Wests Tigers Podcast Forum - Recent Topics

Rinse and Repeat! Wests Tigers Fall Again at Final Hurdle

Joel Helmes — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 12:47:19 +0000

Well, it’s happened again. The Wests Tigers have let a winnable game slip through their fingers (or claws).

After a lacklustre and sloppy sixty minutes, Wests Tigers managed to pop their noses ahead against those dastardly Eels.

But, almost like clockwork, some classic Wests Tigers poor discipline and flimsy defence invited the opposition team to take the two points.

That’s now seven straight losses for the Tigers and a mortgage on second-last position on the NRL table.

On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, we discuss an array of different topics, including:

Was Benji Marshall right to be somewhat pleased with the side’s performance?
Was Adam Doueihi “Outstanding”, as Benji described?
Should Javon Andrews have been selected to debut in this game?
Surgery time – who do we play after the walking wounded go under the knife?
Is Samuela Fainu committed to Wests Tigers long-term?
What could Jayden Brailey bring to the team next year?

And, for something different, instead of ‘One Word’ submissions, we decided this week to invite Wests Tigers Podcast Forum members to contribute a song or movie title to describe the performance, or the club at this point.

There were some really creative titles contributed.

With the bye week here and a chance for us all to charge up our batteries a little, we hope you have a nice little break, and we’ll see you again soon for another edition of the pod.

We Have Our Say On Wests Tigers and the Club’s Standards

Joel Helmes — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 21:08:18 +0000

What a crumby week it has been to be a Wests Tigers fan. Another insipid on-field performance, with the club dragged through the muck (again) by a player who should have known better.

On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel, Jordan and Nick take the club to task over talking a big game around “standards” but not consistently showing they are actually being upheld.

Some of the other main talking points on this big mid-week edition of the pod include:

Joel and Jordan’s take on what went wrong in Canberra
Thoughts on what should have happened with Adam Doueihi
How the club needs to rethink and reset the coaching line-up and conditioning team
A psychological observation regarding the make-up of the current squad

Other talking points include the 250th milestone game for Api Koroisau, and some light-hearted moments in another week from hell for the club.

Oh, and we give our thoughts on Sunday’s game against the Eels.

Thanks for supporting the Wests Tigers Podcast; you being there makes it all worthwhile.

Another Crisis! Where to this Time for Wests Tigers?

Joel Helmes — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 11:39:19 +0000

On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Nick is back in the hosting chair, with a big welcome back to Declan McCutcheon!

Josh removes the COVID mask for the evening as the boys dissect one of the most turbulent weeks in recent Wests Tigers history. The Tigers didn’t just lose… they capitulated. Not only did our NRL side go down in a humiliating 56-10 loss to the Raiders, the Magpies fell 32-4, meaning Canberra took the day with a combined scoreline of 88-14. What about our young debutant Javon Andrews? In what should have been a week to remember, it may have been more of a chaotic experience with AD choosing to walk away. This week we also cover:

The embarrassing loss to the Raiders
One Word Submissions from the boys and the Wests Tigers Podcast forum
The fallout from Adam Doueihi’s decision to leave the team before the Raiders clash
Did Doueihi have the right to walk away?
His comments in 2025 about embracing the lock role and becoming a leader in the middle of the field
Was this a player standing up for himself, or a decision that crossed a line?

Another huge episode covering the issues both on and off the field at the Wests Tigers. It's a tough time to be a tiger, but we hope you enjoy this latest edition of the pod. We'll be back mid-week to discuss the latest developments in the Doueihi saga.

2026 WT Rnd 22 V Eels ❌

Joel Helmes — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 20:57:59 +0000

Sunday afternoon at 4pm.

Under the Pump Wests Tigers Face Tough Canberra Road Trip

Joel Helmes — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:00:10 +0000

It's been a tough last couple of months for the Wests Tigers and the club's huge band of loyal supporters.

Unfortunately, another difficult afternoon could be looming large this Saturday with the Tigers travelling to Canberra to face the Raiders. The 'Green Machine' has been in winning form recently, and they meet a Wests Tigers outfit struggling for confidence and form. Some of the main talking points on this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast with Joel, Nick and Mitch include:

What has been behind the big drop-off in Wests Tigers form in recent months?
Has Jeral Skelton's time at Wests Tigers come to an end?
What does Solomone Saukuru have to do to get an NRL debut?
Who is going to line up in the Wests Tigers halves for this game?
Do we have enough impact in the forwards to trouble the Raiders?

