An email from the Wests Tigers landing at 4pm on a Tuesday can mean only one thing: the footy’s back.
The heart rate had hardly returned to normal when it shot up again after reading through the team list for the round three match against Cronulla Sharks at Bankwest Stadium this Saturday from 5.30pm.
There is just so much to unpack from the team that coach Michael Maguire has named – from having two hookers in the 17 to two more debutants under his watch.
The match will also see the return of the Benji Marshall and Luke Brooks combination in the halves as well as a new face at fullback.
It’s been a while since we have seen a Wests Tigers team list, but this one is the first in a couple of seasons that seems really full of promise.
Winning is never guaranteed but on paper this is a very potent footy team.
And now to the details of the list: 21 year old second rower and Wests Tigers junior Alex Seyfarth, pictured, has been named to make his first grade debut off the bench, while new recruit Harry Grant will also make his club debut after being named at hooker.
Grant will become Wests Tigers Player #231 while Seyfarth will become Wests Tigers Player #232.
Another local junior in Adam Doueihi will start at fullback with David Nofoaluma and Robert Jennings on the wing, while co-captain Moses Mbye returns from injury to play his first game of the year in the centres alongside 2020 recruit Joseph Leilua.
Luke Brooks returns from a calf injury to partner co-captain Benji Marshall in the halves for the first time this season, with Marshall the only member of the spine to remain from the opening two rounds.
The 2019 Wests Tigers rookie of the year Thomas Mikaele earns his first start of the season after being named at prop, with Alex Twal shifting to lock.
Mikaele is replaced on the interchange list by Seyfarth, who joins Billy Walters, Chris Lawrence and Oliver Clark on the bench.
WESTS TIGERS V CRONULLA SHARKS
1. Adam Doueihi
2. David Nofoaluma
3. Joseph Leilua
4. Moses Mbye (capt.)
5. Robert Jennings
6. Benji Marshall (capt.)
7. Luke Brooks
8. Josh Aloiai
9. Harry Grant
10. Thomas Mikaele
11. Luke Garner
12. Luciano Leilua
13. Alex Twal
INTERCHANGE:
14. Oliver Clark
15. Billy Walters
16. Chris Lawrence
17. Alex Seyfarth
RESERVES:
18. Josh Reynolds
19. Matt Eisenhuth
20. Zane Musgrove
21. Michael Chee Kam
