2008 Wests Tigers season

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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 Pre-season trials

2008 Season Ladder

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

Players Used

Current first-grade squad at 22 March 2008

No. Position Player
Australia FB Brett Hodgson (captain)
Australia FB Shannon McDonnell
Australia FB Shannon Gallant
Tonga WG Taniela Tuiaki
Australia WG Peni Tagive (Debut: Round 1)
Australia WG Beau Ryan
Australia CE Chris Lawrence
Australia CE Dean Collis
Australia CE Danny Galea
New Zealand FE Benji Marshall
Australia HB John Morris
Australia HB Mathew Head (Debut: Round 5)
Australia HB Tim Moltzen (Debut: Round 1)
Australia PR Bryce Gibbs
Australia PR Todd Payten
Australia PR Ryan O'Hara
No. Position Player
Australia PR Luke Harlen
Australia PR Daine Laurie (Debut: Round 15)
Australia PR Ryan Tandy (Debut: Round 15)
Australia HK Robbie Farah
Australia HK Stuart Flanagan
Australia SR Corey Payne
New Zealand SR Dene Halatau
New Zealand SR Bronson Harrison
Australia SR Rocky Trimarchi
Australia SR Keith Galloway
Australia SR Tevita Metuisela
Australia SR Rhys Hanbury (Debut: Round 2)
Samoa SR Ben Te'o
Australia LK Liam Fulton
Australia 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

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