Wests Tigers NRL head coach Benji Marshall has named his squad to play the North Quensland Cowboys in Townsville this Saturday, in Round 26 of the Telstra Premiership.
Prop Fonua Pole will play his 100th NRL game after making his debut for Wests Tigers against New Zealand Warriors in Round 16, 2022.
Alex Seyfarth has been named at lock to replace Alex Twal (concussion), while Ethan Roberts comes onto the interchange bench.
Sunia Turuva (knee) has been named to return on the interchange bench after missing Sunday’s amazing 25-24 win over the Sydney Roosters to snap an eight game losing streak.
The win, off a big hearted effort from Benji’s boys, especially in defence, was just what the doctor ordered for the team, coaching and front office staff, and, most importantly, long suffering fans.
Roosters opened the scoring after three minutes, leading to palpitations in the Tigers camp, but the boys responded with three of their own tries.
The Wests kicker for the first half, Jock Madden, who otherwise had a great game, couldn’t buy a conversion, so the Roosters scoring next helped them go to the break on level terms at 12-12, even though it was three tries to two.
But the signs were there in the first 40 minutes that this was going to be the Wests Tigers’ day.
Madden kicking that drop goal in the 79th minute put smiles across Tiger land.
Naturally afterwards everyone was asking where has this kind of performance been in the past eight weeks.
But it doesn’t matter.
What does matter is that the Tigers will finish the season strongly and set up the foundations for a successful 2027 season.
WESTS TIGERS LINEUP V COWBOYS:
1. Jahream Bula
2. Junior Tupou
3. Solomone Saukuru
4. Patrick Herbert
5. Jeral Skelton
6. Jarome Luai
7. Jock Madden
8. Terrell May
9. Api Koroisau
10. Fonua Pole
11. Samuela Fainu
12. Tony Sukkar
13. Alex Seafarth
INTERCHANGE:
14. Heath Mason
15. Sione Fainu
16. Ethan Roberts
17. Bunty Afoa
18. Tristan Hope
19. Sunia Turuva
RESERVES:
20 Tino Tavana
21 Charlie Murray
22 Vaka Aho
