Two injuries and one suspension arising from the 48-30 loss to the Cowboys last Thursday have forced coach Benji Marshall to once again ring the changes to the team that will take on the Knights.
Adam Doueihi, Aidan Sezer and Fonua Pole return to the side named by Marshall this afternoon for the Round 23 clash in Newcastle on Sunday at 4pm.
After serving a two game suspension, Sezer slots straight back into the halves for Latu Fainu (HIA protocol), while Doueihi replaces Justin Olam (suspension) in the centres.
Pole takes the place of Tim Johannssen on the bench after missing last week’s game with a rib injury.
Johannssen, a big lump of a lad, showed plenty of promise when he came on against the Cowboys.
Indeed the entire team worked hard after Olam’s send off to score 30 points, a pretty handy haul in other circumstances.
But with 12 players on the field the writing was on the wall, despite giving the Cowboys a scare at one stage.
Full marks to a team that seems to be suffering from some sort of curse that means a sin binning or send off is inevitable every week – on top of an injury or three.
These are not excuses, just the facts, ma’am.
Wests Tigers started with arguably the worst roster in the NRL but will be finishing with an emerging group of talented youngsters, led by the incredibly talented Lachlan Galvin, pictured above.
What next year will bring is another question best left until then.
Right here, right now, these youngsters deserve a win or two after what they have done this year.
Lady Luck, c’mon, do your stuff.
TEAM LIST:
1. Jahream Bula
2. Solomon Alaimalo
3. Solomona Faataape
4. Adam Doueihi
5. Charlie Staines
6. Lachlan Galvin
7. Aidan Sezer
8. Stefano Utoikamanu
9. Api Koroisau
10. David Klemmer
11. Reuben Porter
12. Samuela Fainu
13. Isaiah Papali’i
INTERCHANGE:
14. Tallyn Da Silva
15. Alex Seyfarth
16. Fonua Pole
17. Alex Twal
RESERVES:
18. Heath Mason
