Wests Tigers coach Jason will be feeling a little bit of pressure ahead of Sunday’s round 6 clash with the Newcastle Knights at Hunter Stadium.
Last Saturday’s loss at Campbelltown Stadium to the Sharks follows consecutive defeats at the hands of the Titans and Parramatta.
A fourth loss against Newcastle will without doubt cast the spotlight on Taylor’s future at the helm of the coaching at Wests Tigers.
It’s unfair that the coach always cops the blame when the team goes into a losing streak, but it’s the way things have been since Lazarus played halfback for the Jerusalem All Stars.
Not that there was any sign of panicking from Taylor when he named virtually an unchanged side for the trip north to the Hunter Valley.
In the only change, Curtis Sironen is set to return from a hamstring injury suffered in round 2 against Manly, and the boom backrower will replace young hooker Manaia Cherrington on the interchange bench.
Which means that Dene Halatau will step in if and when Robbie Farah goes off for a breather on Sunday.
Taylor may be forced to make a change, depending on the outcome of tonight’s NRL judiciary hearing of Tim Simona’s dangerous contact charge arising from the Sharks encounter. Wests Tigers yesterday confirmed that the club will contest the grade 2 charge.
On a positive note, halfback Luke Brooks is set to play his 50th NRL match against the Knights. Brooks made his debut as an 18-year-old in 2013 and has missed just five NRL games since the start of the 2014 season.
Wests Tigers have won five of their last eight NRL matches against the Knights.
♦ The club’s Intrust Super Premiership side play on Saturday against the Illawarra Cutters at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, with Cherrington and Jack Buchanan bolstering the line-up.
Wests Tigers NRL – Round 6 v Knights:
1. James Tedesco
2. David Nofoaluma
3. Tim Simona
4. Kevin Naiqama
5. Jordan Rankin
6. Mitchell Moses
7. Luke Brooks
8. Aaron Woods (C)
9. Robbie Farah
10. Tim Grant
11. Dene Halatau
12. Chris Lawrence
13. Sauaso Sue
Interchange:
14. Curtis Sironen
15. Ava Seumanufagai
16. Josh Aloiai
17. Kyle Lovett
UNAVAILABLE:
Matt Ballin (knee – Round 10 approx.)
Justin Hunt (back – indefinite)
@_Bradley76 as it should be. Made some good changes but we need to win these games. Doesn’t get easier.