Check out the match preview and prediction for the 2025 National Rugby League round 8 clash between the Wests Tigers and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Wests Tigers vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Venue: Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
Date: Sunday 27, October, 4:05pm (ADST)
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Tigers: 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
Sharks: 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
Referee: Grant Atkins
Bunker: Liam Kennedy
MATCHDAY PREVIEW
In a special ANZAC round encounter, the Wests Tigers will fight for a place in the top eight when they face the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in Round 8 this Sunday afternoon at Leichhardt Oval.
The Tigers showed they could get the job done against the Knights in Round 6, defeating them 20-4.
Last Monday it was a neck-and-neck battle against the Parramatta Eels, but the Tigers simply couldn’t get there, with their defence and errors letting them down in the end, with the Eels winning 38-22.
The combination of Jarome Luai and Adam Doueihi in the halves appeared effective and aided the momentum of a fast-moving forward pack led by Apisai Koroisau against the Eels.
These same players, combining Koroisau and Terrell May in the forward pack, with the return of Lachlan Galvin combining with Luai in the halves, and Doueihi moved to the centres, will need to be enough to compete with the Sharks’ side, which includes Oregon Kaufusi, Addin Fonua-Blake, Samuel Stonestreet, and Ronaldo Mulitalo.
Mulitalo has scored six tries in his last six games against the Tigers and could be a direct threat for them.
Further changes see Brent Naden move to the wing with Luke Laulilii out, and Royce Hunt returns to the bench.
The Tigers are depending on a home-ground advantage at Leichhardt Oval, where they have won more games: winning four of their last six games there. They’ve also won six of 10 games played there since 2000.
Since 1998, the Tigers have outscored their opponents, having the lead in head-to-head 19-18 (one draw).
However, the Tigers have only won two of their past thirteen games against the Sharks, which could be a concerning indication for them.
West Tigers prop Alex Twal will mark his 150th NRL appearance this game, which could motivate him to make a huge contribution to the Tigers being triumphant and further bolster their forward pack.
The last time the Sharks and Tigers met in 2024, the Sharks absolutely crushed them with scores of 32-6 in round 3 and 58-6 in round 19.
When the Sharks faced the Newcastle Knights last weekend, they took control early in the match. It was an epic first half, with an impressive try from Stonestreet; an adrenaline-fueled attack pushed their way up the field, hungry for more and more points, scoring a sneaky try from Kaufusi slipping through the smallest of gaps to get over the line saw the Sharks up by 16-0 in the first half.
Further impressive plays from Mulitalo and Kennedy, combined with a brilliant kicking game from Trindall and Hynes, kept the Sharks’ momentum flowing.
They went from strength to strength in both defence and attack, dominating possession and field position.
Both Kennedy and Stonestreet made striking running metres over the duration of the match, Kennedy racking up 202 running metres and Stonestreet not far behind with 190 running metres. Stonestreet has also scored six tries in his last six games.
The Tigers will need to watch the sharp eyes of Jessie Ramien, who made a brilliant intercept in the 34th minute against the Knights’ Kalyn Ponga, with Ramien passing to Stonestreet, who effortlessly sprinted up the field to score.
The Sharks’ line-up is unchanged, with the only absence being Toby Rudolf, who is out with an ankle injury, replaced by Tukupa-Ke Hau Tapuha and Braden Hamlin-Uele in reserves as he returns from a knee injury that has sidelined him since round 3.
Given last week’s performance, the Sharks are a team well-oiled team that can take on anything, but are the Tigers going to be up for the challenge?
As these two teams face off, will the hunters become the hunted in their quest for victory?
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Sharks by 12 points.
Check out all the NRL Predictions here.
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