2009 Wests Tigers season

The 2009 Wests Tigers season was the tenth in the joint-venture club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2009 Telstra Premiership and finished the season 9th (out of 16), only just missing out on a place in the finals series.

The major signing for the 2009 season was Great Britain international, Gareth Ellis.

Season summary

In late 2008, hooker Robbie Farah was offered a contract with the Gold Coast Titans commencing from the 2010 season. On 13 January 2009, it was announced that Farah had chosen to re-sign with the Wests Tigers for a further four years, until the end of the 2013 season. At the same time, the club appointed Farah as team captain, succeeding Brett Hodgson who had moved on to the Huddersfield Giants.^[1]

Only days before the commencement of the 2009 season, Wests Tigers secured Benji Marshall for a further two years, through to the end of the 2011 season.^[2]

In November 2008, CEO Scott Longmuir announced the Wests Tigers will move from ANZ Stadium at Homebush to the Sydney Football Stadium at Moore Park for the 2009 season.^[3]

Results

2009 Season Results
Round	Opponent	Result	Date	Venue	Crowd	Referee	Position/16
1	Canberra Raiders	Win[4]	16 March 2009	Campbelltown Sports Stadium (H)	17,392	Jared Maxwell Gerard Sutton	6th
		34 Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki 2, Farah, Payten, Lawrence, Moltzen; Goals: Marshall 5/6; MoM: Ellis)  26 Raiders (Tries: Carney 2, Purtell, Milne; Goals: Campese 5/5)
2	North Queensland Cowboys	Loss[5]	21 March 2009	Dairy Farmers Stadium (A)		Phil Haines Jason Robinson	13th
		42 Cowboys (Tries: Kaufusi, Webb, Bowen, Burns, Payne, T Williams, J Williams; Goals: Thurston 7/7)  14 Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki, Morris, Moltzen; Goals: Marshall: 1/3)
3	Sydney Roosters	Win[6]	27 March 2009	Sydney Football Stadium (H)		Tony Archer Gavin Badger	8th
		40 Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki 2, Lawrence 2, Collis, Farah, Moltzen; Goals: Marshall 6/8; MoM: Marshall)  24 Roosters (Tries: M Aubusson 2, Kenny-Dowall, Anasta; Goals: Fitzgibbon 4/4)
4	Penrith Panthers	Loss[7]	4 April 2009	CUA Stadium (A)		Ben Cummins Phil Haines	12th
		42 Panthers (Tries: Lewis, Sammut, Jennings, Pritchard, Graham, Coote: Goals: Gordon 9/9)  22 Wests Tigers (Tries: Hanbury 2, Galloway, Tuiaki; Goals: Marshall 3/5)
5	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	Loss[8]	13 April 2009	Brookvale Oval (A)	17,942	Tony De Las Heras Shayne Hayne	13th
		23 Sea Eagles (Tries: B. Stewart 3, Hall; Goals: Lyon 3/4; Field Goal: Orford 1)  10 Wests Tigers (Tries: Ryan, Morris; Goals: Marshall 1/2)
6	Melbourne Storm	Win[9]	20 April 2009	Leichhardt Oval (H)	12,646	Tony Archer Shayne Hayne	9th
		16 Wests Tigers (Tries: Lawrence 2, Moltzen; Goals: Marshall 2/3)  6 Storm (Tries: Hoffman; Goals: Smith 1/1)
7	Newcastle Knights	Win[10]	26 April 2009	Campbelltown Sports Stadium (H)	17,898	Jason Robinson Gerard Sutton	7th
		26 Wests Tigers (Tries: Collis 3, Morris, Ryan; Goals: 3/5; MoM: Marshall)  24 Knights (Tries: Hilder, Houston, Wicks, Mullen; Goals: Gidley 4/4)
8	Bulldogs	Loss[11]	3 May 2009	ANZ Stadium (A)	25,622	Shayne Hayne Tony De Las Heras	9th
		22 Bulldogs (Tries: El Masri 2, Ennis, Goodwin; Goals: El Masri 3/4; MoM: Ennis)  20 Wests Tigers (Tries: Ryan 2, Moltzen, Payten; Goals: Gallant 2/5)
9	Bye						8th
10	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Loss[12]	17 May 2009	Sydney Cricket Ground (H)	29,970	Ashley Klein Jason Robinson	10th
		23 Rabbitohs (Tries: Talanoa 2, Fa'alongo, Champion; Goals: Luke 2/2, Sandow 1/2: Field Goal: Merritt)  22 Wests Tigers (Tries:Tuiaki 2, Farah, Moltzen; Tries: Marshall 3/4; MoM: Farah)
11	Brisbane Broncos	Loss[13]	22 May 2009	Campbelltown Sports Ground (H)	9675	Ben Cummins Jared Maxwell	10th
