Tigers coach Benji Marshall has lauded Adam Doueihi following a tough week for the playmaker and the club.
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Doueihi’s name has dominated the headlines since he elected to sit out of the clash against Canberra eight days ago.
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The club addressed the matter during the week and Marshall recalled Doueihi against the Eels, who entered Round 22 as the player under the most pressure in the NRL.
The Tigers’ slim top eight hopes were dashed in the heartbreaking loss to Parramatta, but Doueihi was almost the hero, scoring a try and kicking a field goal to give his side the lead before the Eels won with a late Isaiah Iongi try.
Despite the obvious disappointment with the result, Marshall was very proud of how Doueihi responded on the field.
“I thought he was outstanding. I just thought it showed true character, given the week he had as well, to turn it around and just put that into a performance on the field,” Marshall said.
“He showed moments tonight with repeat sets, set up a couple of tries, good kicking game, and defensively he was the solid Adam that we all know. So yeah, I was really proud of him.”
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At the moment, Doueihi is clearly the Tigers’ best No. 7, but that didn’t mean everyone was thrilled with Marshall’s decision to recall the 27-year-old with a perception that Doueihi left his teammates high and dry.
The Tigers coach was asked if he felt vindication picking Doueihi.
“It’s not about a lot of people, is it? It’s about what you think’s best for the club and the team at the time, that was the decision we made that we thought was best,” Marshall explained.
Outgoing Tigers star Jarome Luai was also pressed about the Doueihi saga and the impact it had on him and the rest of the Tigers players, noting the club were keen to celebrate and deliver a win for Api Koroisau’s 250th NRL game.
“It wasn’t about me, it was never about me,” Luai responded.
“It was a big occasion for our skipper. Obviously disappointed we couldn’t get the result for him. He’s a big part of this club, and he’s been a big part of my journey personally.
“It’s probably one of our best weeks of training. We’re pros here. We’ve got to block out the noise, and I think within our within our four walls, we’ve got a lot of lot of trust in what we’re doing and what we’re building.
“Obviously we get judged on results, but no one sees how hard we’re working.”
The Tigers have now lost seven straight and ten of their last 12 games following a strong start to the season.