2008 Wests Tigers season

The 2008 Wests Tigers season was their 9th in the NRL. Major signings for the 2008 season are former Dragons halfback Mathew Head, backrower Corey Payne, and back Nick Youngquest.

Season summary

The Tigers had a successful opening to the season with a round 1 win over the St George Illawarra Dragons, 24–16 and a torrid round 2 win over the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville, 30–10.

Benji Marshall was injured in the third minute of round 1 with a knee ligament tear, sidelining him for eight to ten weeks.^[1]

Three losses in a row and injuries to hooker, Robbie Farah, kept the Tigers in the bottom half of the ladder until a round 6 win against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 20 April. Mathew Head returned to the NRL in round 5 after a year in the UK and recuperating from injury. Tigers then narrowly beat Cronulla Sharks 20-18.

Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall both returned to the team in the round 10 win against the Newcastle Knights. In a match that saw twelve tries scored between the two teams, Marshall scored two tries and kicked a 40/20. Mathew Head and Scott Dureau (Knights) also kicked 40/20s.

After a four game losing streak, the Wests Tigers ended the South Sydney Rabbitohs' run of five-straight wins, beating them 36–12 in round 19.

Another run of losses towards the end of the season kept the Wests Tigers out of the top eight for the third year in a row. The three losses coincided with the suspension of Todd Payten for a dangerous throw in round 22.

In the final match of the season, the Wests Tigers farewelled captain Brett Hodgson with a win over the Gold Coast Titans at Robina.

Players leaving the club at the end of the season include Brett Hodgson, Ryan O'Hara, Ben Te'o and Stuart Flanagan. It was also club CEO Steve Noyce's last year with the club.

