Adam Doueihi needs to be the Wests Tigers’ captain and goes above and past to make sure he’s well-equipped to guide the membership ought to he be appointed.
The Tigers are but to announce their captain for 2023 however are nearly sure to veer away from the controversial 5 captains mannequin that former coach Michael Maguire applied final season.
After the membership was closely criticised, the system was deserted mid-season and veteran prop James Tamou was appointed the Tigers’ sole captain.
But with Tamou now again on the Cowboys, the function is up for grabs — and Doueihi has made his captaincy aspirations identified.
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Doueihi believes he has the “natural leadership qualities” to be an NRL captain and revealed the extraordinary lengths he’s gone to, to be the very best chief.
“It’s definitely something I aspire to be,” the 24-year-old informed foxsports.com.au.
“When I started at Souths I was in the emerging leadership group and probably learnt my most back there off the leadership team — John Sutton, Sam Burgess, Greg Inglis, Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker.
“I was pretty fortunate to just listen to everything they had to say and watch they did day-in, day-out both on and off the field — I absorbed all that in.
“Since I’ve come across to the Tigers, I’ve been in the leadership group the past couple of years and I aspire to be a captain.
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“I feel as though I have natural leadership abilities and I’m always doing stuff off the field to help improve. Whether it be speaking to a leader of another organisation, or another sportsperson — I’m trying to pick different peoples’ brains and how it could apply to me.
“My dad’s got a business of his own and has a good network of friends that he’s introduced me to that I can lean on. There’s a few CEO’s of some pretty big companies that I just pick the brains of to see if anything overlaps into the sporting world.
“I’m still learning and developing but I feel as though I have some pretty strong, natural leadership qualities.”
Doueihi was one of many 5 gamers that made up Maguire’s uncommon captaincy mannequin.
Maguire has at all times thought extremely of the Tigers native junior, which is why he recruited him to the Rabbitohs in 2016 after which again to the Tigers in 2020.
Doueihi was at all times on Maguire’s facet, even slamming claims the coach was too robust as “a load of rubbish” final 12 months.
But the Lebanon worldwide is aware of rugby league is a “results-driven business” and understands the Tigers’ determination to sack Maguire mid-2022.
“Madge’ got me to Souths when he was there and then when I was off-contract at Souths he got me here so I’ve got a lot of respect for ‘Madge’ and what he’s done for me and my career,” Doueihi stated.
“But we weren’t going as well as we should have been last year and personally I was a bit disappointed I couldn’t come back earlier and sort of try and help him out by doing stuff on the field to try and turn things around.
“The decision was made to go in a different direction and we have to back the board here.”
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Doueihi, who rushed again from the Rugby League World Cup to attend teammate Alex Twal’s marriage ceremony, is coming off contract this 12 months.
While he didn’t give something away about his future, he assured foxsports.com.au that he’s not too apprehensive about it.
“I like to keep that in-house and not talk about it too much but I’m obviously off-contract and in no rush,” Doueihi stated.
“It’s in the back of my mind but I’m not losing sleep over it.
“I’ve got a plan of what I want in the future and I’m focused on playing good here first. If I’m still off-contract come the season, I’ll let my footy do the talking and see what happens.”
An ACL harm hampered Doueihi to only 11 NRL video games final 12 months however he’s blissful to say he’s “feeling really fit and healthy” forward of the Tigers’ season opener in opposition to the Titans on March 5.
He’ll accomplice Luke Brooks within the halves and is benefiting off a full pre-season with him.
Jackson Hastings spent final pre-season within the halves alongside Brooks whereas Doueihi was recovering from his knee harm.
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“We have a clear picture of how we want to play and there’s a style of footy this year that suits both our games,” Doueihi stated of his mixture with Brooks.
The Tigers collected the membership’s first wood spoon final season however with the addition of big-name recruits Api Koroisau, Isaiah Papali’i, David Klemmer and John Bateman they’re tipped to at the very least end greater up the ladder this 12 months.
Doueihi conceded the membership’s failure over the past decade “does hurt” however believes a great opening month of footy can set them up for a way more profitable season.
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“Of course (it hurts to lose). I’m one of the worst losers — it’s a part of our Lebanese culture, we hate losing. I’m personally competitive no matter what it is in life or sport,” he stated.
“Coming over I had ambitions to win stuff here and make the finals and stop the so-called drought but we haven’t been able to do that. It does hurt, it makes training not as enjoyable.
“This year we’ve had a really positive pre-season but unless you win games it means nothing.
“As long as we can start the season good and win games early hopefully we can ride the momentum and get into the eight.
“(That gives you) confidence and just knowing that what you’re doing works — that’s the big one.
“You train all pre-season on your attack and defence model then if you lose the first four or five games you begin questioning your passes or your plays and you don’t want that head noise.”
The Tigers face the Titans and Knights within the first fortnight earlier than taking over the Bulldogs at Belmore after which heading to Melbourne to play the Storm.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au