Wests Tigers officials distributed handouts containing the lyrics to the club’s victory anthem as players celebrated their initial win and a “fresh standard” under new coach Benji Marshall.
With only four victories in each of the previous two seasons and several new additions to the squad, Wests Tigers players might have been excused for not being familiar with the team song following their 32-6 triumph over Cronulla at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night.
However, the club has introduced a new anthem that pays homage to the heritage of Western Suburbs and Balmain, who amalgamated into a joint venture 25 years ago.
Nearly 16,000 spectators packed Leichhardt Oval to witness Wests Tigers’ inaugural victory under Benji Marshall.
The song commences with “we are the boys from Western Suburbs” and incorporates lines like “we play to win with all our might” and “our motto is do or die” before concluding with “we are the Tigers.”
After observing his team exemplify the values of the song with a performance featuring 18 offloads and resilient defense, Marshall led the singing in the dressing room alongside 2005 premiership-winning teammates Robbie Farah and Chris Heighington.
“We’re not getting too ahead of ourselves,” Marshall remarked. “It’s just one win, and we’ll certainly relish it because wins have been scarce in recent seasons, but that’s the standard we need to uphold now.”
Kumuls center Justin Olam echoed Marshall’s sentiments after scoring his debut try for Wests Tigers in an impressive first appearance for his new club since joining from Melbourne.
“It’s my first match here at Leichhardt and my first for the club, so it’s great to secure a win with the team in front of a packed Leichhardt Oval,” Olam told Fox Sports.
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“I’m thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere here, and hopefully, we can replicate this kind of performance every game because that’s our new standard.”
Wests Tigers players highlighted Marshall’s composed coaching style and the confidence he instills by empowering them to make decisions on the field and clarifying their roles.
Fullback Jahream Bula bagged two tries, while 18-year-old five-eighth Lachlan Galvin – a Magpies junior – impressed once again after making his NRL debut in Canberra last week.
“Benji gave me some solid advice at the beginning of the season, and it’s about trusting those guys,” captain Api Koroisau said.
“They’re in the team because they can play footy, and when they’re calling for the ball, sometimes you’ve just got to give it to them. I think they performed exceptionally well tonight.”
Halfback Aidan Sezer, who donned the Wests Tigers No.7 jersey for the first time, expressed his enjoyment playing under Marshall after returning from Super League.
“For me, it’s been really refreshing,” Sezer said. “He’s so relaxed, but he definitely knows what he wants, and he has simplified my role.”
Galvin added that Marshall had made him feel at ease in his two NRL appearances by granting the teenager autonomy on the field.
“He’s made it so easy for me,” Galvin said. “He just tells me to go out there and play my game.”
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