2008 Season Results

2008 Season Results
Round	Opponent	Result	Date	Venue	Crowd	Referee	Position/16
1	St. George Illawarra Dragons	Win[1]	16 March 2008	Sydney Football Stadium (H)	18,211	Sean Hampstead	6th
		24 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Fulton, Lawrence, Farah, Moltzen; Goals: Hodgson 4/4)  16 - Dragons (Tries: Gasnier, Soward, Reynoldson; Goals: Gasnier 0/1, Soward 2/2)
2	North Queensland Cowboys	Win[2]	22 March 2008	Dairy Farmers Stadium (A)	20,655	Tony De Las Heras	2nd
		30 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Farah, Harrison, Lawrence, Moltzen, Fulton; Goals: Hodgson 3/3 Lawrence 2/5)  10 - Cowboys (Tries: Graham, Harris; Goals: Thurston 1/2)
3	Bulldogs	Loss[3]	30 March 2008	ANZ Stadium (A)	21,546	Jared Maxwell	6th
		32 - Bulldogs (Tries: Patten 2, El Masri, S Williams, Nanai, Ryan; Goals: El Masri 4/6)  12 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Ryan, Halatau; Goals: Hodgson 2/2)
4	Penrith Panthers	Loss	7 April 2008	Campbelltown Stadium (H)	11,898	Jason Robinson	11th
		30 - Penrith Panthers (Tries: Priddis, Jennings, Blair, Gordon, Tighe; Goals: Sammut 5/6 )  8 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Ryan; Goals: Hodgson 2/2 )
5	Canberra Raiders 1989 League Legends Cup	Loss	13 April 2008	Canberra Stadium (A)	12,240	Sean Hampstead	10th
		30 - Canberra Raiders (Tries:Purtell 3, Tilse, Tongue, Carney; Goals: Carney 3/6)  24 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Harrison 2, Tuiaki, Collis; Goals: Hodgson 4/4)
6	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Win[4]	20 April 2008	SCG (H)	19,122	Ben Cummins	8th
		30 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Heighington, Collis, Te'o, Lawrence, Flanagan; Goals: Hodgson 5/5)  10 - South Sydney Rabbitohs (Tries: Champion, Rogers; Goals: Merritt 1/2)
7	Cronulla Sharks	Win[5]	27 April 2008	Toyota Stadium (A)	17,241	Shayne Hayne	7th
		20 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Lawrence 2, Heighington, Hodgson; Goals: Hodgson 2/4)  16 - Cronulla Sharks (Tries: Kearney, Seymour; Goals: Covell 4/4)
8	Brisbane Broncos	Loss[6]	3 May 2008	ANZ Stadium (H)	11,177	Tony Archer	8th
		34 - Brisbane Broncos (Tries: Robinson 2, Kemp, Thaiday, Hunt, Wallace; Goals: Ennis 4/5, Wallace 1/1)  22 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Te'o 2, McDonnell, Collis; Goals: Hodgson 3/4)
9	Bye
10	Newcastle Knights	Win[7]	18 May 2008	EnergyAustralia Stadium (A)	20,154	Sean Hampstead	8th
		38 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Hodgson 2, Marshall 2, Fulton, McDonnell, Te'o ; Goals:Hodgson 5/7 )  26 - Newcastle Knights (Tries:Bailey 3, Dureau, Vuna ; Goals: Naiqama 3/5)
11	Gold Coast Titans	Win[8]	25 May 2008	Leichhardt Oval (H)	17,493	Shayne Hayne	7th
		20 - Wests Tigers (Tries:Te'o, Farah, Hodgson ; Goals:Hodgson 3/4 )  18 - Gold Coast Titans (Tries:Cannings, Bowen, Campbell ; Goals:Prince 3/3 )
12	Sydney Roosters	Loss	2 June 2008	Sydney Football Stadium (A)	15,204	Tony Archer	8th
		19 - Sydney Roosters (Tries:M Aubusson 2, Roberts ; Goals:Fitzgibbon 3/3; Field Goal:Pearce 1 )  10 - Wests Tigers (Tries:Farah, Tuiaki ; Goals:Hodgson 1/2 )
13	North Queensland Cowboys	Win[9]	7 June 2008	Campbelltown Stadium (H)	10,488	Gavin Badger	7th
		40 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Collis, McDonnell, Head, Te'o, Heighington, Marshall, Hodgson; Goals: Hodgson 6/7)  16 - North Queensland Cowboys (Tries: Slyney, T. Williams, Harris; Goals: J. Williams 2/3)
14	Parramatta Eels	Loss[10]	15 June 2008	ANZ Stadium (H)	22,107	Tony Archer	11th
		44 - Parramatta Eels (Tries: Hindmarsh 2, Burt, Cordoba, Tautai, Keating, Inu, Reddy ; Goals: Burt 6/8)  6 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Lawrence; Goals: Hodgson 1/1)
15	Brisbane Broncos	Loss[11]	20 June 2008	Suncorp Stadium (A)	27,864	Sean Hampstead	12th
		19 - Brisbane Broncos (Tries: Moon, Kemp, Kenny; Goals: Ennis 3/4 Field Goal: Hunt 1)  18 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Hodgson, Halatau, Fulton; Goals: Hodgson 3/4)
16	New Zealand Warriors	Loss[12]	29 June 2008	Leichhardt Oval (H)	15,827	Steve Lyons	12th
		28 - Warriors (Tries: Henderson, Fai, Fein, Hohaia, Rapira; Goals: Hohaia 2/3, Witt 2/2)  26 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki 3, Farah, Lawrence; Goals: Hodgson 3/5)
17	Bye						10th
18	Melbourne Storm	Loss[13]	14 July 2008	Campbelltown Stadium (H)	16,653	Jared Maxwell	12th
		30 - Melbourne Storm (Tries: Inglis 3, Slater, Manu ; Goals: Smith 5/5)  18 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki, Hodgson, Ryan; Goals: Hodgson 3/3)
19	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Win[14]	20 July 2008	ANZ Stadium (A)	21,818	Jason Robinson	10th
		36 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki 2, Lawrence 2, Ryan 2, Farah; Goals: Marshall 4/7)  12 - South Sydney Rabbitohs (Tries: Simpson, Asotasi; Goals: Luke 2/2)
20	Penrith Panthers	Loss[15]	26 July 2008	CUA Stadium (A)	14,075	Tony Archer	12th
		24 - Penrith Panthers (Tries: Gordon 2, Iosefa, Jennings; Goals: Gordon 4/4)  10 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Tagive, Laurie; Goals: Marshall 1/2)
21	Bulldogs	Win[16]	3 August 2008	ANZ Stadium (H)	16,121	Ben Cummins	9th
		56 - Wests Tigers (Tries:Gallant 2, Heighington 2, Te'o 2, Fulton, Tagive, Halatau, Marshall ; Goals: Marshall 8/10)  4 - Bulldogs (Tries: Nanai; Goals: El Masri 0/1)
22	St. George Illawarra Dragons	Win[17]	8 August 2008	WIN Stadium (A)	14,207	Shayne Hayne	9th
		18 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Ryan, Marshall; Goals: Marshall 5/5)  10 - St. George Illawarra (Tries: J Morris; Goals: Soward 3/3)
23	Parramatta Eels	Loss[18]	18 August 2008	Parramatta Stadium (A)	13,065	Matt Cecchin	11th
		40 - Parramatta (Tries: Tautai 2, Hayne 2, Moi Moi, Hindmarsh, Mateo; Goals: Inu 8/9)  12 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Marshall, Heighington; Goals: Hodgson 2/2)
24	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	Loss[19]	23 August 2008	ANZ Stadium (H)	27,564	Tony Archer	12th
		48 - Manly (Tries: B Stewart 2, Menzies 2, Hall 2, Robertson, Bell, G Stewart; Goals: Orford 5/8, Matai 1/1)  16 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Laurie 2, Ryan; Goals: Hodgson 2/3)
25	Cronulla Sharks	Loss[20]	29 August 2008	Leichhardt Oval (H)	10,766	Sean Hampstead	12th
		32 - Cronulla (Tries: Taulapapa, Covell, Anderson, Seymour, Kearney; Goals: Covell 6/6)  6 - Wests Tigers (Tries:Harrison ; Goals: Hodgson 1/1)
26	Gold Coast Titans	Win[21]	7 September 2008	Skilled Park (A)	20,703	Bernie Sutton	10th
		28 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Moltzen 2, Lawrence, Tuiaki, Ryan; Goals: Hodgson 4/5)  12 - Gold Coast (Tries: Prince, Delaney; Goals: Prince 2/2)

