Legends of the League Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler recommended two Wests Tigers heavy hitters to get on the same page for this group.
A The feud between incoming head coach Benji Marshall and new head of recruiting Scott Fulton erupted last week After comments from Fulton’s godfather, Manly legend Peter Peters, on the radio, which seemed to affect Marshall.
Team boss Justin Pascoe says he held meetings with all the men on Monday to resolve their grievances and lay down their weapons.
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Fulton was replaced by Pascoe in the middle of the season without consulting Marshall or current head coach Tim Sheens, causing anger within the administration.
He and Marshall are now at odds over signing a new halfback to replace Luke Brooks. Marshall says he wants Aiden Sezer, while Fulton wants to lure Jack Cogger.
Either way, Fittler says the Tigers can’t escape their on-field issues if the coach and recruiter are at odds.
“Recruiting is a very difficult thing to do at a club, and you can’t have recruiters without communicating with the coaches,” Fittler told Wide World of Sports. Freddy is the Eighth.
“It can’t happen.”
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Johns agrees that Marshall and Fulton should be on the same page.
And while the Tigers’ next coach may be confused by how Fulton joined the team, Johns can see why the recruiting specialist was hired.
“You have to talk to the coaches. They’re running the club, really,” he said.
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“I see the other side of it, why the Tigers brought in Scott Fulton, (and) Manly in the last twelve years (signed) (Haumole) Olakau’atu, (Tolu) Koula, (Josh) Schuster, (Taniela) Paseka, (Josh) Aloiai … they have a good reputation in the south-west of Sydney.
“But the coaches have to talk every day with the young recruits. First of all, how do we want to play, which players are compatible with the way we want to play?
“The Tigers need to find their DNA … I don’t know if they’re trying to play right now.”
Both Fittler and Johns believe Sezer is the right signing for the Tigers to replace Brooks, who has not played an NRL finals game in a decade at the club.
Sezer, 32, was No.7 in the Raiders who played in the 2019 NRL Grand final before moving to England’s Super League.
“I like Aiden Sezer. He is very good … he has a steady head, he can stick to the game plan, really controlled,” said Fittler.
“There are aspects of his game that I think Benji can see to his advantage.”
The Tigers are bottom of the NRL ladder, and then take on the Rabbitohs in round 22.
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