Gould calls Tigers bluff amid selection mystery

1 year ago 102

Phil Gould reckons he's caught Tim Sheens bluffing.

Prized Wests Tigers enlistee John Bateman was connected Tuesday day named successful the club's squad for the archetypal clip this season, but Sheens lone listed the erstwhile Raiders pugnacious seed successful the No.20 jumper.

Bateman's lack from the archetypal 2 rounds caused a stir, particularly among already disgruntled Tigers fans.

Gould, Canterbury's wide manager of football, thinks Bateman volition look the Bulldogs connected Sunday day contempt not being named successful the Tigers' 17.

"The nine is successful the champion presumption to gauge whether a subordinate is ready," Gould said connected Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus.

"I enactment he's been named connected the seat ... An extended bench. Why would you sanction him if you weren't going to play him? I afloat expect that helium volition play this weekend."

The sound surrounding Bateman's lack from rounds 1 and 2 was amplified by the Tigers losing astatine Leichhardt Oval to the Titans and Knights.

Many Tigers fans were seething due to the fact that a top-rate forward was watching from the sideline arsenic the embattled club's woes rolled into yet different season.

Sheens explained distant the lack by saying the England planetary was inactive "settling in", portion Tigers president Lee Hagipantelis told SEN vigor helium was yet to "acclimatise oregon larn each of the plays".

"He had immoderate visa problems and couldn't get retired present until a small spot later, helium had a World Cup run implicit there, truthful helium astir apt had a spot of clip off," Gould said connected his podcast.

"A batch of the World Cup players person had a shortened pre-season, (or) off-season, and a fig of them are showing a small spot of rust aboriginal successful the reason, which you'd expect.

"They (the Tigers) volition play him (Bateman) erstwhile he's ready.

"Ideally, you don't fto the desperation of your club, due to the fact that you've mislaid a mates of games, dictate that you're going to propulsion a bloke successful if he's not rather ready.

"I tin lone presume due to the fact that they've named him, helium volition play, and if helium plays helium volition beryllium ready.

"He's an international-class guardant truthful they would emotion to beryllium playing him."

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Gould played down the doomsday feeling surrounding the Tigers, who the Bulldogs volition conscionable astatine Belmore Sports Ground connected Sunday afternoon.

"When you're losing everyone is an expert," said the Bulldogs supremo.

Gus reveals who should beryllium the adjacent immortal: Six Tackles with Gus - Episode 04

"Everyone wants to prime your team, everyone wants to manager your team, everyone wants to manager your coach, past yet they privation to sack your coach.

"It's ne'er arsenic bully arsenic radical say, it's ne'er arsenic atrocious arsenic radical say."

He besides suggested helium was wary of the Tigers up of circular three.

"They are not the benignant of squad past shows arsenic being large arsenic favourites," Gould said.

"This week with the underdog presumption makes them infinitely much unsafe ... They'll beryllium a antithetic imaginable this week."

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