2008 Wests Tigers season
Rugby league team 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
Players Used
Current first-grade squad at 22 March 2008
Gains and losses
References
The Club Home grounds Culture Important figures League Premierships (1) Seasons (24)Other competitions Affiliations