2025 prediction

[Tigerm]

TIGERS

Predicted team: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Justin Olam 4. Adam Doueihi 5. Charlie Staines 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Jarome Luai 8. Royce Hunt 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. David Klemmer 11. Jack Bird 12. Samuela Fainu 13. John Bateman 14. Latu Fainu 15. Alex Seyfarth 16. Fonua Pole 17. Alex Twal

Analysis: Jahream Bulla will be the fullback with former Panthers premiership winners Sunia Turuva in his first season at the Tigers and Charlie Staines on the wings. Justin Olam and Adam Doueihi both return from injury in a new look centre pairing. Young gun Lachlan Galvin is set to be the five-eighth, with star recruit Jarome Luai beginning life as a full-time NRL halfback after his switch from the Panthers. Former Sharks enforcer Royce Hunt joins the front row alongside David Kelmmer, after Stefano Utoikamanu’s switch to the Storm.Skipper Api Koroisau will be the hooker. Recruit and former Dragons star Jack Bird might start in the pack, given the club’s lack of depth and will partner Samuela Fainu in the back row, with John Bateman returning from the UK at lock. Latu Fainu will be the bench utility, with Alex Seyfarth, Fonua Pole and Alex Twal rounding out the bench rotation.

Wayne’s new-look Rabbitohs; returning guns to ignite dark horse: Predicted Rd 1 Teams

Wayne’s new-look Rabbitohs; returning guns to ignite dark horse: Predicted Rd 1 Teams

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Tigerm]

Not sure I agree with Doueihi starting at centre or in the team at this stage?
I think Skelton will be in the mix in the backline.
But I think we are top 10 (dare to dream of top 8), with the players we have coming.

 

[Nutz]

That line up isn't going to get us off the bottom of the ladder.
All those backs don't compliment each other imo.
Hunt won't start. Too unfit unless a miracle happens in the off season.
I think we need to start a 2026 prediction thread
Hopefully by then we have signed a decent prop and a centre.

 

[Nutz]

Oh the prediction... Tm proves me wrong and we come 6th.

 

[Tigerm]

Oh the prediction... Tm proves me wrong and we come 6th.

I just think one player can make a huge difference.
E.G. Turbo for Manly, Ponga for NC, Walsh for Brisbane

I think (hope) Luai takes control of the team and insists on players doing there job.
The young blokes, Galvin, S Fainu, Pole, Bula, will be another year older and wiser.
Api, Seyfarth & Olam will help.
And if the new blokes,Skelton, Hunt, Tito & Bird contribute as they should, we should certainly win a lot more games than we have for the last few years.

 

[Tiger05]

Not sure I agree with Doueihi starting at centre or in the team at this stage?
I think Skelton will be in the mix in the backline.
But I think we are top 10 (dare to dream of top 8), with the players we have coming.

Doueihi shouldn't be anywhere near the starting team. He should be playing reserve grade as an edge backrower and a potential replacement for Bateman.

Skelton, Luke Laulilii, Olam, Turuva, Skelton, Staines, To'a and even Bird are better options than Doueihi in the outside backs. Bird is a better option as a backrower as well.

 

[Tiger05]

Hunt won't start. Too unfit unless a miracle happens in the off season.

We need him to give us 20 minutes of impact a game. If we get more out of him great. Twal, Seyfarth, Klemmer can work hard and give us good metres.

 

[Tiger05]

I just think one player can make a huge difference.
E.G. Turbo for Manly, Ponga for NC, Walsh for Brisbane

I think (hope) Luai takes control of the team and insists on players doing there job.
The young blokes, Galvin, S Fainu, Pole, Bula, will be another year older and wiser.
Api, Seyfarth & Olam will help.
And if the new blokes,Skelton, Hunt, Tito & Bird contribute as they should, we should certainly win a lot more games than we have for the last few years.

The squad is in my opinion pretty good. Ideally we need another forward or two who can have an impact.

Our spine consists of Api, Bula, Luai and Galvin backed up by Latu Fainu and TDS. Those guys have to kill it.

We have Skelton, Turuva, Olam, To'a, Staines and Luke Laulilii in the outside backs.

Our pack isn't as good but Klemmer, Pole, Samuela and hopefully Sione Fainu, Bird, Seyfarth, Hunt and Twal along with guys like Johannssen should be able to do the job.

The only issue to me is can the coaching staff get the job done. This is the coach who told them on the most important game last year to "play footy".

 

[Tiger Ted]

The squad is in my opinion pretty good. Ideally we need another forward or two who can have an impact.

Our spine consists of Api, Bula, Luai and Galvin backed up by Latu Fainu and TDS. Those guys have to kill it.

We have Skelton, Turuva, Olam, To'a, Staines and Luke Laulilii in the outside backs.

Our pack isn't as good but Klemmer, Pole, Samuela and hopefully Sione Fainu, Bird, Seyfarth, Hunt and Twal along with guys like Johannssen should be able to do the job.

