SUNDAY, JUNE 23rd, 2024 CAMPBELLTOWN SPORTS STADIUM SYDNEY
Wests Tigers Seek Mid-Season Resurgence
Following a crucial victory over the Titans at Leichhardt Oval, the Wests Tigers are eager to spark a mid-season resurgence as they host the Raiders in Campbelltown on Sunday.
Climbing the Ladder
Having climbed out of the NRL basement with their first win since Round 4, the Wests Tigers aim to continue their ascent up the ladder in front of their home fans.
Maintaining Composure
With an 83 per cent completion rate and only seven errors compared to the Titans’ 14, Benji Marshall seeks to carry this composure into Round 16 after earlier chances at victory were thwarted by ill-discipline.
Tigers Team Line-Up
1. Jahream Bula 2. Solomona Faataape 3. Brent Naden 4. Justin Olam 5. Charlie Staines 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Aidan Sezer 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Fonua Pole 11. Reuben Porter 12. Samuela Fainu, 13. Justin Matamua 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Sione Fainu 16. Alex Seyfarth 17. Kit Laulilii 18. Heath Mason 19. Luke Laulilii 20. Adam Doueihi 21. Tony Sukkar 22. Jordan Miller
Raiders Face Key Challenges
Meanwhile, after their thrilling golden-point victory against the Dolphins, after a poor display by the officials, again, the Green Machine were brought back down to earth by the Cowboys on Friday, going down 34-16 in front of home fans.
No Excuses for the Raiders
The Raiders will have no excuses as they travel up the Hume Highway, with star second-rower Hudson Young available after being omitted from the Blues’ squad for Game Two. They could also see the return of Corey Horsburgh from injury.
Raiders Team Line-Up
1. Jordan Rapana 2. Nick Cotric 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Kaeo Weekes 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Zac Woolford 15. Ata Mariota 16. Trey Mooney 17. Emre Guler 18. Albert Hopoate 19. Adrian Trevilyan 20. Hohepa Puru 21. Simi Sasagi 22. Adam Cook
Referee. Todd Smith, Touch Judges, Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski, Clayton Wills, Bunker, Gerard Sutton
Historical Challenges
Wests Tigers have not defeated the Raiders at Campbelltown in a decade.
The Raiders have won their past eight games against Wests Tigers.
Centre Justin Olam has scored five tries in Wests Tigers’ three wins this season.
Raiders fullback Jordan Rapana has scored 16 tries in 14 games against Wests Tigers.
The Tigers have lost their last 10 games at Campbelltown
Looking for Back-to-Back Wins
It’s not a happy hunting ground for the Wests Tigers, but they will be looking to secure a back-to-back victory in Campbelltown Sports Stadium against the Canberra Raiders.
Building Momentum
It’s been a long year for the Wests Tigers, but they hope to build on the momentum from their Round 15 victory, their first win since Round 4. The 18-10 triumph over the Gold Coast Titans demonstrated that maintaining completions and minimizing errors can keep them competitive.
Strong Performances Fuel Confidence
Strong performances from veterans and star players Aidan Sezer and Api Koroisau, along with solid contributions from Stefano Utoukamanu, Justin Olam, and Alex Seyfarth, give the team confidence that they can compete when everything clicks.
Key Players Return
Lachlan Galvin will return to five-eighth from a hand injury, allowing Koroisau to resume his role at hooker and Sezer to play at halfback.
Raiders’ Inconsistent Performance
The Raiders performance this year is lopsided, and although they are scraping high with some tight wins, their losses are blowouts. A clearly frustrated Ricky Stuart said it was a game of ill-discipline that saw them crumble against the Cowboys 34-16; it was the Raiders’ third straight loss at home.
Starling Side-lined
After leaving the field with a head injury assessment (HIA) last round, Tom Starling will sit this one out, giving Zac Woolford a spot on the bench.
Prediction.
I would love to see the Tigers win here, but I fear the Raiders will be to strong after 80 minutes. The game could be close with the Tigers finding some confidence after beating the Titans last week.
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