Match Discussion: Round 18 vs Sydney @ Allianz Stadium, Moore Park / Gadigal

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2025 - Round 18
Sydney Roosters v Wests Tigers
Allianz Stadium, Moore Park / Gadigal (TICKETS)

Sunday 6 July 2025
NRL kickoff 2:00pm
Live on Fox, Kayo

1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Billy Smith 4. Mark Nawaqanitawase 5. Tom Rodwell 6. Sandon Smith 7. Hugo Savala 8. Naufahu Whyte 9. Benaiah Ioelu 10. Makahesi Makatoa 11. Egan Butcher 12. Salesi Foketi 13. Blake Steep 14. Zach Dockar-Clay 15. Max McCathie 16. Taylor Losalu 17. Delasalle Vaa 18. Ethan King 19. Ethan Roberts 20. Chad Townsend 21. Ben Johnson 22. Tyler Moriarty

Out: Robert Toia (centre), Lindsay Collins (front row), Connor Watson (hooker), Angus Crichton (second row), Siua Wong (second row), Spencer Leniu (bench)
In: Tom Rodwell (wing), Makahesi Makatoa (front row), Egan Butcher (second row), Max McCathie (bench), Taylor Losalu (bench), De La Salle Va'a (bench)
Changes: Mark Nawaqanitawase (wing to centre), Salesi Foketi (lock to second row), Benaiah Ioelu (bench to hooker), Blake Steep (bench to lock)

1. Sunia Turuva 2. Charlie Staines 3. Luke Laulilii 4. Starford To'a 5. Jeral Skelton 6. Adam Doueihi 7. Latu Fainu 8. Terrell May 9. Tristan Hope 10. Fonua Pole 11. Samuela Fainu 12. Jack Bird 13. Alex Twal 14. Charlie Murray 15. Alex Seyfarth 16. Sione Fainu 17. Tony Sukkar 18. Kit Laulilii 19. Brent Naden 20. Royce Hunt 21. Solomona Faataape 22. Izaac Tu'itupou

Out: Heath Mason (fullback), Apisai Koroisau (five-eighth), Tallyn Da Silva (hooker)
In: Charlie Staines (wing), Tristan Hope (hooker), Charlie Murray (bench)
Changes: Sunia Turuva (wing to fullback), Adam Doueihi (centre to five-eighth), Luke Laulilii (bench to centre)

Referee: Peter Gough
Sideline Officials: Kieren Irons, Phil Henderson
Video Referee: Adam Gee

HEAD TO HEAD - 2000 - 2024​

	TOTAL	SYDNEY	WESTS TIGERS	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES	39	30	9	0
ALLIANZ	2	2	0	0

LAST FIVE MEETINGS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2020	Round 15	SYDNEY 38-16	Leichhardt	3003
2021	Round 2	SYDNEY 40-6	Campbelltown	6107
2022	Round 23	SYDNEY 72-6	SCG	14939
2023	Round 26	SYDNEY 32-8	Allianz	22511
2024	Round 17	SYDNEY 40-6	Allianz	14711

BIGGEST WINS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2009	Round 3	WESTS TIGERS 40-24	SFS	14426
2022	Round 23	SYDNEY 72-6	SCG	14939

NEXT FOUR MATCHES​

	Round 19	Round 20	Round 21	Round 22
SYDNEY	ST GEO ILLA (A)	CRONULLA (A)	MELBOURNE (H)	MANLY (A)
WESTS TIGERS	WARRIORS (A)	GOLD COAST (H)	PENRITH (A)	CANTERBURY (H)

LAST THREE MATCHES​

	Round 15		Round 16		Round 17
SYDNEY	NEWCASTLE	W 12-8	NORTH QLD	W 42-8	(BYE)
WESTS TIGERS	(BYE)	CANBERRA	L 12-16	MANLY	L 10-28

STATE OF PLAY: 2025 SEASON​

	POSITION	PLAYED	BYES	W-L-D	FOR	AGAINST
SYDNEY	6th	14	3	7-7-0	344	328
WESTS TIGERS	14th	15	2	5-10-0	290	374

LOWER GRADES
SYDNEY	WESTS TIGERS
NSW Cup v Parramatta, Wentworth Park, Sunday, 3:00pm Jersey Flegg v Parramatta, Wentworth Park, Sunday, 1:00pm	NSW Cup (Western Suburbs) v Canberra, GIO Stadium, Saturday, 12:30pm Jersey Flegg v Canberra, Raiders Belconnen, Sunday, 2:00pm