		20 Broncos (Tries: Winterstein, Hunt, Te'o, Lockyer; Goals: Parker 2/4)  18 Wests Tigers (Tries: Tagive, Tuiaki, Marshall, Ayshford; Goals: Marshall 1/4)
12	New Zealand Warriors	Loss[14]	31 May 2009	Mt Smart Stadium (A)	15,365	Gavin Badger Brett Suttor
		14 Warriors (Tries: Locke 2, McKinnon; Goals: Locke 1/3)  0 Wests Tigers (Tries: Goals: )
13	Penrith Panthers	Loss[15]	5 June 2009	Leichhardt Oval (H)	14,100	Jason Robinson Bernard Sutton	14th
		26 Panthers (Tries: Walsh 2, Aiton, Daniela, Tighe; Goals: Walsh 2/3, Cooper 1/2)  10 Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki, Farah; Goals: Marshall 1/2)
14	Parramatta Eels	Win[16]	15 June 2009	Parramatta Stadium (A)	12,003	Ben Cummins Brett Suttor	13th
		23 Wests Tigers (Tries: Halatau, Mataka, Farah, Tuiaki; Goals: Marshall 3/4; Field Goal: Farah 1)  6 Eels (Tries: Burt; Goals: Burt 1/1)
15	Melbourne Storm	Loss[17]	21 June 2009	Olympic Park (A)	10,417	Ashley Klein Steve Lyons
		14 Storm (Tries: Cronk, Cross; Goals: Tomane 3/3)  12 Wests Tigers (Tries: Ayshford, Moltzen; Goals: Marshall 2/2)
16	St. George Illawarra Dragons	Loss[18]	26 June 2009	Sydney Football Stadium (H)	15,211	Jason Robinson Tony De Las Heras	15th
		21 Dragons (Tries: Morris, Creagh, Hornby, Sailor; Goals: Soward 2/4; Field Goal: Soward 1)  10 Wests Tigers (Tries: Ryan, Marshall; Goals: Marshall 1/2)
17	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Win[19]	4 July 2009	ANZ Stadium (A)	14,856	Steve Lyons Alan Shortall	14th
		54 Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki 3, Ayshford 2, Payne, Moltzen, Ryan, Skandalis, Gallant; Goals: Marshall 7/10)  20 Rabbitohs (Tries: Capewell 3, Merritt; Goals: Sandow 2/4)
18	Bye						11th
19	North Queensland Cowboys	Win[20]	19 July 2009	Leichhardt Oval (H)	18,804	Matt Cecchin Shayne Hayne	11th
		34 Wests Tigers (Tries: Marshall, Lawrence, Tuiaki, Gallant, Payne, Farah; Tries: Marshall 5/7; MoM: Marshall)  14 Cowboys (Tries: Bowen, Webb; Goals: Thurston 2/2)
20	Canberra Raiders	Win[21]	26 July 2009	Canberra Stadium (A)	11,150	Tony Archer Phil Haines	11th
		25 Wests Tigers (Tries: Moltzen 2, Morris, Tuiaki; Goals: Marshall 4/4; Field Goals: Farah)  4 Raiders (Tries: Vidot; Goals: Campese 0/1)
21	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	Win[22]	3 August 2009	Sydney Football Stadium (H)	13,531	Matt Cecchin Shayne Hayne	9th
		19 Wests Tigers (Tries: Marshall, Ryan, Tuiaki; Goals: Marshall 3/4; Field Goals: Farah)  18 Sea Eagles (Tries: Watmough 2, T Williams; Goals: Orford 3/3)
22	Sydney Roosters	Win[23]	9 August 2009	Sydney Football Stadium (A)	16,427	Gavin Badger Tony De Las Heras	7th
		17 Wests Tigers (Tries: Ryan 2, Tuiaki; Goals: Marshall 2/3; Field Goals: Farah)  10 Roosters (Tries: Sa, Kenny-Dowall; Goals: Fitzgibbon 1/2)
23	Cronulla Sharks	Win[24]	16 August 2009	Toyota Stadium (A)		Steve Lyons Alan Shortall	5th
		56 Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki 3, Ayshford 2, Marshall 2, Ryan 2, Moltzen; Goals: Marshall 8/10)  10 Sharks (Tries: Brown, Wright; Goals: Covell 1/2)
24	Parramatta Eels	Loss[25]	21 August 2009	Sydney Football Stadium (H)	34,272	Tony Archer Jared Maxwell	10th
		26 Eels (Tries: Burt, Inu, Robson, Hayne; Goals: Inu 5/5)  18 Wests Tigers (Tries: Ryan 2, Ayshford, Morris; Goals: Marshall 1/4)
25	Gold Coast Titans	Loss[26]	29 August 2009	Skilled Park (A)		Tony Archer Bernard Sutton	10th
		34 Titans (Tries: Prince 2, Campbell, O'Dwyer, Rogers, Tagatese; Goals: Prince 6/7)  24 Wests Tigers (Tries: Farah 2, Hanbury 2, Marshall; Goals: Marshall 2/5)
26	Bulldogs	Win[27]	4 September 2009	Sydney Football Stadium (H)		Steve Lyons Jared Maxwell	9th
		34 Wests Tigers (Tries: Ayshford, Lawrence, Moltzen, Galea, Marshall, Halatau; Goals: Marshall 5/6)  12 Bulldogs (Tries: Patten, Morris; Goals: El Masri 2/2)

