Match Discussion: Round 22 vs Canterbury @ CommBank Stadium, Parramatta / Burramattagal

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2025 - Round 22
Wests Tigers v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
CommBank Stadium, Parramatta / Burramattagal (TICKETS)

Sunday 3 August 2025
NRL kickoff 2pm
Live on Fox, Kayo

1. Jahream Bula 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Taylan May 4. Starford To'a 5. Jeral Skelton 6. Jarome Luai 7. Latu Fainu 8. Terrell May 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Alex Twal 11. Samuela Fainu 12. Alex Seyfarth 13. Adam Doueihi 14. Sione Fainu 15. Royce Hunt 16. Fonua Pole 17. Tony Sukkar 18. Tristan Hope 19. Brent Naden 20. Charlie Murray 21. Heath Mason 22. Luke Laulilii

Out: Izaac Thompson (wing), Jack Bird (bench), Tristan Hope (bench to reserve)
In: Jahream Bula (fullback), Samuela Fainu (second row), Royce Hunt (bench)
Changes: Sunia Turuva (fullback to wing), Tanous Sukkar (second row to bench)

1. Jacob Kiraz 2. Jethro Rinakama 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Enari Tuala 6. Matt Burton 7. Lachlan Galvin 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Samuel Hughes 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Jaeman Salmon 14. Kurt Mann 15. Harry Hayes 16. Josh Curran 17. Bailey Hayward 19. Mitchell Woods 20. Blake Wilson 21. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 22. Kurtis Morrin 23. Toby Sexton

Out: Connor Tracey (fullback)
In: Ratu Rinakama (wing)
Changes: Jacob Kiraz (wing to fullback)

Referee: Wyatt Raymond
Sideline Officials: Jon Stone, Daniel Luttringer
Video Referee: Grant Atkins

HEAD TO HEAD - 2000 - 2024​

	TOTAL	WESTS TIGERS	CANTERBURY	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES	44	17	27	0
COMMBANK	3	2	1	0

LAST FIVE MEETINGS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2021	Round 25	CANTERBURY 38-0	Moreton Daily	3104
2022	Round 11	WESTS TIGERS 36-22	Leichhardt	15124
2022	Round 15	CANTERBURY 36-12	CommBank	14806
2023	Round 3	CANTERBURY 26-22	Belmore	16404
2024	Round 9	CANTERBURY 22-14	Accor	17068

BIGGEST WINS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2005	Round 24	WESTS TIGERS 54-2	Telstra	29542
2008	Round 21	WESTS TIGERS 56-4	ANZ	16121
2021	Round 25	CANTERBURY 38-0	Moreton Daily	3104

NEXT FOUR MATCHES​

	Round 23	Round 24	Round 25	Round 26
WESTS TIGERS	(BYE)	MANLY (H)	NORTH QLD (H)	CANBERRA (A)
CANTERBURY	WARRIORS (H)	SYDNEY (A)	MELBOURNE (A)	PENRITH (H)

LAST THREE MATCHES​

	Round 19		Round 20		Round 21
WESTS TIGERS	WARRIORS	L 14-34	GOLD COAST	W 21-20	PENRITH	L 2-36
CANTERBURY	NORTH QLD	W 12-8	ST GEO ILLA	W 20-18	MANLY	W 42-4

STATE OF PLAY: 2025 SEASON​

	POSITION	PLAYED	BYES	W-L-D	FOR	AGAINST
WESTS TIGERS	13th	19	2	7-12-0	357	492
CANTERBURY	2nd	18	3	14-4-0	428	292

LOWER GRADES
Wests Magpies NSW Cup v Canberra, Lidcombe Oval, Saturday, 2:15pm
Wests Tigers Jersey Flegg v Canberra, Lidcombe Oval, Saturday, 12:00pm
Canterbury NSW Cup v Newtown, Belmore, Saturday, 3:00pm
Canterbury Jersey Flegg v Cronulla, Belmore, Saturday, 12:30pm

 

[Tiger Ted]

Re the poll there should be a 30+ option.This will be a training run for the dogs against our piss-weak imbecilic nsw cup std team

 

[Nutz]

Re the poll there should be a 30+ option.This will be a training run for the dogs against our piss-weak imbecilic nsw cup std team

Yep, there's not too much to cheer about atm Ted. A miserable state of affairs that's for sure.
Wests Tigers hierarchy should not charge gate fees until they sort this rubbish out.
I mean, how on earth do they warrant making fans pay to watch this shite, and expect us to stay on the bus?
I'm starting to think we are being poorly coached as teams with similar rosters to ours are giving the Wests Tigers a footy lesson.
We are making fundamental errors in every game and not staying in the fight.
Crocodile roll eh....ha! What a joke.

 

[Ned Kelly]

Gotta agree with all that has been said here.

 

[Tiger05]

Crocodile roll eh....ha! What a joke.

We've been awful. I consider this the worst season in years even though we've had some more wins. We've under performed significantly.

We had a bunch of signings but they just haven't gotten the job done.

 

[Nutz]

We've been awful. I consider this the worst season in years even though we've had some more wins. We've under performed significantly.

We had a bunch of signings but they just haven't gotten the job done.

That's 100% the way I feel.
The only ones who have lived up to expectations are the fans.

