Match Preview: NSW Cup Round 16

Following a fifth straight win over Newtown in Round 15, Wests Tigers NSW Cup boys will look to make it six wins in a row this weekend against Mounties.

Steered around brilliantly in the last month by young gun Mitchell Moses and a dominant pack featuring several well-known NRL players, the NSW Cup boys have found a winning rhythm against some of the better teams in the competition — giving them plenty of confidence heading into this weekend. However, Mounties certainly won’t be an easy beat with noted players such as Reece Robinson and Mitch Cornish in the mix.

Mounties got the better of the two sides when they met at Aubrey Keech Reserve earlier in the year, and will look to become the first team to defeat the Wests Tigers’ NSW Cup squad on more than one occasion in 2014 this weekend.

Who will get the points when they meet on Saturday at Campbelltown Stadium?

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.

Match Details — Wests Tigers vs. Mounties RLFC

Date — Saturday, June 28, 2014

Time — 3:10pm AEST (Gates Open at 11:25am)

Venue — Campbelltown Sports Stadium (Rose Payten Drive, Leumeah)

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TV and Live Stream Information

Live TV coverage is available via Fox Sports 1 (check local guides), who will also provide a live stream of the match via FoxtelGo (subscription required).

Confirmed Squads

Wests Tigers

1. Jy Hitchcox 2. Corey Brown 3. Asipeli Fine 4. Keith Lulia 5. Setefano Taukafa 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Michael Stevens 8. Jack Buchanan 9. Joel Luani 10. Michael Bullock 11. Sitaleki Akauola 12. Jarred Farlow 13. Kyle Lovett (Interchange: 14. Nathan Brown 15. Brenden Santi 16. Sam Hollis 17. Inno Inosesio 18. Sonny Bristow).

Mounties RLFC

1. Jack Ahearn 2. Reece Robinson 3. Wayne Dargan 4. Jeremy Hawkins 5. Bill Tupou 6. Ryan Carr 7. Mitch Cornish 8. Tevita Pangai Junior 9. Matt McIlwrick 10. Mark Nicholls 11. Jake Foster 12. Dave Cahalane 13. Clay Priest (Interchange: 14. Mitch Cahalane 15. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs 16. Uiti Baker 17. Reece Goldsmith 18. Lagi Setu 20. Kurt Horton).

Last Five Matches

Wests Tigers

R10 — Wests Tigers 30 def. Cronulla Sharks 28

R11 — Wests Tigers 26 def. Newcastle Knights 22

R12 — Wests Tigers 52 def. Wentworthville Magpies 16

R13 — Wests Tigers 34 def. Newcastle Knights 12

R14 — Wests Tigers 32 def. Newtown Jets 16

Mounties RLFC

R11 — Mounties 38 def. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 36

R12 — Newtown Jets 36 def. Mounties 18

R13 — Wentworthville Magpies 20 def. Mounties 16

R14 — Wyong Roos 14 def. Mounties 6

R15 — Illawarra Cutters 25 def. Mounties 18

Key Matchup — Brenden Santi vs. Tom Learoyd-Lahs

It’s rare that two players wearing the No. 15 jersey and coming off the interchange bench feature as the key matchup to watch for, but the battle between Brenden Santi and Tom Learoyd-Lahs is shaping as an integral one this weekend. Both sides will be looking to establish their dominance through the middle, and the role that both of these two can play coming off the bench will certainly dictate just how much impact their respective sides will have. Learoyd-Lahs is a noted NRL player looking to prove himself once more after a tough spell on the sidelines, and he’ll certainly be looking to impose himself on the match.

However, don’t rule out Santi from having a similar impact. The former Parramatta Eels player was one of the best on ground last weekend against the Jets — forced to play centre for the back half of the match due to injuries — and has a knack for always being in the right place at the right time. Look for him to be a constant presence in defence on Saturday and potentially even an x-factor in attack as he follows the play.

Coach’s Comment

“They [Mounties] beat us in the first round, so that’s a little box we’ve got to tick this week. It’s a goal we set ourselves — that whoever beats in the first round wouldn’t beat us in the second. So I’m looking for an improvement again on our last few weeks, and to make sure we limit the errors that cost us a little in that first game…” (Paul Fletcher, NSW Cup Coach).

Team Stats