Ahead of the side being named, SMH says Daine Laurie will be back for us.
Hopefully that means Naden and To’a in the centres.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
Ahead of the side being named, SMH says Daine Laurie will be back for us.
Hopefully that means Naden and To’a in the centres.
Tigers set for boost with No.1 gun’s return, Dogs welcome back Addo-Carr
Wests Tigers excitement machine Daine Laurie will be named to make an early return from a knee injury for the Indigenous Round clash against South Sydney and his uncle Cody Walker.
Tigers teammate Tyrone Peachey let slip Laurie was on track to play on Saturday night while helping launch the NRL’s Indigenous Round at Redfern on Tuesday.
Laurie later confirmed to the Herald he would be included in the squad when team lists were released on Tuesday afternoon, and only needed to survive a Wednesday field session.
Another Tiger, Brent Naden, also hosed down reports he had got into a fight with former Canterbury teammate Matt Dufty after full-time last Friday in the middle of Leichhardt Oval, and the pair remained good friends.
As for the Tigers welcoming back their No. 1 - there were also suggestions Luke Brooks could be named to return from a hamstring injury - Laurie said: “I will be named, but I have to get through a wrestling session to see how the knee holds up.
“I did a contact session yesterday, it was my first one, just to see how the knee went, but I’m feeling confident.
“It’s been tough watching the boys. I did my knee the last time we played the Rabbitohs [in round seven], but I’d love to play against them and my uncle [Walker].
“I was told it would be a six to seven-week recovery, and this weekend will be five weeks. Fingers crossed, but I’m confident.
“This is always a special round, and to play against my uncle and represent our mob ... if I do play, there will be plenty of our mob come down to watch us.”
Laurie is a livewire in attack and been linked to a potential move to join The Dolphins in Redcliffe, but he made it clear he did not want to leave the Tigers.
“I see stuff on Instagram about me that isn’t even true, I’ve had to ring my manager to see what’s going on, but he tells me to keep playing footy. I want to stay at the Tigers,” Laurie said.
Souths are expected to receive their own mega boost with Cameron Murray to be named for a comeback from a minor cleanout on his shoulder, along with prop Mark Nicholls (ankle).
Naden, meanwhile, capped a busy time in which he signed with the Tigers this time last week, played against former club Canterbury three days later, and was captured in what appeared to be a push and shove with Dufty.
A proud Indigenous man, Naden set the record straight about Dufty and said: “That was all blown out of proportion. We’re really good mates, we had a laugh at the game, there was video of me grabbing Duff, but we were joking around. It was reported we hated each other. He might have had a sour look on his face because he had just lost. Nobody likes losing.
“I wouldn’t read into that. He messaged me and sent me the video, but what the cameras didn’t capture was me giving him a kiss on the forehead and us laughing afterwards.”
What might come as a surprise to fans is only 12 per cent of players in the NRL identify as Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander.
One of the community’s most recognisable players, Josh Addo-Carr, will return from the flu on Sunday when Canterbury take on St George Illawarra.
Adam Reynolds is another player determined to be back on deck for the Broncos’ showdown with the Gold Coast Titans. Despite the chance to give his groin an extra week’s break with Brisbane having the bye the following week, Reynolds wants to make sure the Queensland powerhouse head into the break on the back of a potential sixth consecutive win.
With Laurie back the team will be a lot better balanced. Whilst Toa did a job at fullback, he is a centre and adds strike power out wide.
https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2022/05/24/nrl-team-announcement-round-12/
Really happy with this side. We should smash Souffs
1. Daine Laurie — sponsored by Firebox
2. AJ Kepaoa — sponsored by Waterview
3. Starford To'a — sponsored by Macdonald Education
4. Brent Naden — sponsored by Club Menangle
5. Ken Maumalo — sponsored by Kwikflo Group
6. Luke Brooks — sponsored by UBW
7. Jackson Hastings — sponsored by Brae Group
8. James Tamou — sponsored by The Meat Man
9. Jake Simpkin — sponsored by Momenta Advisors
10. Zane Musgrove — sponsored by APN Compounding
11. Luke Garner — sponsored by Murray Kennedy Real Estate
12. Luciano Leilua — sponsored by Exclusive Estate Agents
13. Joe Ofahengaue — sponsored by Spectrum Pools & Spas
14. Kelma Tuilagi — sponsored by Waterview
15. Alex Twal — sponsored by Australian Track Services
16. Fa'amanu Brown — sponsored by PWA
17. Stefano Utoikamanu — sponsored by Leumeah Shopping Centre
18. Alex Seyfarth — sponsored by Raine and Horne Concord & Strathfield
19. Jock Madden — sponsored by Wests Tigers Foundation
20. Jacob Liddle — sponsored by Wests Tigers Foundation
21. Tyrone Peachey — sponsored by Wests Tigers Foundation
22. Fonua Pole — sponsored by Wests Tigers Foundation
23. Junior Tupou — sponsored by Wests Tigers Foundation
24. David Nofoaluma — sponsored by Wests Tigers Foundation
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
Oooooh. That is the best team we have fielded for a few years. Dare to dream?
Add Douiehi and Nofo to that team and its starting to look stronger. Add Papalii and Api to it and its starting to look like a proper team.
Brooks straight back to 6 🙂
hopefully Nofo comes in for Kepoa and maybe against Manly AD comes in for To'a or on bench
Brooks straight back to 6 🙂
hopefully Nofo comes in for Kepoa and maybe against Manly AD comes in for To'a or on bench
I think To'a is a keeper. Not sure where AD is going to slot in tbh, maybe instead of Naden?
Strong team will need Laurie at his best for us to win this game. Glad to see Simpkin back will help sure up that defence at better service to the halves. Tigers by 4!
my thoughts on Douhie, he ain't a fullback or a five eighth or really a centre, or lock
He is a good number 14
However you can't pay a 14 north of 600k or 650k so where do you play him
At present you wouldn't play him at lock infront of Joffa
I truly think as Bennet was sad he moved from souths so they could sign Latrell will Bennett come knocking for Adam for 2024 as a starting 6 for Dolphins
we need to make a call soon one way or the other on Brooks Douhie and Madden along with Hastings for 2024
I also get Adam is the competitive man in the team but we do new have Hastings who is competitive and a conductor and can kick goals
Cam Murray named at 24. I think we can mostly match them across the park and some favour us - Ilias vs. Hastings; Sele vs. Ofa, Knight vs. Kelma and our bench is bigger.
backline looks a lot stronger. Good to see Brooks back, looking forward to his running game.
Will be important to build pressure against Souths and keep their possession low. I hope our kicking has more variety than last week - we seem to overplay/over rely on the cross kick to the winger when it is a higher percentage play to roll into the in goal.