2008 Pre-season trials

Wests Tigers 2008 Pre-season Trials
Opponent	Result	Date	Venue	Crowd	Referee
Sydney Roosters  Foundation Cup	Loss[22]	23 February 2008	Sydney Football Stadium	15,197	Sean Hampstead
	34 - Sydney Roosters (Tries: Kenny-Dowall 3, Minichiello, Anasta, Tupou; Goals: Roberts 5/6)  28 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Moltzen, Lawrence, Morris, Tagive, Marshall; Goals: Hodgson 4/5)
Gold Coast Titans  Larry Corowa Shield	Loss[23]	1 March 2008	Skilled Park, Robina	14,386
	32 - Gold Coast Titans (Tries: Minichiello, Cannings, Bowen, Atkins, Prince, Ngawini; Goals: Prince 4/6)  4 - Wests Tigers (Tries: Lawrence; Goals: Hodgson 0/1)

2008 Season Ladder

	Team	Pld	W	D	L	B	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Melbourne	24	17	0	7	2	584	282	+302	38
2	Manly-Warringah	24	17	0	7	2	645	355	+290	38
3	Cronulla	24	17	0	7	2	451	384	+67	38
4	Sydney Roosters	24	15	0	9	2	511	446	+65	34
5	Brisbane	24	14	1	9	2	560	452	+108	33
6	Canberra	24	13	0	11	2	640	527	+113	30
7	St. George Illawarra	24	13	0	11	2	489	378	+111	30
8	New Zealand	24	13	0	11	2	502	567	-65	30
9	Newcastle	24	12	0	12	2	516	486	+30	28
10	Wests Tigers	24	11	0	13	2	528	560	-32	26
11	Parramatta	24	11	0	13	2	501	547	-46	26
12	Penrith	24	10	1	13	2	504	611	-107	25
13	Gold Coast	24	10	0	14	2	476	586	-110	24
14	South Sydney	24	8	0	16	2	453	666	-213	20
15	North Queensland	24	5	0	19	2	474	638	-164	14
16	Bulldogs	24	5	0	19	2	433	782	-349	14