 

[Vic Mackey]

I realize Easts are going to be missing basically their pack, but our entire spine is gone, plus our backup 1 & 9. This is what I predict:

1. Lauilili
2. Turuva
3. Toa
4. Naden
5. Skelton
6. Doueihi
7. Latu
8. May
9. Hope
10. Pole
11. Bird (god knows why)
12. Samuela
13. Twal
14. Sione
15. Seyfarth
16. Murray
17. Sukkar

 

[Tigers1986]

Easts by 50. We are complete and utter trash, lacking any leadership or direction at all.

 

[Nutz]

I realize Easts are going to be missing basically their pack, but our entire spine is gone, plus our backup 1 & 9. This is what I predict:

1. Lauilili
2. Turuva
3. Toa
4. Naden
5. Skelton
6. Doueihi
7. Latu
8. May
9. Hope
10. Pole
11. Bird (god knows why)
12. Samuela
13. Twal
14. Sione
15. Seyfarth
16. Murray
17. Sukkar

Not bad Vic.

If Benji plays AD at ½ I'll have a tizzy fit.
I'd try a couple of things out of left field.
Luke looked a bit lost at the back last game. I'd swap him with Turuva and I've seen Tu'itupou play centre and has an x factor if he's on his game. He has been outstanding since arriving.
Our pack is too light and we should see if Hunt has pulled his finger out. He has played 2 blinders in reserve grade. He needs to show why we signed him or get out!
I'm over AD atm but because of his experience I think he should captain the side.

1. Turuva
2. Staines
3. Toa
4. Tu'itupou
5. Skelton
6. Doueihi (C)
7. Latu
8. May
9. Hope
10. Hunt
11. Twal - change from lock
12. Samuela
13. Bird - more suited at ball playing
14. Pole
15. Seyfarth
16. Sione
17. Sukkar
These are 4 good sized rotation fwds.
Hope can play 80min so it's worth a gamble not having a dummy half on the bench.

 

[simmo1]

Expecting a huge game from May looking for revenge against an undermanned Roosters pack. If we are any chance here it will be off the back of him.

 

[Tiger Ted]

Expecting a huge game from May looking for revenge against a undermanned Roosters pack. If we are any chance here it will be off the back of him.

Hurts me to say it but we r no chance.I just hope we don’t get flogged.They haven’t lost a game after missing their origin players.They r at home & have a great mix of top draw experience led by the turd & exceptional youth.As much as I dislike the rorters they r capable of winning this wide open comp albeit it won’t be long b4 they win another comp.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Not bad Vic.

If Benji plays AD at ½ I'll have a tizzy fit.
I'chtry a couple of things out of left field.
Luke looked a bit lost at the back last game. I'd swap him with Turuva and I've seen Tu'itupou play centre and has an x factor if he's on his game. He has been outstanding since arriving.
Our pack is too light and we should see if Hunt has pulled his finger out. He has played 2 blinders in reserve grade. He needs to show why we signed him or get out!
I'm over AD atm but because of his experience I think he should captain the side.

1. Turuva
2. Staines
3. Toa
4. Tu'itupou
5. Skelton
6. Doueihi (C)
7. Latu
8. May
9. Hope
10. Hunt
11. Twal - change from lock
12. Samuela
13. Bird - more suited at ball playing
14. Pole
15. Seyfarth
16. Sione
17. Sukkar
These are 4 good sized rotation fwds.
Hope can play 80min so it's worth a gamble not having a dummy half on the bench.

I prefer this team. Izaac has been braining it in nsw cup and Hunt was brilliant last week. Hunt against an Easts pack missing 1000 forwards could be very damaging.

Doubt benji names it unfortunately

 

[Nutz]

I prefer this team. Izaac has been braining it in nsw cup and Hunt was brilliant last week. Hunt against an Easts pack missing 1000 forwards could be very damaging.

