Michael Maguire hopes the legacy of the late John Chalk will lift his charges as Wests Tigers bid to return to the NRL’s top eight with victory over Canterbury on Saturday night.
Tigers veterans Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah urged Maguire to let the entire squad pay their respects to Chalk at the funeral of the club’s inaugural chairman on match eve.
The coach had no hesitation, saying the former ARL and NSWRL chair was a legendary figure at the Tigers.
“I’m very big on the history of clubs. I wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for someone like John Chalk,” Maguire said.
“People like that make our game.
“Myself, I look up to those type of people because he’s been able to do so much for the game itself and he’s very well regarded.
“I spent 12 months out last year in and around the NRL, and a lot of people spoke about John Chalk and what he’s done for the game.”
Wins for Brisbane and Penrith already this round have bumped the Tigers out of the eight, but they can climb back to seventh on the congested ladder if they can rack up three straight victories for the first time since rounds four to six last year.
But Maguire isn’t taking the Bulldogs lightly after the one-time wooden spoon contenders rose from the bottom of the table with three wins in their past five games.
“We know the opposition have been performing very well,” he said.
“They’re a thorough team. They complete, they build pressure, they do all the things that every team’s trying to achieve.”
Maguire’s mid-season backline reshuffle, including Moses Mbye’s move to the centres and Corey Thompson’s switch to fullback has proven somewhat of a coaching masterstroke and has reignited the Tigers’ attack.
And with the Bulldogs boasting one of the most improved defensive units, the Tigers will need their attack to fire at ANZ Stadium.
“Moses, he actually grew up playing as a centre and that was a little memory I had, so I thought I’d give him an opportunity out there,” Maguire said.
“He’s taken to it really well. He’s put a real strength around that left edge and the commitment he’s put into that has really helped us as a team.
“Thompson himself has really grown in that position. He’s learning and learning every single time we train. And that’s what I love about little Thommo; he just wants to get better, which is what we want to be as a club.”