Match Preview: NRL Round 16

Wests Tigers will look to bounce back into the winners’ circle this weekend when they take on the Canberra Raiders at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.

The Club suffered a tough 32-10 defeat against the South Sydney Rabbitohs when they met in Round 14, but will be boosted by the return of Origin stars Aaron Woods and Robbie Farah this weekend against the Raiders.

With a top-eight spot on the line — as well as some extra incentive given James Tedesco’s recent decision to stay with the Club and not move to Canberra next season — there’s bound to be plenty of feeling in the match, and a big home crowd behind the boys will no doubt go a long way towards a win.

Read on for a full preview of the match including all the key details, live stream and TV information, team news, full analysis and more.

Secure your seat when we take on the Canberra Raiders this Saturday — get your GA Pre-Sale tickets for just $15!

Match Details

Date — Saturday, June 28, 2014

Time — 5:30pm AEST (Gates Open at 11:25am)

Venue — Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Rose Payten Drive, Leumeah

TV and Live Stream Details

TV coverage of the match and previous two grades are available via Fox Sports 1 (check local guides). A live stream of the match is provided via Foxtel Go and the NRL’s Digital Pass, although there is a subscription required.

Confirmed Squads

Wests Tigers

1. James Tedesco 2. David Nofoaluma 3. Tim Simona 4. Chris Lawrence 5. Pat Richards 6. Braith Anasta 7. Luke Brooks 8. Aaron Woods 9. Robbie Farah 10. Keith Galloway 11. Curtis Sironen 12. Bodene Thompson 13. Adam Blair (Interchange: 14. Sauaso Sue 15. Martin Taupau 16. Blake Austin 17. Ava Seumanufagai).

Canberra Raiders

1. Anthony Milford 2. Matt Allwood 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Jack Wighton 5. Brenko Lee 6. Terry Campese 7. Josh McCrone 8. David Shillington 9. Glen Buttriss 10. Brent White 11. Joel Edwards 12. Jarrad Kennedy 13. Shaun Fensom (Interchange: 14. Kyle O’Donnell 15. Paul Vaughan 16. Dane Tilse 17. Shannon Boyd).

Last Five Matches

Wests Tigers

R9 — Sydney Roosters 30 def. Wests Tigers 6

R10 — Wests Tigers 22 def. Cronulla Sharks 20

R11 — Brisbane Broncos 16 def. Wests Tigers 14

R13 — Wests Tigers 23 def. Newcastle Knights 20

R14 — South Sydney 32 def. Wests Tigers 10

Canberra Raiders

R10 — Penrith Panthers 26 def. Canberra Raiders 20

R11 — Canberra Raiders 42 def. North Queensland Cowboys 12

R12 — Sydney Roosters 26 def. Canberra Raiders 12

R13 — Brisbane Broncos 28 def. Canberra Raiders 4

R15 — Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 22 def. Canberra Raiders 14

Last Time They Met

Round 15, 2013: Wests Tigers 17 def. Canberra Raiders 12

It was a wet and dour affair when these two sides met at Campbelltown Sports Stadium last season, with the hosts forced to come from behind to emerge with a five-point win. David Nofoaluma’s early effort was quickly canceled out by Sandor Earl in the first-half, with a try to Anthony Milford giving the Raiders a 12-6 lead with 20 minutes to play. However, a try to Joel Reddy and a field goal to Benji Marshall saw Wests Tigers claw their way back in front with five minutes to play, before a try to Tim Simona sealed the result on the final siren.

Match History: Played 28, Won 16, Lost 10, Drawn 2

Number to Know — 116.8 metres

He might have only played eight NRL games from a possible 13 so far this year, but there’s a reason why Wests Tigers captain Robbie Farah is in the running for the Dally M this year. The NSW representative hooker has crossed for four tries in his eight games this year — including a key try last time in the Club’s win over the Cowboys at Campbelltown in Round 6 — and continues to loom as an attacking threat wherever he is on the field. Farah is averaging a staggering 116.8 metres per game with the ball in hand and is averaging well over 40 tackles per game — big numbers for a man in the No. 9 jersey. Look for him to have a huge impact following a successful Origin series last week, and for his influence to bring out the best of Braith Anasta and Luke Brooks in the halves.

Coach’s Comment

“Canberra have got a big pack; they play with offloads and a little bit of flamboyancy at times and that can be hard to stop. We need to match them and beat them in this area. It’s going to be key for us, for our outside backs…” (Mick Potter, NRL Head Coach).

Player Stats

Team Stats