The NRL season began at the weekend and I was able to watch a couple of the games, including the season opener when Penrith played magnificently against Manly, and Wests Tigers’ clash against Melbourne Storm, with Oliver Gildart and Jackson Hastings both making their debuts for Wests.
In last week’s issue of League Express we predicted that Penrith would fall a little from their high achievements in 2021 but having seen them on Thursday I suspect that we may have to revise our opinion.
But I do find it crazy that we haven’t been able to enjoy a World Club Challenge clash against St Helens this year.
As for Gildart and Hastings, they couldn’t engineer a win for the Tigers against Melbourne Storm, but they contributed to a thrilling game and it looks to me as though there is the promise of a better season ahead for the club that is coached by former Wigan coach Michael Maguire.
I was interested to read an article in the Australian media last week in which Gildart made clear his apprehension about working under Maguire, who certainly had a fiery reputation when he worked at Wigan more than a decade ago, although Gildart would have been too young to have played for him at that time.
Now, however, after a full pre-season under Maguire, Gildart has seen an unexpected, more mellow, side to his new coach.
“I was younger so I didn’t get him (at Wigan). But a lot of the older boys were having a joke with me before I came out saying, ‘good luck with Madge, he can lose his temper pretty bad’,” Gildart said.
“So I came over expecting Madge to be some maniac, but he has been really good with me personally.
“I have not seen that side of him yet, hopefully I won’t ever have to.”
Oddly enough, the most successful English imports into the NRL over the years have been forwards, with backs generally not faring as well.
But Gildart is confident that he can break that pattern.
“It’s true, a lot of lads have come over here and not done very well or gone home early. But I’m my own person. I’ve come here to play. I want to hold down a starting spot and have a good successful career here,” he said.
Best of luck to both Gildart and Hastings.
It would be great to see the Tigers rising up the NRL ladder.
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