Good luck to the Wests Tigers this weekend, and good luck as well to our fellow fans. Let's hope we have at least something to cheer about this weekend! And as always, feel free to join in the discussion today on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum.

Iceberg Struck! Wests Tigers Sinking Fast

Joel Helmes — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 12:02:34 +0000

The Titanic was steaming along, making great time on its maiden voyage, when suddenly everything went catastrophically wrong. That sounds a lot like the Wests Tigers in 2026!

On the back of one of the club's darkest nights, the Wests Tigers Podcast is here to have our say on what is going wrong with the team and the club. Frankly, being in this position again is not only extremely frustrating but also a sad indictment of some important aspects of this organisation (primarily the people who pull the strings). Joel and Nick deliver a raw assessment of where things are going wrong, and try to reflect the opinions of fellow fans that what we have witnessed in recent times is absolutely unacceptable. Naturally, as we do on every post-game edition, we share a whole bunch of 'One Word' submissions from the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum, and invite you to have your say as well. It's a dark place the club finds itself in at present; we can only hope that the changes so desperately needed to help this organisation and team flourish (at long last) grow from the mess that has been created. Thanks for being there and listening to or watching our pod; it is greatly appreciated.

2026 WT Rnd 21 V Raiders ❌

Joel Helmes — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 07:04:10 +0000

Looks like no Doueihi or Latu.

Halves of Madden and Luai I suppose?

Can Wests Tigers Beat Bulldogs Twice This Season?

Joel Helmes — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:05:25 +0000

That's the big challenge ahead for the Wests Tigers, starting as outsiders against a Bulldogs team that is finding some form.

On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel has an interesting stat about coming out on top of an NRL rival twice in one season. Nick and Josh are also on deck for a preview of the big clash on Saturday night. There is some optimism amongst the pod team regarding this game, with the quite strong starting team named by Benji Marshall buoying hopes. Some of the other talking points on this edition include:

Does Api Koroisau start?
Where does Latu Fainu fit in?
What will the forgotten tiger, Kit Laulilii, bring off the bench?
Do we have enough thrust off the bench?
Is Javon Andrews a chance to finally debut?

There's also a quick chat about Sharks prop Toby Rudolph and whether he's someone we should chase for next year. At the same time, Nick floats the name of a homesick Queenslander as a possible recruitment target. And then we chat about some returning Wests Tigers players. Junior Tupou and Jock Madden join a small group of guys who had two stints with our club, including John Skandalis, Dene Halatau, Pat Richards, Daniel Fitzhenry and Chris Patterson. The question then is, which current ex-Wests Tigers still playing in the NRL would you like to see back at the club? Names up for grabs include Mitch Moses, Jacob Liddle, John Bateman, and Shawn Blore. Naturally, you can also join the discussion regarding this topic, and anything else Wests Tigers on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum.

Wests Tigers Put Under the Podcast Microscope

Joel Helmes — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 12:18:29 +0000

The Wests Tigers' 2026 season is slowly disintegrating into a bit of a tragedy after such a strong start to the season.

On Friday night, it was the New Zealand Warriors who were the latest opposition team to thrust another dagger into the poor old Tigers. Beating our boys 32-6 at Campbelltown Stadium, the weekend was also full of negative headlines with confirmation that Jarome Luai would exit at the end of this season. But is it all doom and gloom? There are, at least according to some members of the Wests Tigers Podcast team, some reasons to keep our heads up. On this edition of the podcast, you'll hear (or see) a bit of a different take on the departure of Luai and some ideas on what needs to be done to make the team more dynamic and successful. Some of the other main talking points also include:

The fine debut of young hooker, Jared Haywood
The worry about Wests Tigers' poor red zone attack in recent times
Missed opportunities against the Warriors
How Pole stood up and made a real impact off the bench

And, naturally, there's a whole heap of 'One Word' submissions from the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum as well. Chin up, Wests Tigers fans! Thanks for your support of the pod; it is very much appreciated.

2026 WT Rnd 20 V Bulldogs ❌

Joel Helmes — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 11:57:48 +0000

I have a strong feeling of dread.