Api Koroisau, along with fullback Jahream Bula and centre Starford To’a have been rushed back into the Wests Tigers side for the round two match with the Eels this Sunday at Parramatta.
Following last week’s round one 10-8 loss to the Knights in Campbelltown, head coach Benji Marshall will be hoping the injection of experience will do the trick against the Eels.
The changes mean three players who were in the side against the Knights – Tristan Hope, Heath Mason and Solomona Faataape – have been omitted from this week’s 17.
Wests Tigers led 8-0 for much of that game, but just could not finish the job, although they came close to scoring a couple of times.
Despite having seven new faces in the team that ran on to the field to play in front of a heaving 13,500 crowd at Campbelltown Stadium, the Tigers looked composed for the first 25 minutes.
But once they got in front the body language changed, and the team looked like it had lost its focus for the next 55 minutes.
Naturally, the Knights, who were also trying to find their groove, pounced and left Campbelltown with the two premiership points.
Api Koroisau will make a difference this week against the Eels, who won’t be a pushover, despite being blown away by the Storm in Melbourne in round one.
Jarome Luai, the big off season signing for the Tigers, didn’t waste any time repaying the club, with a mighty effort, both in attack and in defence.
In those first 25 minutes he was the difference, helping the Tigers dominate proceedings.
But even he will be glad to have Koroisau next to him against Parramatta.
TEAM LIST:
1. Jahream Bula
2. Sunia Turuva
3. Adam Doueihi
4. Starford To’a
5. Jeral Skelton
6. Lachlan Galvin
7. Jarome Luai (c)
8. Terrell May
9. Api Koroisau (c)
10. Fonua Pole
11. Samuela Fainu
12. Alex Seyfarth
13. Alex Twal
INTERCHANGE:
14. Tallyn Da Silva
15. Royce Hunt
16. Jack Bird
17. Sione Fainu