The only issue to me is can the coaching staff get the job done. This is the coach who told them on the most important game last year to "play footy".

The coach is arguably our biggest liability.Unless there’s a miraculous turnaround in 1st half of season he will b the 1st coach to b sacked.

 

[Tiger Ted]

Doueihi shouldn't be anywhere near the starting team. He should be playing reserve grade as an edge backrower and a potential replacement for Bateman.

Skelton, Luke Laulilii, Olam, Turuva, Skelton, Staines, To'a and even Bird are better options than Doueihi in the outside backs. Bird is a better option as a backrower as well.

I really liked what I saw of LL.Hes a real goer & is capable of successfully cloning the similarly vertically challenged superstar To’o

 

[Tiger Ted]

I just think one player can make a huge difference.
E.G. Turbo for Manly, Ponga for NC, Walsh for Brisbane

I think (hope) Luai takes control of the team and insists on players doing there job.
The young blokes, Galvin, S Fainu, Pole, Bula, will be another year older and wiser.
Api, Seyfarth & Olam will help.
And if the new blokes,Skelton, Hunt, Tito & Bird contribute as they should, we should certainly win a lot more games than we have for the last few years.

The only reason we should improve & win more games is Luai.He will raise the bar big time re standards he will set.The spineless bludgers in our squad r going to quickly learn y Luai is elite & the enormous effort required to succeed in the NRL

 

[Tigerm]

That line up isn't going to get us off the bottom of the ladder.
All those backs don't compliment each other imo.
Hunt won't start. Too unfit unless a miracle happens in the off season.
I think we need to start a 2026 prediction thread
Hopefully by then we have signed a decent prop and a centre.

There’s a lot of hype around Heamasi Makasini, debuting in ‘25. Hopefully he’s the decent centre we are wanting.
Just a FR to get, though we need some movement in the current squad for this to happen, I believe.

 

[Tiger05]

The coach is arguably our biggest liability.Unless there’s a miraculous turnaround in 1st half of season he will b the 1st coach to b sacked.

I don't know if they'll sack him. I'm hopeful they don't have to sack him because he is getting the job done but it's just hope.

 

[TheDefinitionOfMadness]

We'll come last again but with a marked improvement towards the end of the year (last 8 games) of which we will win 5 and be competitive in all. This will coincide with the sacking of Marshall.

Skelton would have to be a walk up start to get a wing spot. I'd have Toa in the centres, or even Staines before I picked AD. I'd play with the forward pack and bench a bit. Bateman wouldn't be considered.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Depending on the Romey factor we will finish anywhere 11-17. Aside from the halves I can’t really see any position where we look stronger than we did at the start of 2023. A few key injuries in the forwards and we will struggle to win a game.

 

[blue bags]

West Tigers for Top 4

 

[Nutz]

I just think one player can make a huge difference.
E.G. Turbo for Manly, Ponga for NC, Walsh for Brisbane

I think (hope) Luai takes control of the team and insists on players doing there job.
The young blokes, Galvin, S Fainu, Pole, Bula, will be another year older and wiser.
Api, Seyfarth & Olam will help.
And if the new blokes,Skelton, Hunt, Tito & Bird contribute as they should, we should certainly win a lot more games than we have for the last few years.

If Skelton doesn’t play wing then it's a poor signing because we could've used his spot and money on a much
needed fwd like Kai Pearce from the Knights. We could have offered a decent quid for him and agitated for an early release like we did with Hunt.
Both Slelton and Bird need to play every game otherwise it's a mess again, just like signing 4 bloody halves.
Wests Tigers should be called British Paints... "they keep on keeping on" (making continual stuff ups that is)

 

[Tiger05]

Depending on the Romey factor we will finish anywhere 11-17. Aside from the halves I can’t really see any position where we look stronger than we did at the start of 2023. A few key injuries in the forwards and we will struggle to win a game.

1. Jahream Bula
2. Luke Laulilii
3. Justin Olam
4. Sunia Turuva
5. Jeral Skelton

6. Lachlan Galvin
7. Jarome Luai

You could pick different players but our backline is heaps better than I've seen in years.

 

[Tiger Ted]

If Skelton doesn’t play wing then it's a poor signing because we could've used his spot and money on a much
needed fwd like Kai Pearce from the Knights. We could have offered a decent quid for him and agitated for an early release like we did with Hunt.
Both Slelton and Bird need to play every game otherwise it's a mess again, just like signing 4 bloody halves.
Wests Tigers should be called British Paints... "they keep on keeping on" (making continual stuff ups that is)

The jury is certainly out on Skelton but Bird is definitely a moronic signing

 

[gordsy]

The coach is arguably our biggest liability.Unless there’s a miraculous turnaround in 1st half of season he will b the 1st coach to b sacked.

And we will stay anchored to the bottom of the ladder if that happens. Look at Madge and Cleary, neither set the world alight but won at least 5 grand finals with others. If Bennett or Bellamy came up sure. The problem is I don't see who is way better than Benji that players will work hard for and would do a much better job,.