Round 2 team 2026

[Tigerstigerstigers]

I’ll kick off. I think Madden and big Mak and Sione will force their way into the team on Friday night .

1. Bula
2. Mak
3. Taylan
4. Toa
5. Sunia
6. romey
7. Jock
13. twal/ Douehi
11 Kpp
12. Samuela
10. Terrel
9. Api
8. Pole (marginal)

Bench -Playing
Siione
Royce
Red
Twal/ Douehi

Bench- extras, just in case
Skelton
Hope

Extra
Mason

I expect of this team, Pole, Toa and Red will be under the most pressure. Pole needs to come out firing from the get go this season.

Mason may be able to edge out Hope if he can show he can cover 9 come Friday , as the 5th bench player.

I think by season end we will have Haywood off the bench . And I expect we will have an injury somewhere in the backline and some line like Tarava or Attard will permanently establish themselves as first graders.

Probably need a forward like Kit to step up to put pressure on the forwards . But overall. Things are looking bright.

 

[TheEnz]

If he has another look, at madden for a stint next week lining up beside Luai gainst better opposition than he may get a crack in game 1. If not, than AD is locked in already.

 

[LeichhardtTiger]

If he has another look, at madden for a stint next week lining up beside Luai gainst better opposition than he may get a crack in game 1. If not, than AD is locked in already.

Benji has a face that is bad for poker. Lots of twitches and missing eye contact. He did suggest that AD was the 7, but at the same time, his face flinched as he added "or 13".

 

[innsaneink]

Probably the main squad the first 40 then depth players the 2nd 40

 

[innsaneink]

Makasini was placed on report yesterday tho im sure wed have heard something today if he was out

 

[vlad]

Makasini was placed on report yesterday tho im sure wed have heard something today if he was out

Nothing on the NRL website , looks like no charge . Other players were fined although Zac Laybutt from the Cows got 2-3 weeks so he misses Vegas & also our round 2 game at Leichhardt.

 

[TurnStyle]

Makasini was placed on report yesterday tho im sure wed have heard something today if he was out

I remember him being put on report and thinking it was ridiculous. Can't remember what it was though...like didn't even touch the guy or something.

 

[Tom Shines]

I’ll be surprised if Madden is going to displace AD who has trained at 7 all offseason , based on 1 trial game versus lower grade players ?

Maybe a bit later in the year after we see how things are going with AD

 

[Tom Shines]

I’ll also add that Skeleton doesn’t get much love here does he ?

I was watching some highlights from last season on YouTube … every WT try from 2025… reminded me how good Toa was at the start of last season … to compare that form to the second half of the year is depressing … Toa needs to be at his best otherwise you can’t keep picking him in the NRL team ahead of others they have now … I don’t really care how much he is getting paid

 

[Lestronge]

I don’t understand the Heath Mason hate. Do people realise he was playing lock on Saturday ? He was putting shots on , making 1 on 1 tackles against much bigger men at full pace , finding his front in his play the balls … and the biggest thing not getting pushed backwards causing the team to lose momentum .
I think this is the perfect way to use him . Basically a second fullback without the pressure of playing fullback . I thought he was good on the weekend .
I think people are looking him through a half/fullback lense . When I don’t think that’s the way the club wants to play him nor is it his own personals future . He always struck me as a kid who wants get in there and mix it , he simply wasn’t strong enough yet . It seems maybe he’s hit some PBs in the weights room this off season .

 

[hank37w]

I remember him being put on report and thinking it was ridiculous. Can't remember what it was though...like didn't even touch the guy or something.

Was that an involvement in a lifting /dangerous tackle that even the commentators dismissed as being minor at the time.

 

[king_sirro]

Was that an involvement in a lifting /dangerous tackle that even the commentators dismissed as being minor at the time.

No it was hitting the guy without the ball

 

[Odessa]

I’ll be surprised if Madden is going to displace AD who has trained at 7 all offseason , based on 1 trial game versus lower grade players ?

Maybe a bit later in the year after we see how things are going with AD

He won't replace him just a solid fill in

 

[innsaneink]

I remember him being put on report and thinking it was ridiculous. Can't remember what it was though...like didn't even touch the guy or something.

Yeah it was weak...nothingn in it
Tackle without the ball....we dropped our focus a bit and they scored straight after.
A.good example of something else we need to work.on

 

[hank37w]

No it was hitting the guy without the ball

Yeah right, now I remember it.

 

[426Tlgerland]

Wonder if Geyer and Roberts get a run this week , with the bye first up we really need to play all our top liners like it’s a comp game , get some real footy into them , top 13 plus 7 more to give them a good hit out , we can’t play our top guys for 15 minutes as apposed to teams getting full game time in the round 1 nrl , blow the rust out now , recover , hard training sessions , back off ready for round 2

 

[Betterdays22]

I don’t understand the Heath Mason hate. Do people realise he was playing lock on Saturday ? He was putting shots on , making 1 on 1 tackles against much bigger men at full pace , finding his front in his play the balls … and the biggest thing not getting pushed backwards causing the team to lose momentum .
I think this is the perfect way to use him . Basically a second fullback without the pressure of playing fullback . I thought he was good on the weekend .
I think people are looking him through a half/fullback lense . When I don’t think that’s the way the club wants to play him nor is it his own personals future . He always struck me as a kid who wants get in there and mix it , he simply wasn’t strong enough yet . It seems maybe he’s hit some PBs in the weights room this off season .

I think you answered your own question. People were unhappy with him because the club were persisting with him in the spine last year. He looks much better in the middle. Jury still out as to whether he makes the cut though.

 

[Betterdays22]

If playing to potential, that's one of the better backlines we have fielded in a long time. Forward pack is serviceable, KPP was probably the best possible player available to recruit for the 2nd rower spot.

Big question/doubts to start the year for me is 6,7 and 9.

 

[Tom Shines]

Wonder if Geyer and Roberts get a run this week , with the bye first up we really need to play all our top liners like it’s a comp game , get some real footy into them ,

I don’t see them in the Week 2 Top 19… Geyer is definitely depth this season …maybe Roberts can develop into something more later in the year …

 

[Lestronge]

J

I think you answered your own question. People were unhappy with him because the club were persisting with him in the spine last year. He looks much better in the middle. Jury still out as to whether he makes the cut though.

what has that got to do with Saturday ? I judge performance on what my eyes tell me … not some unconscious bias from 9 months ago .
It’s to the point that this forum frustrates me . People speak in such absolutes , and to be honest some pretty nasty comments … and then it turns out they’re making assessments from 13 months ago. The kid is 19/20 … the club is gonna trial him in his junior positions . Some don’t succeed and need to change positions .
Connor Watson is the pinup of this . He was supposed to put pressure on Tedesco early doors at fullback . Then he went to Newcastle , and came
Back a lock/ hooker/ utility . That’s clearly the pathway forward for Mason.
I’m big on pedigree . You don’t make Aus Schoolboys if you’re shit . Sometimes you just need a tweak. There’s a footy player there that’s for sure .