Doubt benji names it unfortunately

I posted yesterday Vic that we should be building for next year and maybe leak that out that so the players, supporters, sponsors get on board.
It would probably keep the media off Benji's back too when we fail to win anymore games here on in.
All the players need to know that their future selection is going to be based purely on form and not reputation.
We generally need to pick specialists and play them in their preferred positions, however experimenting now with Turuva at fullback whilst Bula is out makes more sense than doing it when the season's on the line and we still don't know how he'll perform at the back.
Players who are performing in reserve grade will get despondent if they don't get called up when injuries occur. Players like inform winger Lobb who has done nothing wrong and can kick goals.
We need to know by Nov1 who is worth persevering with and who isn't.
We tend to be still juggling our squad well into the new season, always on the back foot.
Players like Feledy, Tumeth and Faataape seem destined to tread water forever. It's like we don't know how to manage players. If they don't perform regularly, give them releases.
If we are winning reserve and third grades then that's a sign the club is on track.

 

[Tigerm]

Nutz, he said all this at the beginning of preseason and has since gone off the rails with his stubbornness to select blokes who are not up to it. E.g Mason.
Then didn't pick blokes who were or picks blokes and doesn't put them on the field.
He is seriously channelling the sheenius selectors playbook. "Never change a losing side, they'll come good."
We have a good team on paper, but the team as a whole is still clunky imo, yes injuries occur, but it happens to all clubs, our defence is OK at times, but falls away at other times, our attack is non existent, he's in trouble, but I don't think he see's it and he won't let anyone help him.
We either have bad assistants, or he doesn't listen to them, they are all 300+ game players, they probably have an idea, if not, sack them.
The cup squad is going very well, there are players there as you state that are in form and worth a try.
With Richo's suggestion to bring Willie Peters on board (which Benji supposedly rejected), I think Richo sees it as well and he needs to have a serious chat with him.

 

[Tigerm]

Team List:
1. Sunia Turuva - sponsored by Sensory Gardens Australia
2. Charlie Staines - sponsored by Ellis Consolidated
3. Luke Laulilii - sponsored by Murray Kennedy Real Estate
4. Starford To'a - sponsored by Z Wealth Group
5. Jeral Skelton - sponsored by Exclusive Estate Agents
6. Adam Doueihi - sponsored by Retro Air
7. Latu Fainu - sponsored by APN Compounding
8. Terrell May - sponsored by Z Realty Group
9. Tristan Hope - sponsored by KwikFlo
10. Fonua Pole - sponsored by Club Menangle
11. Samuela Fainu - sponsored by Mars Forklifts
12. Jack Bird - sponsored by Ultra Building Works
13. Alex Twal (c) - sponsored by Endacom
Interchange:
14. Charlie Murray - sponsored by One World Courier
15. Alex Seyfarth - sponsored by Shane’s Waterproofing
16. Sione Fainu - sponsored by MJS Electrical Products & Supplies
17. Tony Sukkar - sponsored by Workplace Law
Reserves:
18. Kit Laulilii - sponsored by Wests Tigers Empower
19. Brent Naden - sponsored by Wests Tigers Empower
20. Royce Hunt - sponsored by Wests Tigers Empower
21. Solomona Faataape - sponsored by Wests Tigers Empower
22. Izaac Tu'itupou - sponsored by Wests Tigers Empower
Coach: Benji Marshall - sponsored by Pepper Money

Team List: NRL Round 18 vs Roosters

Wests Tigers Head Coach Benji Marshall has named a 22-man squad to face the Roosters at Allianz Stadium this Sunday afternoon.

www.weststigers.com.au

 

[Tigerm]

Team List:
1. Sunia Turuva - sponsored by Sensory Gardens Australia
2. Charlie Staines - sponsored by Ellis Consolidated
3. Luke Laulilii - sponsored by Murray Kennedy Real Estate
4. Starford To'a - sponsored by Z Wealth Group
5. Jeral Skelton - sponsored by Exclusive Estate Agents
6. Adam Doueihi - sponsored by Retro Air
7. Latu Fainu - sponsored by APN Compounding
8. Terrell May - sponsored by Z Realty Group
9. Tristan Hope - sponsored by KwikFlo
10. Fonua Pole - sponsored by Club Menangle
11. Samuela Fainu - sponsored by Mars Forklifts
12. Jack Bird - sponsored by Ultra Building Works
13. Alex Twal (c) - sponsored by Endacom
Interchange:
14. Charlie Murray - sponsored by One World Courier
15. Alex Seyfarth - sponsored by Shane’s Waterproofing
16. Sione Fainu - sponsored by MJS Electrical Products & Supplies
17. Tony Sukkar - sponsored by Workplace Law
Reserves:
18. Kit Laulilii - sponsored by Wests Tigers Empower
19. Brent Naden - sponsored by Wests Tigers Empower
20. Royce Hunt - sponsored by Wests Tigers Empower
21. Solomona Faataape - sponsored by Wests Tigers Empower
22. Izaac Tu'itupou - sponsored by Wests Tigers Empower
Coach: Benji Marshall - sponsored by Pepper Money

