A new coach and a host of big-name recruits signal the start of a new era for the Wests Tigers in 2023, coming after a horror past season which ended in them collecting the wooden spoon.
Believing the answer to the future sits with figures from the past, the Wests Tigers have brought back their premiership-winning coach from 2005, Tim Sheens, with club legends Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah as his assistants.
The signing of six new players, five of whom have played in NRL Grand Finals previously, is a good start as they seek to bounce back from last year’s 20-loss disaster.
Predicted Round 1 team
- Daine Laurie
- David Nofoaluma
- Tommy Talau
- Brent Naden
- Ken Maumalo
- Adam Doueihi
- Luke Brooks
- Stefano Utoikamanu
- Api Koroisau
- David Klemmer
- Isaiah Papali’i
- John Bateman
- Joe Ofahengaue
- Jake Simpkin
- Alex Twal
- Fonua Pole
- Shawn Blore
Other: Alex Seyfarth, Apisalome Saukuru, Asu Kepaoa, Brandon Tumeth, Charlie Staines, Christian Ma’anaima (development), Justin Matamua, Josh Feledy (development), Junior Tupou, Kitione Kautoga (development), Rua Ngatikaura, Sione Fainu, Star To’a, Triston Reilly, Tukimihia Simpkins, Will Smith.
Squad watch
Squad spots filled: 30/30
The club is loaded with talent in the forwards for 2023, with Stefano Utoikamanu – tipped by many as a future representative player – the only member of their likely starting pack who hasn’t played either Origin or Test football for a tier one nation.
Aside from the new faces they have signed, the club will regain the services of forward Shawn Blore and versatile back Tommy Talau, who both failed to play a single minute of football last season due to serious injuries.
They have good depth in the backline, with Charlie Staines – who was a scorer in last year’s Grand Final win for Penrith – and talented Kiwi Starford To’a likely to start the year outside the top 17, while in the pack it looks unlikely that 2022 NRL regular Alex Seyfarth or highly touted youngster Justin Matamua will be in the team for round one.
Despite losing a glut of talent to rival NRL clubs, including seven players who were regulars in their side last year, it’s hard to argue that the Wests Tigers haven’t improved their squad significantly for 2023.
Health watch
A tough run with injuries, which started in the pre-season with the loss of Blore and Talau for the year, really hurt the Wests Tigers in 2022, and they’ll be relying on better fortune this coming season.
Talau and Blore are both on track to start the year, while Ken Maumalo is back in full training after having minor knee surgery.
Alex Seyfarth is back doing contact work after tearing a pectoral muscle late last season and is expected to be available for the start of the 2023 campaign.
Most contentious position
There wasn’t a standout option at centre last year for the Wests Tigers, and again for 2023 it’s hard to know who will emerge at the first-choice pairing.
Versatile back Star To’a started 14 games at centre last year in a season which saw him play a career-high 21 games, while Brent Naden impressed at the back end as a winger, and has plenty of centre experience under his belt.
The departure of Oliver Gildart (Dolphins) is offset by Talau’s return from a season-long injury layoff, and if he can stay fit Sheens has indicated he’s likely to be part of the 17 somewhere.
Biggest strength
This forward pack will cause issues for plenty of sides in 2023.
The addition of Api Koroisau, Isaiah Papali’i and John Bateman, plus former Blues enforcer David Klemmer, to a group already featuring some quality veterans and promising forwards, means the engine room should hum.
In Koroisau they have a proven winner, with three-straight Grand Final appearances to his name, while Papali’i was one of the competition’s best back-rowers last year, playing every game for the Eels and scoring 10 tries, with 140 average run metres per game.
Bateman too has shown he belongs in the competition’s elite in his position, having been judged to be the NRL’s best second-rower back in 2019 with the Raiders.
That talent on the edge should improve the Wests Tigers on both sides of the footy, while there will be no lack of punch through the middle, with the aggressive David Klemmer, who averaged 155 metres per game last year, joining Joe Ofahengaue, Alex Twal and Stefano Utoikamanu.
Source: NRL.com