‘Don’t have to be a brain surgeon to realise’: Tigers CEO pleads for fan unity amid horror streak
Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson has written a lengthy letter to members calling for unity off the back of the club losing six straight games.
Richardson, who recently signed a four-year extension with a blue print to end years of failure at Wests Tigers, has told members they will need to be patient as the club sets about implementing a long-term road to success.
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall and his coaching team are given full support by Richardson who has told members “there is no gain without pain”.
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Below is the letter Richardson has sent to Wests Tigers members on Monday:
“With another five weeks until our next game at home, I wanted to take this opportunity to write to you about our team, our progress, and our plans.
“You don’t have to be a brain surgeon to realise that two wins and seven losses is not the start we all wanted this season. Having said that, I have no doubt that we have improved on the field, as we commence our journey towards success.
“This journey will not be an easy one. There will be ups and downs. There will be highs and lows. There will be disappointment and elation. That is what building a club is all about. It is crucial that we are patient, and we stick to a plan.
“I want to outline to you my thoughts on where we are now, and where we are going.
“When I first arrived at Wests Tigers we sat down and mapped out our recruitment and development program, which we have shared with you in our strategic plan.
“We reviewed our roster and mapped the way forward for this year and the years to follow.
“This year’s roster was all but finalised when I arrived, but we were able to bolster the NRL squad with the addition of Justin Olam, and as you know, we have made other significant signings for next season and beyond.
“I have outlined a few key areas that are fundamental to the future success of our team.
Coaching
“We have an excellent coaching staff led by Benji and I can assure you his team are working hard every day to attain success.
Elite juniors
“We have an abundance of young juniors in our top squad who are all in the early stages of being ‘NRL ready’. We made a conscious decision this season to help fast-track these players in our NSW Cup side, rather than have them playing in SG Ball or Jersey Flegg.
“While this has been challenging for NSW Cup coach Aaron Payne, we are already seeing these young men improve week by week. Naturally, we all want to win, and it’s common for people to crave instant success, but the development of these young players to NRL standard is crucial for our future.
Recruitment
“We have been strong in the recruitment market in areas of need for next year. We will be continually moulding the squad to fit Benji’s vision, as we have done already with players like Jarome Luai and Sunia Turuva.
Pathways & Development
“We have many exciting young players in our pathways’ teams and development squads in our pipeline. A key component of our development strategy is to not block opportunities for these players where possible.
“We will shortly be announcing more young signings who have emerged through our pathways system.
“We are streamlining our development programs to make them more efficient, whilst at the same time improving our coaching and structures.
NSW Cup
“We need to, and will, bolster our NSW Cup side. It is important that we bring in players who have the capability to assist the development of our young side, and at the same time improve on-field performance to place greater pressure on our NRL team.
Culture
“We are placing a very big emphasis on the culture of our club from our junior rep teams through to NRL.
“This must be a club that players aspire to come to and want to stay at, and the greatest recruitment tool is word of mouth.
“Having read the above, I hope you can now perhaps better understand why I am so confident that we will together achieve the success we are aiming for.
“Building a club from the bottom to the top is NOT ‘Fantasy Football’. It takes hard work and commitment to stay the journey.
“Be disappointed in losses, I sure am. But remember this, there is no gain without pain.
“Together, we will build a club that we can be very proud of. Divided, and failure is a certainty.”