Monday morning.
For those who didn’t think it would happen, Isaiah Papali’i wore Tigers colours for the first time and another off-season recruit, Charlie Staines, was on the scoresheet in a match dominated by Doueihi.
Tupou is exactly the type of product the Tigers can build their future around after he finished with a double.
WESTS TIGERS 36 (Junior Tupou 2, Tommy Talau, Asu Kepaoa, Charlie Staines, David Nofoaluma, Justin Matamua tries; Adam Doueihi 3, Brandon Wakeham goals) defeated CANBERRA RAIDERS 4 (Danny Levi try) at Belmore Sports Ground. Referee: Ben Cummins.
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