Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor has slammed the NRL draw, saying it was “unfair” with his side having to face the Canterbury Bulldogs twice in the space of four weeks.
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Taylor’s side lost to the Bulldogs 25-24 in a golden point finish back in round four and will have the chance to extract revenge for the defeat this Friday, but it’s fair to say he isn’t too happy about it.
“For teams to play the same team twice inside of the first eight rounds of the season it’s ridiculous,” Taylor is quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.
Taylor went on a rather extraordinary rant just a day out from the clash, saying that it wasn’t fair his side had to face the risk of losing to the fifth-placed Bulldogs twice in the space of a month.
“If we lose that game on Friday night there’s two losses,” Taylor said.
“Now why couldn’t it have been that we played a team that was much further down the ladder and had two wins in those two games and then we could be up in the top four.
“The difference in morale around the club, the difference in attitude because of the fact we’re feeling so confident about the way we’re playing, has a massive impact on how a team performs.
“The Bulldogs have played Manly twice. Manly are having a tough season they have only won one game.
“There’s four competition points they have, they may not have had, had they played the Rabbitohs twice.
“It’s unfair, it’s as simple as that.”
Wests currently sit in ninth on the NRL ladder, with a 3-4 record after seven games and go into Friday’s clash following an eight-point loss to the Canberra Raiders.
The Bulldogs sit four places above the Taylor’s side in fifth after winning four from seven.
Des Hasler’s men head into the match against Wests full of confidence following its 12-point win over the Manly Sea Eagles last Friday.
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