Odd man out in awkward Tigers shake-up

1 year ago 95

Wests Tigers' hopeless spine shake-up whitethorn effect successful an awkward concern with 1 of the club's favourite players.

Adam Doueihi has been shifted from his preferred five-eighth to fullback for this week's clash with the Storm successful Melbourne.

Embattled manager Tim Sheens pulled the trigger connected the determination pursuing a winless commencement done 3 rounds, which allows Brandon Wakeham to travel into the halves to spouse Luke Brooks.

It was Wakeham who sparked a abrupt Tigers surge successful Sunday's nonaccomplishment to the Bulldogs, erstwhile his injection disconnected the seat resulted successful 3 tries successful 4 minutes and astir a occurrence comeback.

The shuffle has pushed seasoned winger David Nofoaluma retired of the team, with Charlie Staines moving to the flank.

"You request to effort something, due to the fact that they were going nowhere," league fable Brad Fittler told Wide World of Sports' Freddy and the Eighth.

"The bully happening astir what Brandon did, was his archetypal tackle (Viliame) Kikau ran implicit him, and his 2nd tackle helium dug close successful and stopped him connected the spot.

"That changed everything, the fortunes of the crippled turned beauteous overmuch aft that tackle.

Stream the NRL premiership 2023 unrecorded and escaped on 9Now

"He is the cardinal change. They are asking him to ignite their attack. It's a large ask."

But if the Wakeham experimentation sticks and Brooks - who is earning $1.1 cardinal a twelvemonth to beryllium the team's halfback - retains his No.7 jersey, Doueihi could beryllium the unusual antheral out.

Daine Laurie missed past week's crippled owed to injury, and has been named connected the seat for Friday's Melbourne trip.

Tigers shake-up whitethorn beryllium permanent

But Andrew Johns says Sheens can't permission Laurie connected the seat going forward.

"For maine if (Laurie) is afloat acceptable helium has to beryllium fullback," Johns said.

It would permission Doueihi without a spot successful the spine, and astatine champion volition beryllium pushed retired wider successful the line-up.

"Centre, I've ever thought centre," Fittler replied erstwhile asked wherever Doueihi should play.

Doueihi, a Lebanon international, has agelong seen himself arsenic a playmaker, alternatively than an extracurricular back.

In 2021 Doueihi was named the club's Players' Player and helium spent 14 of his 20 games successful the No.6 jersey, and the remainder astatine centre. Last twelvemonth helium had an injury-interrupted archetypal fractional of the play earlier returning to play five-eighth.

In 2020 helium was chiefly the team's fullback.

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!