Tigers v Storm: Wests flying, bans hit premiers

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Tigers v Storm: Wests flying, bans hit premiers
Author NRL.com Timestamp Tue 3 Apr 2018, 01:30 PM

Many would have expected the Melbourne Storm to be on cloud nine heading into round five but instead they are left licking their wounds after a poor performance in last Friday's loss to the Cronulla Sharks.

Meanwhile the Wests Tigers continue to be a surprise packet this season. Very few could have foreseen their start to the year but with a newfound resolve, the Tigers are no easy beats this year and could surprise the Storm for a second time this season.

While the visitors are coming off the back of their most impressive attacking display of the year in Monday's win over Parramatta, the Storm have been hit with a double blow of Will Chambers copping a two-match suspension while Dale Finucane is both suspended and sidelined for a month with a fractured thumb.

Wests Tigers v Melbourne Storm, 5pm Saturday (3pm AET) at Mt Smart Stadium

Wests Tigers: 1 Tuimoala Lolohea, 2 Corey Thompson, 3 Esan Marsters, 4 Kevin Naiqama, 5 Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, 6 Benji Marshall, 7 Luke Brooks, 8 Russell Packer ©, 9 Pita Godinet, 10 Ben Matulino, 11 Chris Lawrence, 12 Robbie Rochow, 13 Matthew Eisenhuth

Interchange: 14 Jacob Liddle, 15 Alex Twal, 16 Michael Chee Kam, 17 Josh Aloiai

Reserves: 18 Tyson Gamble, 19 Tim Grant, 20 David Nofoaluma, 21 Sauaso Sue

Wests Tigers are unchanged from an impressive Easter Monday win over the Eels, with star recruit Josh Reynolds at least one more week away.

Storm: 1 Billy Slater, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Young Tonumaipea, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Brodie Croft, 8 Jesse Bromwich, 9 Cameron Smith (c), 10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11 Joe Stimson, 12 Ryan Hoffman, 13 Kenny Bromwich

Interchange: 14 Brandon Smith, 15 Tim Glasby, 16 Christian Welch, 17 Sam Kasiano

Reserves: 18 Justin Olam, 19 Patrick Kaufusi, 20 Ryley Jacks, 21 Felise Kaufusi

Young Tonumaipea replaces Will Chambers (suspension) at centre and Kenny Bromwich comes in at lock for Dale Finucane (who is both injured and suspended). Felise Kaufusi is included in the reserves.

Head-to-head: Played 30; Storm 19 wins, Wests Tigers 11 wins

Matches at venue: No matches at Mt Smart Stadium

2017 results: Storm won 22-14 at Leichhardt Oval in round 4

Points per game: Wests Tigers 14.3; Storm 19.5

Points conceded per game: Wests Tigers 11.3; Storm 14

Televised: Live on Fox League

 

[westTAHger]

Get up and in their face again, they don't like this style of play.

Every chance you get, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater & Cody Croft to be bundled up in 3 man tackle, and slammed into ground.

Munster can be upset, and go looking for revenge, instead of playing footy.

They can and will be beaten.

 

[Juro]

If you're going to New Zealand, you'd want to be flying…

 

[Doc_Tiger]

4 from 5 is looking good. These blokes can do this. Would be great to have spoilt Slater the grubs milestone game as well as Bellamy's in the space of a few weeks.

 

[TrueTiger]

If we beat the Storm again and I hope we do,then to me it really solidifies the fact that we are continuing our consistency in games rather than win a game well then get beaten the next 2/3 games….so far the team is doing really well...

 

[Geo]

4 from 5 is looking good. These blokes can do this. Would be great to have spoilt Slater the grubs milestone game as well as Bellamy's in the space of a few weeks.