Wests Tigers lock Braith Anasta is this week's columnist for the Tiger Talk column.
The column appears each Wednesday in the Campbelltown Advertiser.
TIGER TALK
A month is a long time in rugby league, particularly if you are injured.
For me, the past month has been one of hard work and frustration. Spending five days a week working in the rehabilitation squad under Andrew Leeds is a real mental battle. You just go through endless amounts of exercises on bikes, rowing machines and heavy rope work. In between, you are getting treated by our great physio in Peter Moussa. Both Andrew and Peter have had their work cut in recent times considering the amount of injuries we have experienced.
Fortunately for me, I have had a few training partners in Keith Galloway, Chris Lawrence and Lote Tuqiri to just a name a few. These guys are all international players and it just goes to show you how much talent there is sitting on the sidelines.
The good news is that Im out of the rehab squad and will be right to return from my groin injury when we take on the North Queensland Cowboys at Leichhardt Oval this Friday night. I cant wait to pull on the Wests Tigers jersey again and do battle.
As an injured player, you feel helpless on the sideline. You are so close to the action and you know what your team-mates are going through. The past month has been very tough on the team and to have seven straight losses to your name is not a pleasant feeling for anyone involved in the side.
I know how hard the boys have been working. The effort is there and trust me, they are giving their all. Unfortunately it is not showing on the field at the moment. No one is happy with our performances and I know it is tough on our supporters but no one feels the pain more than the players.
For us, it is about more hard work and believing in each other. It is a mental challenge and one Im sure as a group, we will overcome. This team is very tight as a group and we back each other all the way.
An example of this has been spending the past few days together in a team camp in Kiama. The camp was planned a few weeks back and it was our chance as a group to spend more time with each other and to get to know some of the younger players better.
I honestly believe it has worked too. All we have to do now is to take that bond and be there for each other against the Cowboys. It is a going to be a great game and is a match we must win to keep us in touch of the top eight. We have the bye the week after so this game is very important to us.
To our supporters, I know things have been very hard for you but we need your support again this Friday night. We need to have a great atmosphere at Leichhardt Oval and Im sure we will. So stick with us and be assured we are giving it our all. The hard work will pay off. And when it does, it will be great to celebrate it with you all.
The column appears each Wednesday in the Campbelltown Advertiser.
TIGER TALK
A month is a long time in rugby league, particularly if you are injured.
For me, the past month has been one of hard work and frustration. Spending five days a week working in the rehabilitation squad under Andrew Leeds is a real mental battle. You just go through endless amounts of exercises on bikes, rowing machines and heavy rope work. In between, you are getting treated by our great physio in Peter Moussa. Both Andrew and Peter have had their work cut in recent times considering the amount of injuries we have experienced.
Fortunately for me, I have had a few training partners in Keith Galloway, Chris Lawrence and Lote Tuqiri to just a name a few. These guys are all international players and it just goes to show you how much talent there is sitting on the sidelines.
The good news is that Im out of the rehab squad and will be right to return from my groin injury when we take on the North Queensland Cowboys at Leichhardt Oval this Friday night. I cant wait to pull on the Wests Tigers jersey again and do battle.
As an injured player, you feel helpless on the sideline. You are so close to the action and you know what your team-mates are going through. The past month has been very tough on the team and to have seven straight losses to your name is not a pleasant feeling for anyone involved in the side.
I know how hard the boys have been working. The effort is there and trust me, they are giving their all. Unfortunately it is not showing on the field at the moment. No one is happy with our performances and I know it is tough on our supporters but no one feels the pain more than the players.
For us, it is about more hard work and believing in each other. It is a mental challenge and one Im sure as a group, we will overcome. This team is very tight as a group and we back each other all the way.
An example of this has been spending the past few days together in a team camp in Kiama. The camp was planned a few weeks back and it was our chance as a group to spend more time with each other and to get to know some of the younger players better.
I honestly believe it has worked too. All we have to do now is to take that bond and be there for each other against the Cowboys. It is a going to be a great game and is a match we must win to keep us in touch of the top eight. We have the bye the week after so this game is very important to us.
To our supporters, I know things have been very hard for you but we need your support again this Friday night. We need to have a great atmosphere at Leichhardt Oval and Im sure we will. So stick with us and be assured we are giving it our all. The hard work will pay off. And when it does, it will be great to celebrate it with you all.