Players Used

Current first-grade squad at 22 March 2008

No. Position Player FB Brett Hodgson (captain) FB Shannon McDonnell FB Shannon Gallant WG Taniela Tuiaki WG Peni Tagive (Debut: Round 1) WG Beau Ryan CE Chris Lawrence CE Dean Collis CE Danny Galea FE Benji Marshall HB John Morris HB Mathew Head (Debut: Round 5) HB Tim Moltzen (Debut: Round 1) PR Bryce Gibbs PR Todd Payten PR Ryan O'Hara

No. Position Player PR Luke Harlen PR Daine Laurie (Debut: Round 15) PR Ryan Tandy (Debut: Round 15) HK Robbie Farah HK Stuart Flanagan SR Corey Payne SR Dene Halatau SR Bronson Harrison SR Rocky Trimarchi SR Keith Galloway SR Tevita Metuisela SR Rhys Hanbury (Debut: Round 2) SR Ben Te'o LK Liam Fulton LK Chris Heighington

Gains and losses

2008 Player Movements
Gains		Losses
Player	Previous Club	Player	New Club
Linton Price	Leeton	Ben Galea	Hull Kingston Rovers
Benson Tupou	Leeton	Daniel Fitzhenry	Hull Kingston Rovers
Noah Fotu	Leeton	Paul Whatuira	Huddersfield Giants
Todd Bridge	Taree	Ben Jeffery	Gold Coast Titans
Joe Latham	Wingham	Jai Ayoub	Sydney Roosters
Soueli Makaui	Keebra Park State High School	Jason Moodie	Retired
Lio Viaga	Keebra Park State High School	Jarrod Saffy	St. George Illawarra Dragons
Corey Payne	St George Illawarra	Nick Youngquest	Bulldogs
Nick Youngquest	Penrith Panthers	Luke Harlen	Northern Pride RLFC
Mathew Head	Hull	Mathew Head	St. George Illawarra Dragons

References

1. Liam Fitzgibbon (2008-03-16). "Benji injury sours Tigers win". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 2008-03-16.
2. "Tigers too good for Cowboys". Fairfax Digital. 2008-03-22. Archived from the original on 4 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-22.
3. "Dogs dominate timid Tigers". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-03-30. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
4. "Tigers keep Bunnies winless". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-04-20. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
5. Philip Henderson (2008-04-27). "Tigers land baited Sharks once again". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 2008-04-27.
6. "Brilliant Broncos bust Tigers". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
7. Todd Balym (2008-05-18). "Sheens lets rip at Marshall law". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 2008-05-18.
8. "Tigers hang on to topple Titans". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-05-25. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
9. "Benji back to his best". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-06-07. Retrieved 2008-06-07.
10. "Electric Eels get season into gear". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-06-15. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
11. Wayne Heming (2008-06-20). "Broncos hold off fighting Tigers". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 2008-06-20.
12. Tom Wald (2008-06-29). "Warriors topple wasteful Tigers". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 2008-06-29.
13. Steve Jancetic (2008-07-14). "Inglis blows Tigers away". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 2008-07-14.
14. Steve Jancetic (2008-07-20). "Tigers burst Bunnies' bubble". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 2008-07-20.
15. "Knee injury sours Penrith win". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2008-07-27.
16. "Tigers condemn Dogs to new low". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-08-03. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
17. Adrian Warren (2008-08-08). "Marshall puts Dragons to sword". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 2008-08-08.
18. Steve Jancetic (2008-08-18). "Eels continue late finals burst". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 2008-08-18.
19. "Sea Eagles fly back on course". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-08-23. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
20. Steve Jancetic (2008-08-29). "Sharks tame Tigers at Leichhardt". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 2008-08-29.
21. "Tigers end season on high". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-09-07. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
22. "Tigers fume over heavy shots". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-02-23. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
23. "Titans hammer Wests at home". Fox Sports News (Australia). 2008-03-01. Retrieved 2008-03-02.