Round 8: Wests Tigers v Sea Eagles preview
Winless Tigers look for a breakthrough after the bye
Rugby league returns to Campbelltown on Sunday afternoon with the Wests Tigers chasing their first win of the season against the Manly Sea Eagles.
Coming into the ANZAC Round rested following a bye, the Wests Tigers will be out to arrest a run of six straight losses and ease the relentless scrutiny directed towards the club on and off the field.
Producing a much-improved performance in defeat against Parramarra (22-28) most recently, coach Tim Sheens has named Brandon Wakeham to fill the void left by Adam Doueihi, who sustained a season-ending injury on Easter Monday.
Naming debutant Jahream Bula at fullback in yet another spine reshuffle, Charlie Staines takes the place of Brent Naden on the wing, while Daine Laurie and Tommy Talau come onto the bench in place of Jake Simpkin and Shawn Blore.
The Tigers have lost their past five matches at Campbelltown in succession; the joint venture last prevailed at the venue in 2020.
Sitting at the bottom of the ladder with six losses and a bye after the opening seven rounds, the Tigers rank last in attack and 13th in defence, yet surprisingly boast the most offloads (88) of any club in the league.
Heading to the western suburbs rejuvenated after a bounce back victory last Friday, the Manly Sea Eagles will be aiming to extend a run of dominance over the joint venture.
Edging out archrivals Melbourne (18-8) in a fiery affair last Friday, coach Anthony Seibold will welcome back Josh Schuster and Reuben Garrick at five-eighth and wing respectively, while Samuela Fainu will make his first grade debut off the bench.
Former Wests Tigers forward Kelma Tuilagi will miss the match through concussion protocols in a move that sees Ethan Bullemor start in the second-row and Sean Keepie earn a recall on the bench.
Winning their past four clashes against the Tigers, including a comprehensive victory at Campbelltown last season, the Sea Eagles have won 11 of their 14 visits to Campbelltown against all sides dating back to the days of the Magpies.
Coming into the weekend in fourth position with three wins, a bye, a draw and two losses, the Sea Eagles rank 10th in attack and seventh in defence after the first seven rounds.
Last meeting: Round 14 2022 - Wests Tigers 4 Sea Eagles 30
Who to watch: Taking an opportunity and thriving in the top grade during the opening rounds of the season, young winger Junior Tupou has been a rare bright spot for the joint venture. Staking a claim to make the left wing spot his own by averaging 151 running metres each week, the 20-year-old has produced 21 tackle breaks and six line breaks in four appearances this season. Contracted until the next year after playing lower grades with the Raiders and Brumbies in Canberra, look for Tupou to be a key contributor if the Tigers are to break through for their maiden win of the season.
Regaining his place in the starting pack after managing less than half of last season in first grade, Taniela Paseka will be out to continue a strong start to 2023. Originally coming through the lower grades with the Tigers before making the switch to the northern beaches culminating in a first grade debut five years ago, the 25-year-old front-rower has averaged 139 running metres and 23 tackles each week in the number eight jersey. Currently contracted until the end of next season, another strong showing from Paseka could see the Sea Eagles finish the round as high as second.
The favourite: The Sea Eagles are heavily favoured to post back-to-back victories despite inconsistent form to start the season.
My tip: For as hard as the Tigers are trying under difficult circumstances, the class of a side boasting the likes of Trbojevic and Cherry-Evans should keep the misery coming for the home side. Sea Eagles by 16.
