Tigers desperate to claw back against red hot Sharks

Wests Tigers v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Sunday 4:05pm at Leichhardt Oval, Lilyfield / Wanngal

The Tigers are set to host the Sharks on Sunday in a match that should truly provide insight on whether or not they can break their 14 year finals drought this season.

Off the back of last weeks 38-22 loss to the Eels, where they stayed in contention for a while but ultimately were torn to pieces in a pair of 10 minute Parramatta blitzes during the second half, the Tigers slumped to 12th on the ladder with a record of 3-4. Despite a start to the season that suggested they have the talent to make the finals, a close loss to the Warriors as well as losses to cellar dwellers Newcastle and Parramatta have left many puzzled as to what this teams actual talent level is.

Cronulla meanwhile have been cruising in the last few weeks after a rocky start to the campaign. Winning just 2 of their first 5, the Sharks have since won back to back games and are now sitting rather comfortably in 6th on the ladder. Their 34-14 win over Newcastle in Round 7 highlighted a lot of the positives around the team, even if allowing the Knights to score 14 points in 2025 is an offence that could get you relocated to Perth.

Both teams have been forced into a change each heading into this match. Teenage Tiger Luke Laulilii has been sidelined with a wrist injury, triggering a backline reshuffle which sees Adam Doueihi slide to centre and wantaway five-eighth Lachlan Galvin recalled after just one week in reserve grade. Additionally former Shark Royce Hunt has been named on the bench after being omitted in favour of Tony Sukkar in the loss to Parramatta. Cronulla meanwhile have lost bench prop Toby Rudolf to an ankle issue, with Tuku Hau Taphua named to replace him - however he could be the victim of a late swap should Braden Hamlin-Uele be cleared to return from a knee injury of his own.

Cronulla have recently dominated the Tigers - winning 11 of their last 13 games scoring an average in excess of 30 points per game in the process, including a pair of 50 point performances in 2021 and again just last year. However they have historically struggled at Leichhardt Oval 12 of their 32 games played at the eighth wonder since 1967 and last season were beaten there 32-6 despite going on to finish in the top 4 while the Tigers claimed a third straight wooden spoon.

Last meeting: Round 19 2024 - Sharks 58 Wests Tigers 6

Who to watch: Lachlan Galvin has absorbed intense media scrutiny since it was announced he would not extend his contract with the Tigers, and his return to first grade this weekend will not provide any relief from that. The 19 year old had a solid hit out in the NSW Cup last week, picking up a try assist and over 200 running metres, and coach Benji Marshall will be hoping the week away from first grade will provide him new insight to help him star for however long he has left in orange and black.

If the season ended today, there probably would be no Dally M medal presentation as the NRL would have much bigger fish to fry. But if there were to be one, Sharks fullback Will Kennedy would be the one awarded the games most prestigious individual award. He leapfrogged South Sydney's Jye Gray (exactly the two fullbacks you'd expect to be leading the Dally M count) with a 6 vote performance in the win over Newcastle, having run for almost 200 metres and picking up a try. Despite some conjecture he may have been at risk of losing his fullback spot before the season started, Kennedy has proven his value to the Sharks this season and is now integral to the teams premiership hopes.

The favourite: Cronulla are favoured to win this one.

My tip: The logical part of me says Cronulla are going to win, but my heart yearns for another Tigers backs-against-the-wall masterclass at Leichhardt oval. Tigers by 4

1. Jahream Bula 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Adam Doueihi 4. Starford To'a 5. Brent Naden 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Jarome Luai 8. Terrell May 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Fonua Pole 11. Samuela Fainu 12. Alex Seyfarth 13. Alex Twal 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Royce Hunt 16. Jack Bird 17. Sione Fainu 18. Tony Sukkar 19. Heath Mason 20. Kit Laulilii 21. Solomona Faataape 22. Tristan Hope

1. William Kennedy 2. Samuel Stonestreet 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Mawene Hiroti 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Daniel Atkinson 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Tuku Hau Tapuha 17. Thomas Hazelton 18. Jayden Berrell 19. Braden Hamlin-Uele 20. Billy Burns 21. Hohepa Puru 22. Jesse Colquhoun