Wests Tigers return to Campbelltown Stadium this Sunday to host the NZ Warriors in round four of the NRL.
The match will start at 6.15, an unusual time for the NRL, and even more rare for Campbelltown fans of the joint venture.
Hopefully, and despite the later kick off time, the fans will pack Campbelltown just as they did in round one, when the Tigers just failed to put away the Knights despite leading for much of that match (pictured).
In the end it was a disappointing 10-8 loss, but it was round one, which can be a bit of a lottery in the NRL.
The Tigers haven’t looked back since, winning their next two matches, against Parramatta in round two, and the Dolphins last Saturday.
Maybe the 30-6 thumping of the hapless Eels looks better, but the comeback 30-18 victory in Brisbane over the Dolphins was the most impressive of the two performances.
The 18 points conceded would be the biggest worry for head coach Benji and the leadership group after declaring that defence would be the main focus this year.
They will need that kind of attitude against the Warriors, traditionally a very physical side.
Overall, and so early in the season, the Tigers are showing a lot of signs that a substantial improvement is under way in 2025.
Let’s not get carried away just yet is the other message filtering through the team.
One more point ahead of the Warriors clash: Benji Marshall has named exactly the same side three weeks in a row, and if there is one thing that can help a team is that kind of consistency.
Especially for a team like the Tigers, who boast a large number of new recruits in 2025.
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.