2009 Pre-season trials

Wests Tigers 2009 Pre-season Trials
Opponent	Result	Date	Venue	Crowd	Referee
South Sydney Rabbitohs Return to Redfern	Win[28]	8 February 2009	Redfern Oval	5,000
		30 Wests Tigers (Tries: Marshall, Moltzen, Ryan, Gallant, Hanbury, Meaney; Goals: Marshall 2/3, Meaney 1/2)  26 South Sydney (Tries: Tyrell, McQueen, Lowe, Corrigan, Sayegh; Goals: Capewell 1/2, Reynolds 2/3)
Sydney Roosters Foundation Cup	Loss[29]	21 February 2009	Sydney Football Stadium	8,716	Tony Archer
		16 Sydney Roosters (Tries: Aubusson, Minichiello, Pearce; Goals: Fitzgibbon 2/3)  12 Wests Tigers (Tries: Mataka, Gallant; Goals: Marshall 2/2)
Shellharbour City Dragons	Win	6 March 2009	Ron Costello Oval, Shellharbour	4,500
		70 Wests Tigers (Tries: Tuiaki 4, Moltzen 3, Collis 2, Roqica 2, Galloway, Ryan; Goals: Marshall 9)  4 Shellharbour City Dragons (Tries: Costigan)

2009 Season Ladder

2009 NRL season
	Team	Pld	W	D	L	B	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	St. George Illawarra	24	17	0	7	2	548	329	+219	38
2	Bulldogs	24	18	0	6	2	575	428	+147	38*
3	Gold Coast	24	16	0	8	2	514	467	+47	36
4	Melbourne	24	14	1	9	2	505	348	+157	33
5	Manly-Warringah	24	14	0	10	2	549	439	+90	32
6	Brisbane	24	14	0	10	2	511	566	−55	32
7	Newcastle	24	13	0	11	2	508	491	+17	30
8	Parramatta	24	12	1	11	2	476	473	+3	29
9	Wests Tigers	24	12	0	12	2	558	483	+75	28
10	South Sydney	24	11	1	12	2	566	549	+17	27
11	Penrith	24	11	1	12	2	515	589	−74	27
12	North Queensland	24	11	0	13	2	558	474	+84	26
13	Canberra	24	9	0	15	2	489	510	−31	22
14	New Zealand	24	7	2	15	2	377	545	−188	20
15	Cronulla-Sutherland	24	5	0	19	2	359	568	−209	14
16	Sydney Roosters	24	5	0	19	2	382	681	−299	14

* Bulldogs stripped of 2 competition points after an interchange breach in round 2

2009 squad

Wests Tigers 2009 squad
Blake Ayshford (Lock, Centre) Dean Collis (Centre) Wade Dunley (Halfback) Simon Dwyer (Second-row) Gareth Ellis (Second-row) Robbie Farah (c) (Hooker) Danny Galea (Lock) Shannon Gallant (Fullback) Keith Galloway (Prop) Bryce Gibbs (Prop) David Gower (Prop)		Dene Halatau (Lock, Centre) Rhys Hanbury (Fullback, Centre) Chris Heighington (Second-row) Daine Laurie (Prop, Second-row) Chris Lawrence (Centre) Blake Lazarus (Fullback, Halfback) Robert Lui (Halfback) Benji Marshall (Halfback, Five-eighth) Willie Mataka (Second-row) Shannon McDonnell (Fullback)		Tim Moltzen (Fullback, Five-eighth, Halfback) John Morris (Five-eighth, Hooker) Corey Payne (Second-row) Todd Payten (Prop) Beau Ryan (Wing) Alan Schirnack (Second-row) John Skandalis (Prop) Peni Tagive (Wing) Rocky Trimarchi (Lock, Centre) Taniela Tuiaki (Wing)		Coaches Tim Sheens Head Coach Royce Simmons Assistant Coach Peter Gentle Assistant Coach
Squad updated 30 June 2009; Source: RLP

