CrownBet Match Preview: Round 20

Author: Dan Talintyre
Timestamp: Wed 25 Jul 2018, 10:32 AM

Wests Tigers will look to continue their late run to the 2018 finals series when they take on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs this Friday night at ANZ Stadium.

Seemingly out of contention a month ago when they lost in disappointing fashion to the Gold Coast Titans at Leichhardt Oval, Ivan Cleary's side have rediscovered the form that led them to the "giant-killer" tag of the opening six weeks with stunning upset wins over the Dragons and Souths in the past fortnight.

They now come in to Friday's game just four points outside the top eight — a gap that could be reduced further by the round's end given the Panthers, Broncos and Warriors all sit on 24 competition points.

Robbie Farah's return and Moses Mbye's arrival has breathed new life in to Cleary's side, with their attacking potency growing with every game that passes. With Luke Brooks and Benji Marshall controlling the game superbly from the halves, this Wests Tigers side is proving to be a tough team to shake regardless of the score, and they'll no doubt prove to be a handful this Friday against the desperate Bulldogs.

Since Mbye's departure from Belmore a month ago, it's been a tough time for Dean Pay's side who find themselves sitting equal last on the competition ladder with just one win from their last five games.

What's potentially been even more frustrating for the side is the fact they haven't necessarily played too badly, either. Leading by 14 points against the Raiders late on, it looked like Canterbury were going to chalk up a commanding win before collapsing late, while last week's loss to Parramatta could easily have gone the other way if the Bulldogs could find a little more polish to their end of sets close to the line.

Rectifying that will no doubt be the focus for them this week as they look to move off the bottom of the ladder and away from the Eels and Cowboys on 10 points, and they'll need no more motivation than taking on Mbye and his new Wests Tigers teammates this weekend. Ivan Cleary's side got the points when these two met earlier in the year — thanks to another former favourite son in Josh Reynolds — and the Bulldogs will be keen to get one back by ending the momentum built up by Wests Tigers over the past few weeks.

It's been well-documented this year the number of games that Wests Tigers really should have won, particularly against teams currently around them on the competition ladder, and as a result, Friday's game against the Bulldogs will be no less important for the side in their bid to keep their finals hopes alive.

David Nofoaluma will play his 100th NRL game for the club in another special milestone, while Wests Tigers will be looking to do the double over the Bulldogs for the first time in a season since 2005...

MATCH DETAILS

Date — Friday, July 27

Time — 7:50pm AEST

Venue — ANZ Stadium

TV, RADIO AND LIVE STREAM INFORMATION

TV — Live via FOX League (Ch.502) and Channel 9

Radio — AM 702 ABC Grandstand, AM 2GB 873

Live Stream — Foxtel Go, 9Now, NRL Digital Pass, Watch NRL Streaming (exc. Australia)

LATEST CROWNBET ODDS

H2H — Wests Tigers ($1.45), Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs ($2.75)

Line — Wests Tigers -6.5 ($1.92), Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs +6.5 ($1.92)

Odds correct as of 10:30am, Wednesday, July 25— 18+ only and gamble responsibly

TEAM LISTS

Round 20 - Round 20 - Friday 27 Jul

Full Time

Bulldogs

Wests Tigers

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Bulldogs is number 1 Will Hopoate

Fullback for Wests Tigers is number 1 Moses Mbye
Winger for Bulldogs is number 2 Brett Morris

Winger for Wests Tigers is number 2 David Nofoaluma
Centre for Bulldogs is number 3 Josh Morris

Centre for Wests Tigers is number 3 Esan Marsters
Centre for Bulldogs is number 4 Kerrod Holland

Centre for Wests Tigers is number 4 Kevin Naiqama
Winger for Bulldogs is number 5 Reimis Smith

Winger for Wests Tigers is number 5 Corey Thompson
Five-Eighth for Bulldogs is number 6 Lachlan Lewis

Five-Eighth for Wests Tigers is number 6 Benji Marshall
Halfback for Bulldogs is number 7 Jeremy Marshall-King

Halfback for Wests Tigers is number 7 Luke Brooks

Forwards

Prop for Bulldogs is number 8 Aiden Tolman

Prop for Wests Tigers is number 8 Russell Packer
Hooker for Bulldogs is number 9 Michael Lichaa

Hooker for Wests Tigers is number 9 Robbie Farah
Prop for Bulldogs is number 10 David Klemmer

Prop for Wests Tigers is number 10 Ben Matulino
2nd Row for Bulldogs is number 11 Josh Jackson

2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 11 Michael Chee-Kam
2nd Row for Bulldogs is number 12 Rhyse Martin

2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 12 Luke Garner
Lock for Bulldogs is number 13 Adam Elliott

Lock for Wests Tigers is number 13 Elijah Taylor

Interchange

Interchange for Bulldogs is number 14 Fa'amanu Brown

Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 14 Alex Twal
Interchange for Bulldogs is number 15 Greg Eastwood

Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 15 Sauaso Sue
Interchange for Bulldogs is number 16 Ofahiki Ogden

Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 17 Matthew Eisenhuth
Interchange for Bulldogs is number 17 Danny Fualalo

Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 19 Chris McQueen

Match Officials

Referee: Matt Cecchin
Referee: Chris Butler
Touch Judge: Tim Roby
Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein

Last updated: 2/9/2022 3:31:06 AM

Luke Garner starts in place of Josh Aloiai (hand) with Robbie Rochow coming on to the bench for Wests Tigers, while Ofahiki Ogden replaces Clay Priest (suspension) in the only change for the Bulldogs.