 

[Vic Mackey]

We'll get spanked. I still dont think the Dogs are a great team, but theyre well coached, fit and confident. We're terribly coached, low in motivation and missing some key players. Its our home game but Dogs fans will out number us 5:1. Dogs will get a roll on, we'll lose our heads and get a player or two binned. Dogs will run riot, Galvin will have a blinder. This will be 50+

 

[Nutz]

Yep,

We'll get spanked. I still dont think the Dogs are a great team, but theyre well coached, fit and confident. We're terribly coached, low in motivation and missing some key players. Its our home game but Dogs fans will out number us 5:1. Dogs will get a roll on, we'll lose our heads and get a player or two binned. Dogs will run riot, Galvin will have a blinder. This will be 50+

Another cricket score coming up eh Das.

 

[TheDefinitionOfMadness]

The only thing that will stop us getting beaten by 50 is if the dogs take us super lightly. I can't see this happening though. Their defence will strangle us just like last weekend. I do think our players will be motivated to play for Marshall, but I think this will workl against us as it always does in high stakes games.

I reckon the reason the players love Marshall so much is that he asks f**k all of them. After all he is a part time coach. The players are appreciating doing it easy compared with where they came from. They're having a good time earning overs and doing it easy.

Watch for the results to fall off a cliff next year.

 

[Tiger05]

Watch for the results to fall off a cliff next year.

They'll have to sack Benji if we have poor results next season. We have to improve significantly.

 

[Tiger Ted]

They'll have to sack Benji if we have poor results next season. We have to improve significantly.

After looking like finally advancing to 2nd base with an upwards trajectory early in season we have retreated to our natural position of being firmly wedged to 1st base.I deadset don’t see this talentless apathetic squad improving enough next season to justify retaining the coach.Its a possibility we will attain more spoons than penrith premierships.

 

[Tiger05]

After looking like finally advancing to 2nd base with an upwards trajectory early in season we have retreated to our natural position of being firmly wedged to 1st base.I deadset don’t see this talentless apathetic squad improving enough next season to justify retaining the coach.Its a possibility we will attain more spoons than penrith premierships.

The big issue to me is we've gone backwards since the start of the season. I thought with Galvin gone we may improve but we haven't.

I don't think we have that bad a squad either. With Samuela out we are basically down to two edge backrowers that are not good enough first graders in that position. We are also lacking probably two middle forwards who can have an impact.

I think our pack is the issue but some of it is just poor coaching. The best example wasn't last week but the previous week when Pole was moved to an edge and I am pretty sure missed a tackle on Brian Kelly and then dropped the ball on the attack. Pole is also one of the guys who gives us some impact in the middle.

 

[Nutz]

Wh

The big issue to me is we've gone backwards since the start of the season. I thought with Galvin gone we may improve but we haven't.

I don't think we have that bad a squad either. With Samuela out we are basically down to two edge backrowers that are not good enough first graders in that position. We are also lacing probably two middle forwards who can have an impact.

I think our pack is the issue but some of it is just poor coaching. The best example wasn't last week but the previous week when Pole was moved to an edge and I am pretty sure missed a tackle on Brian Kelly and then dropped the ball on the attack. Pole is also one of the guys who gives us some impact in the middle.

I still think we are not patient enough with structure and our 5th tackle options are crap.

 

[League Unlimited News]

1. Jahream Bula 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Taylan May 4. Starford To'a 5. Jeral Skelton 6. Jarome Luai 7. Latu Fainu 8. Terrell May 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Alex Twal 11. Samuela Fainu 12. Alex Seyfarth 13. Adam Doueihi

14. Sione Fainu 15. Royce Hunt 16. Fonua Pole 17. Tony Sukkar

18. Tristan Hope 19. Brent Naden 20. Charlie Murray 21. Heath Mason 22. Luke Laulilii

Out: Izaac Thompson (wing), Jack Bird (bench), Tristan Hope (bench to reserve)
In: Jahream Bula (fullback), Samuela Fainu (second row), Royce Hunt (bench)
Changes: Sunia Turuva (fullback to wing), Tanous Sukkar (second row to bench)

NRL TEAMS - 2025 Round 22 » League Unlimited

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[Tigerm]

Probably the best side we've fielded in a while.
Good to see Hunt back.

 

[Pezz70]

Can see our right side getting absolutely obliterated again this week if Xerri plays, he is way above Toa, is super strong and plays f another killer backrower in Kikau. It’s going to be another walloping unfortunately. Anything less than 24 will be a fantastic result for us

 

[Tigerm]

Someone's gotta do it, I reckon Skelton or Luai hahaha

 

[Tigerm]

As I do every week, I think we can cause an upset, us by 10, with Bula MoM.

 

[Tiger05]

The bench is unbalanced. Api can't play 40 quality minutes now let alone 80. Latu shouldn't be moved from the halves.

I'd have May at 13, start Twal and Pole at prop. Have Hunt and Sione to come on to replace Twal and Pole. AD can play the bench utility role. Hope to replace Api. Sukkar drops out.

I suppose at least the bench has some impact but I don't feel confident at all.

 

[Nutz]

Probably the best side we've fielded in a while.
Good to see Hunt back.

Let's see if he can keep his spot for the rest of the year. The late bye might actually help him.