2009 Gains and losses

2009 Player Movements
Gains		Losses
Player	Previous Club	Player	New Club
Gareth Ellis	Leeds Rhinos	Liam Fulton	Huddersfield Giants
John Skandalis	Western Suburbs Magpies	Brett Hodgson	Huddersfield Giants
Tame Tupou	Bradford Bulls	Shannon McDonnell	Newcastle Knights

References

1. Fitzgibbon, Liam (13 January 2009). "Robbie Farah re-signs with Wests Tigers and is handed captaincy". Fox Sports Australia. Retrieved 13 January 2009.
2. "Benji to remain a Tiger until 2011". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 March 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
3. "Wests Tigers Announce 2009 Season". The Sydney Cricket & Sports Ground Trust. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
4. Jackson, Glenn (17 March 2009). "Two-try Tuiaki just too good for Raiders". Fairfax Digital. Retrieved 17 March 2009.
5. "North Queensland Cowboys do it easy over Wests Tigers". Fox Sports News (Australia). 21 March 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
6. Balym, Todd (27 March 2009). "Benji Marshall turns on the style as Wests Tigers overwhelm Roosters". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 27 March 2009.
7. "Panthers stun Wests Tigers". "Fox Sports News (Australia)". 4 April 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
8. Balym, Todd (13 April 2009). "Manly defeat Wests Tigers 23-10 as Brett Stewart returns with a hat-trick". "Fox Sports News (Australia)". Retrieved 13 April 2009.
9. Jancetic, Steve (20 April 2009). "Wests Tigers put in strong performance to defeat Melbourne Storm 16-6". "Fox Sports News (Australia)". Retrieved 20 April 2009.
10. "Wests Tigers fight back to defeat Newcastle Knights in thriller". "Fox Sports News (Australia)". 26 April 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
11. Broun, Samantha (3 May 2009). "Bulldogs hold on to clinch 22-20 win over Wests Tigers". "Fox Sports News (Australia)". Retrieved 3 May 2009.
12. McCullough, Ian (17 May 2009). "Nathan Merritt slots field goal to hand South Sydney victory over the Tigers". "Fox Sports News (Australia)". Retrieved 17 May 2009.
13. "Brisbane Broncos hold off Wests Tigers 20-18 at Campbelltown Stadium". "Fox Sports News (Australia)". 22 May 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
14. Mclean, Tamara (31 May 2009). "Kevin Locke stars for Warriors in 14-0 win over Wests Tigers". "Fox Sports News (Australia)". Retrieved 31 May 2009.
15. Jancetic, Steve (5 June 2009). "Luke Walsh's magic leads Penrith to gritty 26-10 victory over Wests Tigers". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 15 June 2009.
16. Jancetic, Steve (15 June 2009). "Wests Tigers beat Parramatta 23-6 for fifth win of NRL season". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 15 June 2009.
17. Jancetic, Steve (21 June 2009). "Melbourne Storm manage to beat Wests Tigers even without Origin stars". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 21 June 2009.
18. Jancetic, Steve (26 June 2009). "Tigers tear Rabbitohs apart". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 4 July 2009.
19. "Tigers tear Rabbitohs apart". Fox Sports News (Australia). 4 July 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
20. Warren, Adrian (19 July 2009). "Tigers breeze past Cowboys". Fox Sports News (Australia). Retrieved 19 July 2009.
21. "Tigers continue late charge". Fox Sports News (Australia). 26 July 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
22. "Tigers just hold on against Manly". Fox Sports News (Australia). 3 August 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
23. "Tigers march into top eight". Fox Sports News (Australia). 9 August 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2009.
24. "Tigers claim record win". Fox Sports News (Australia). 16 August 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
25. "Eels conquer Tigers". Fox Sports News (Australia). 21 August 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2009.
26. Heming, Wayne (29 August 2009). "Gold Coast Titans defeat Wests Tigers 36-24 at Skilled Park". Fox Sports News (Australia). Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
27. Ballym, Todd (4 September 2009). "Wests Tigers defeat Bulldogs 34-12 at Sydney Football Stadium". Fox Sports News (Australia). Archived from the original on 18 September 2009. Retrieved 5 September 2009.
28. "Wests Tigers star Benji Marshall dominates in trial win". Fox Sports News (Australia). 8 February 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
29. "Pleasing early signs for Roosters as Anthony Minichiello shows good form". Fox Sports News (Australia). 21 February 2009. Retrieved 22 February 2009.

External links

• NRL 2009 season draw