More than 300 players will represent Wests Tigers across the club’s 13 pathways teams in what promises to be a bumper 2023 season.
The 2023 fixtures list for all representative teams has been confirmed by the NSWRL, with the new season to kick off in the first week of February.
In terms of numbers, it will be the busiest season yet for Wests Tigers with the impending entry of its inaugural NRLW team.
Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe says the club’s pathways plans are strategically very important.
“We have been adding significantly to our pathways programs in terms of resources for some time because we know that is where our growth will come from,” Pascoe said.
“We have beefed up our staffing across all representative teams, with a big focus on what we are doing in the women’s game as well.
“It’s a really exciting time for Wests Tigers members and supporters.’’
Another highlight of the 2023 representative season for Wests Tigers is the number of games being played at its two spiritual home grounds.
Twenty-nine fixtures have been scheduled for next season’s pathways teams at Campbelltown Sports Stadium and Leichhardt Oval.
Pascoe says it’s a great result given the challenges around the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“It has been tricky planning for next season with our two homes being out of action for a good chunk of the season,” he said.
“I think we’ve done really well to ensure that Wests Tigers rep teams will be playing a lot of rugby league at both Campbelltown and Leichhardt.”
Wests Tigers women’s program will feature several triple-headers in 2023 involving the club’s Harvey Norman NSW Premiership, Tarsha Gale Cup (U/19s) and Lisa Fioala Cup (U/17s) teams.
The premiership-winning Harvey Norman Women’s team will be aiming to kick off the new season in style with a grand final rematch against Cronulla Sharks at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on February 4.
There will be quite a few triple-headers involving the men’s teams as well, including the NRL season kick-off against the Titans.
Western Suburbs NSW Cup and Wests Tigers Jersey Flegg Cup teams will play curtain-raisers against the Roosters at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday, March 5.
There will be another triple-header at Leichhardt Oval the following week when the club’s NRL, NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg teams take on Newcastle Knights.
The other triple-headers (NRL, NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg) will be for the Easter Monday fixture at Accor Stadium, the Round 8 fixture against Manly at Campbelltown, and the Round 12 fixture against the Panthers at Leichhardt.
Several pathways teams will spend time on the road in 2023.
The NSW Cup and Wests SG Ball Cup teams will each play a game in New Zealand, as will the Cubs (U/16s), following last season’s highly successful inaugural tour.
Wests Tigers Jersey Flegg and Balmain SG Ball teams will each play a game against the Storm in Melbourne.
Macarthur Wests Tigers Andrew Johns (U/16s) and Laurie Daley (U/18s) teams will also be hitting the road with games in Bathurst, Forster and Leeton, before playing home games at Kirkham Oval in Camden.
The Wests Tigers NRL squad will break for Christmas tomorrow (December 21) and return to training on January 5, 2023.
