Tigers pain hard to swallow, but Sheens sees upside

Scott Bailey | April 23, 2023

Wests Tigers captain Apisai Koroisau insists his side are bruised but not broken after their late loss to Manly consigned them to the worst start of an NRL season for any team in 15 years.

Up 16-14 with nine minutes to go, the Tigers watched their lead slip at Campbelltown as they fell to their seventh straight loss start the year.

The Tigers have now not won a game in 267 days, with last July’s victory over Brisbane their only success in the past 12 months.

They are also the first team to go 0-7 since South Sydney in 2008.

So difficult has the start to their season been, when Starford To’A took the lead for the Tigers in the 63rd minute on Sunday it was the first time they have been on top in a game in 530 minutes.

But even that joy was short-lived, as the Tigers walked away from another game dominating possession and field position but without the two points.

Making matters worse for the Tigers, their next assignment is the two-time defending premiers Penrith in Bathurst on Saturday night.

“The boys are obviously feeling the disappointment more than anything.

“We know, regardless, that we are getting better each and every week. But it’s not the two points.

“Quite a hard one to swallow. But it is what it is, and the boys will be ripping in next week.”

There were positives for the Tigers.

Jahream Bula had some good moments in his NRL debut after being plucked out of reserve grade to play fullback.

He had plenty of touches early, and while he put down a Daly Cherry-Evans kick in the second half he also fought his way out of the in-goal after another.

The fullback also provided some genuine spark, with Sheens declaring he will be picked to play Penrith on Saturday after using four fullbacks in the Tigers’ first seven matches.

“He was good, very good,” Sheens said. 

“Getting out of the in-goal there wasn’t easy to do to beat the people he did.

“He got to every kick. Putting one down, he would be disappointed with that. But he wasn’t the only one in the conditions.

“I thought he was very good for his debut, and will be there next week, don’t worry about that.”

Koroisau was easily the Tigers best with a try from the back of a scrum, while John Bateman had some good moments in the second row.

Sheens also confirmed that Brandon Wakeham would spend another week in the No.6 jersey, after replacing Adam Doueihi against Manly.