As the 18th man last weekend against the Raiders in Canberra, rising young star Heamasi Makasini wasn’t required to play.
However, he will now definitely make his debut in a much warmer place, the Gold Coast, when the Wests Tigers run out for the last time this season on Saturday to take on the Titans.
It was probably just as well the 18 year old didn’t get on the field last Saturday because the Raiders, who needed to win to claim the minor premiership, were in a cranky mood.
They won 24-10 in the end, but not before a terrible lack of sportsmanship throughout the match.
On the other hand, the Tigers just played footy and went close to a big upset, trailing by just two points at the half way mark.
If Fonua Pole had not bounced the ball while trying to ground it early in the second half, who knows how the match may have ended up.
The Raiders argued incessantly with the referee, and it was obvious they were nervous about making sure they were presented with the JJ Giltinan Shield, which had been taken to Canberra for the occasion by the NRL boss Andrew Abdo.
In any case the home side did enough to win the match, but the Wests Tigers did not lose any fans either.
This was a gritty, clever performance that augurs well for the 2026 season.
Benji Marshall has built a really good unit that’s going to get better the longer they play together.
The only downside – apart from the scoreboard – was losing big winger Jeral Skelton to a shoulder injury, caused while he was diving in the corner to score a try (pictured above).
Skelton’s injury meant there was a spot on the wing vacant, so Heamasi Makasini will get his chance to play NRL in 2025.
He’s a centre, but fans will nonetheless be looking forward to seeing another piece of the puzzle inserted into Benji’s side.
The match will kick off at 5.30pm.
WESTS TIGERS TEAM V GOLD COAST TITANS:
1. Jahream Bula, 2. Sunia Turuva, 3. Taylan May, 4. Starford To’a, 5. Heamasi Makasini, 6. Jarome Luai (c), 7. Latu Fainu, 8. Terrell May, 9. Api Koroisau (c), 10. Fonua Pole, 11. Samuela Fainu, 12. Sione Fainu, 13. Alex Twal. INTERCHANGE: 14. Heath Mason, 15. Royce Hunt, 16. Alex Seyfarth, 17. Tony Sukkar, 18. Tristan Hope.