Match Preview: Round 9 vs. Roosters

Wests Tigers will look to defy a poor recent history against the Sydney Roosters when they meet this Friday night at Allianz Stadium for their Round 9 clash.

Having won just one of their past 10 matches against the Tricolours, Jason Taylor’s side will look to build on a highly-impressive 38-14 win over the Bulldogs before the representative break that saw them end a run of two consecutive defeats.

Trent Robinson’s side come into the match without a win in their past four matches, but combined, the Roosters have only lost those games by a 15 points, and they’ll no doubt be keen to bounce back into the winners circle with a win in front of their home crowd. Halves James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce will also certainly looking to deliver a strong performance, as discussion about NSW’s State of Origin halves combination continues.

Will Taylor — a former Roosters NRL Assistant Coach — deliver an upset against his old club, or will the 2013 NRL premiers finally produce a winning performance on the night?

Read on for a full match preview including all the latest team news, analysis and more.

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Match Details

Date — Friday, May 8, 2015

Time — 7:35pm AEST (Gates open at 5:00pm)

Venue — Allianz Stadium, Moore Park

Match Officials

Referees — Jared Maxwell and Chris James

Touch Judges — Jeff Younis and Brett Suttor

Video Referees — Steve Chiddy and Luke Patten

TV, Live Stream and Radio Information

TV — Live coverage via Channel 9 (check local guides)

Radio — AM 702 ABC Grandstand (check local guides)

Live Stream —NRL Digital Pass (subscription required)

Confirmed Squads

Keith Galloway returns to the starting side, pushing Sauaso Sue back to the interchange bench. Tim Simona (ankle) is replaced in the side by Chris Lawrence, while Delouise Hoeter is also named in the centres. The Roosters welcome back Aiden Guerra and Mitchell Aubusson, replacing Lagi Satu and Willie Manu, while Dylan Napa drops back to the bench.

2015 Recent Results

Wests Tigers

R4 — Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 25 def. Wests Tigers 24

R5 — Wests Tigers 22 def. Parramatta Eels 6

R6 — New Zealand Warriors 32 def. Wests Tigers 22

R7 — Canberra Raiders 30 def. Wests Tigers 22

R8 — Wests Tigers 38 def. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 14

Sydney Roosters

R4 — Sydney Roosters 34 def. Canberra Raiders 6

R5 — Cronulla Sharks 20 def. Sydney Roosters 12

R6 — Brisbane Broncos 22 def. Sydney Roosters 18

R7 — Melbourne Storm 17 def. Sydney Roosters 16

R8 — St. George-Illawarra Dragons 14 def. Sydney Roosters 12

Match History

•       Against the Roosters — Played 27, Won 8, Lost 17, Drawn 2

•       At Allianz Stadium — Played 14, Won 3, Lost 11

Three Key Facts

•       Wests Tigers have won just one of their last 10 matches against the Roosters.

•       The Roosters have completed the third fewest sets in the NRL this year (221)

•       The Roosters rank second in the NRL for total kick metres this year (4589m)

2015 Key Player Stats