Round 23: Wests Tigers v Cronulla preview
Sydney rivals fight to keep top eight dreams alive
The stakes could not be clearer for the Wests Tigers and the Cronulla Sharks ahead of their Saturday afternoon clash in Rockhampton - win or say goodbye to any chance of playing finals football.
Sitting just two points outside the top eight despite barely firing a shot for the entirety of 2021, the Wests Tigers will be aiming to go three in a row for the first time under the coaching reign of Michael Maguire.
Holding off a fast-finishing Cowboys team to prevail 24-16 last Saturday, a win could see the joint venture restore the natural order by finishing the weekend in ninth position pending the outcome of other fixtures.
Sticking solid with the bulk of the team that triumphed in Townsville, James Tamou and James Roberts are set to return in place of suspended duo Thomas Mikaele and Jacob Liddle; Jake Simpkin comes off the bench to start at hooker.
Blowing a golden opportunity to secure a place in the top eight following three straight losses, the Cronulla Sharks will be out to make amends in Central Queensland.
Going down 16-14 to the Knights in a pivotal encounter last Sunday, interim coach Josh Hannay will be demanding a response after his side squandered a halftime lead for the second time in as many weeks.
Losing experienced front-rowers Aiden Tolman and Andrew Fifita to suspension and injury respectively, Mawene Hiroti will come into the centres with Siosifa Talakai pushing into the second-row; Teig Wilton is the new man on the bench.
Holding a dominant record against the Tigers with six wins from seven meetings since 2015, the Sharks will be out to claim victory in the first premiership match to be played in Rockhampton.
Last meeting: Round 3 2020 - Sharks 16 Wests Tigers 28
Who to watch: In a season that has seen critics stick the boot into the Tigers on a weekly basis, the rare exception to the vitriol has been Adam Doueihi. Making the five-eighth role his own after a brief stint in the centres, the 23-year-old Lebanese international has led the way with nine tries, 17 try-assists and 51 tackle breaks in 19 appearances this season. Coming up against a Cronulla team hoping to qualify for the finals for the seventh year in succession, Doueihi will be the man most likely if the Tigers are to keep their season alive.
As the most experienced player lining up in the Sharks' ranks on Saturday afternoon, Aaron Woods will be out to lead with his actions on the field. Facing off against the team he formerly captained, the 30-year-old front-rower will be tasked with instilling a much needed defensive resolve into a Sharks' side that has struggled to play for 80 minutes in recent times. Averaging 114 metres and 27 tackles in 51 minutes of game time this season, expect Woods to play big minutes with Aiden Tolman and Andrew Fifita unavailable for the must-win clash.
The favourite: The Sharks will start the match as favourites despite winning just one match - against the last-placed Bulldogs - since the competition was uprooted to Queensland.
My tip: At times this year the Wests Tigers have been revoltingly bad. At times this year the Cronulla Sharks have challenged the best teams in the premiership. Timing is everything and while their chances of playing finals football are, at best, a long shot, timing appears to be on the side of the joint venture. Wests Tigers by 4.
