Match Centre

Round 25: Wests Tigers v Cowboys preview

Tigers hanging on for a miracle

Round 25 will close out at the 8th Wonder of the World on Sunday afternoon, with the Wests Tigers playing host to the North Queensland Cowboys. Against the odds, the home side are still clinging on to a faint glimmer of finals hope, albeit reliant on outside results. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have improved to 13th on the ladder, safe from the dreaded wooden spoon. This is the second time these two sides have met this year, with the Cowboys successfully holding off a late Tigers comeback in round 13. 

A confident win over Manly last week has kept the Wests Tigers in touch with the top eight. Despite conceding in the first minute of play, the Tigers left Moore Park with a 26-12 victory, keeping their season alive. It was brothers Terrell and Taylan May leading from the front, combining for nearly 400 run metres. Fans will be hoping they continue their form this weekend.

Their strong performances of late are reflected in Benji Marshall naming the same 17 for this weekend. If they come away with the two points, it will mark three wins in a row for the Tigers for the first time since 2018. There are some doubts over Starford To'a's fitness, so keep an eye out for late changes. 

North Queensland flexed their muscles against Newcastle last weekend, running out to a 38-4 victory at home. The win takes them out of contention for the wooden spoon, since they still have a bye round to come. Their fullback Scott Drinkwater ran for 220 metres, scoring 22 points and collecting a further two try assists. The Cowboys will be playing for pride in their second last game of 2025.

In similar fashion to the Tigers, Todd Payten has opted for the same 17 this weekend. The Cowboys are one of only two current NRL teams who the Wests Tigers have a positive head to head record against (24 wins, 23 losses).

Last meeting: Round 13 2025 - Cowboys 32 Wests Tigers 28

Who to watch: Wests Tigers lock Alex Twal has played his entire career at the club and is now in his 9th season in the NRL. Twal has been playing around 60 minutes a game over the past two rounds, significantly higher than the rest of the season, and his performances up front have definitely contributed to the Tigers good vein of form. Against Manly, Twal made 34 tackles and missed zero, demonstrating his importance in the pack. 

The opposite number 13 Reuben Cotter will be looking to lead the Cowboys' pack by example. The one club man and Kangaroo representative is in his seventh season of NRL footy, and has been extended with North Queensland until the end of 2028. The 26 year old Queensland local is yet to score a try this season (after running in for four last year), so expect him to be hungry for the white stripe as the season's end nears.  

Favourite: The Tigers are the favourites to hang onto their thin finals hopes.

My tip: Wests Tigers have an unfortunate habit of failing to show up when it matters. Cowboys by 14.