Team List: NRL Round 18 vs Roosters

Wests Tigers Head Coach Benji Marshall has named a 22-man squad to face the Roosters at Allianz Stadium this Sunday afternoon.

www.weststigers.com.au

Twal captain and surely scores a try to celebrate hahaha

 

[Tiger05]

I like the team.

Staines had to come in at some point. He is a decent first grader. I like LL in the centres. He may get found out defensively but let's give him a chance. Keep Latu at 7 for as long as he is fit and not playing terribly. He has been good. Doueihi at 6 makes sense to me. I think he is a utility player and best in the halves.

I'm fine letting TDS go but we have one hooker who is a reserve grader expected to play 80 quality minutes. This is the position that touches the ball the most in attack out of every player and it's a tough position to play. This is a massive risk.

 

[Nutz]

I like the team.

Staines had to come in at some point. He is a decent first grader. I like LL in the centres. He may get found out defensively but let's give him a chance. Keep Latu at 7 for as long as he is fit and not playing terribly. He has been good. Doueihi at 6 makes sense to me. I think he is a utility player and best in the halves.

I'm fine letting TDS go but we have one hooker who is a reserve grader expected to play 80 quality minutes. This is the position that touches the ball the most in attack out of every player and it's a tough position to play. This is a massive risk.

I want Hope to nail it. One thing for sure, he'll give a 100% but as you say, it's a huge risk.
It's a quick and nippy squad except for AD
I'm rapt about Taruva. I just hope he doesn't forget to use his voice and to cover those corner attacking raids.

 

[chunk]

Unfortunately it's easy to be all down and gloomy, here's some more.

This week we will see how our 'strong' pack will go against a bunch of youngsters. We should really dominate them, considering the players.

Will it show how far advanced the Roosters have developed their team compared to us or will we show that we have a pack to be reckoned with?

Definitely the highlighted one

 

[Tiger Ted]

With the torrential rain in Sydney & appalling drainage at Allianz this game should be switched to the 8th wonder

 

[WA Tiger]

A win or loss will revolve around how AD goes At 6 and hope at 9..I seriously have all the faith in the world in AD at 6. Ive seen him absolutely kill it there . Granted it was a trial game...still he’s proven he’s got the tools! Fainu could even give him some much needed confidence with his talk . Maybe less intimidating than playing with Luai..There’s a lot of ball playing ability locked up in those two.. If it clicks for him we can win and then fk all those so called experts on fox and wherever else … I think it’ll be evident in the first 10 minutes. Hope will be better after his first game. I’d love him to perform as well. He’s done well before ..again in the trial. Still.

 

[WA Tiger]

In some perverse way I’m hoping this game will highlight the impediment that Luai is to the team with his stop, start, hold it wait ok pass, change direction routine that does nothing for the “Team first” and wastes opportunities out wide
There’s no way AD will be fking around getting the ball out to the wing. In fact expect cut out passes, chip kicks, the lot

 

[Nutz]

Hurts me to say it but we r no chance.I just hope we don’t get flogged.They haven’t lost a game after missing their origin players.They r at home & have a great mix of top draw experience led by the turd & exceptional youth.As much as I dislike the rorters they r capable of winning this wide open comp albeit it won’t be long b4 they win another comp.

The rorters have several players out for SOO but can still field a team boasting Tedesco, Tupou, B. Smith, Nawaqanitawase, S. Smith, Savala, Butcher, Foketi, Whyte.
Bloody hell, I'd love to have all those players in my Fantasy Coach squad
Nawaqanitawase will score a hatrick.

 

[Nutz]

led by the turd

Ha ha

 

[Tigerm]

Gallery: NRL Round 18 prep

Our NRL boys continue their preparations ahead of Sunday afternoon's match against the Roosters at Allianz.

www.weststigers.com.au