# 2008 Wests Tigers 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.
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 Ladder

2008 NRL seasonvte :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | Melbourne Storm | 24 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 584 | 282 | +302 | 38 |
| 2 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (P) | 24 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 645 | 355 | +290 | 38 |
| 3 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 24 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 451 | 384 | +67 | 38 |
| 4 | Sydney Roosters | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 511 | 446 | +65 | 34 |
| 5 | Brisbane Broncos | 24 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 560 | 452 | +108 | 33 |
| 6 | Canberra Raiders | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 640 | 527 | +113 | 30 |
| 7 | St George Illawarra Dragons | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 489 | 378 | +111 | 30 |
| 8 | New Zealand Warriors | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 502 | 567 | -65 | 30 |
| 9 | Newcastle Knights | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 516 | 486 | +30 | 28 |
| 10 | Wests Tigers | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 528 | 560 | -32 | 26 |
| 11 | Parramatta Eels | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 501 | 547 | -46 | 26 |
| 12 | Penrith Panthers | 24 | 10 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 504 | 611 | -107 | 25 |
| 13 | Gold Coast Titans | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 476 | 586 | -110 | 24 |
| 14 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 453 | 666 | -213 | 20 |
| 15 | North Queensland Cowboys | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 474 | 638 | -164 | 14 |
| 16 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 24 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 433 | 782 | -349 | 14 |

## Players Used

Current first-grade squad at 22 March 2008
| No. | Position | Player Brett Hodgson (captain) – FB Shannon McDonnell – FB Shannon Gallant – FB Taniela Tuiaki – WG Peni Tagive – WG (Debut: Round 1) Beau Ryan – WG Chris Lawrence – CE Dean Collis – CE Danny Galea – CE Benji Marshall – FE John Morris – HB Mathew Head – HB (Debut: Round 5) Tim Moltzen – HB (Debut: Round 1) Bryce Gibbs – PR Todd Payten – PR Ryan O'Hara – PR |
| No. | Position | Player Luke Harlen – PR Daine Laurie – PR (Debut: Round 15) Ryan Tandy – PR (Debut: Round 15) Robbie Farah – HK Stuart Flanagan – HK Corey Payne – SR Dene Halatau – SR Bronson Harrison – SR Rocky Trimarchi – SR Keith Galloway – SR Tevita Metuisela – SR Rhys Hanbury – SR (Debut: Round 2) Ben Te'o – SR Liam Fulton – LK Chris Heighington – LK |

### Gains and losses

2008 Player Movements :
| Gains | Gains | Losses | 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 F.C. | Mathew Head | St. George Illawarra Dragons |