Wests Tigers Team V Brisbane * Official

[Geo]

**Wests Tigers Head Coach Michael Maguire has named a strong side for Thursday's clash against the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium with Josh Reynolds to start at five-eighth.**

A standout in his side's heartbreaking Golden Point defeat to Penrith last week, Reynolds will once again don the number six jersey and partner Luke Brooks in the halves with Benji Marshall (hamstring) not available for selection.

After selecting a near unchanged forward pack for the first month of the season, Maguire has made a number of changes to the engine room this week with Russell Packer starting in place of Ben Matulino, who drops back to the bench.

Josh Aloiai also earns promotion to the run-on side after a number of impressive performances off the bench so far this year, while young gun Thomas Mikaele also returns after missing out last week — pushing Elijah Taylor back to the reserves.

Taylor is joined in the reserves by Paul Momirovski, Chris McQueen and David Nofoaluma, the latter of whom makes the squad for the first time this season. Nofoaluma had missed the start of the year with a dislocated shoulder but is available for selection this week — named in jersey 20 as part of the 21-man squad.


Wests Tigers will fly to Brisbane tomorrow ahead of Thursday's game, with two players dropping out of the squad 24 hours before kickoff (7:50pm, Wednesday).

Final 17-man team lists will be confirmed at 6:50pm AEST on Thursday.

1\. Mbye
2\. Fonua
3\. Jennings
4\. Marsters
5\. Thompson
6\. Reynolds
7\. Brooks
8\. Packer
9\. Farah
10\. Twal
11\. Matterson
12\. Garner
13\. Aloiai

Reserves
14\. Matulino
15\. Mikaele
16\. Eisenhuth
17\. Chee Kam

18\. Momirovski
19\. Taylor
20\. Nofoaluma
21\. Macqueen

https://www.weststigers.com.au/news/2019/04/09/all-the-round-5-team-news/

 

[Madge]

Packer and Matulino are swapped. I like it.

 

[matchball]

Good to see E.T getting dropped. He isn't going well at all.

 

[Tigerlily]


 

[Smellmyfinger]

Considering that's the exact pack I picked in the other thread, I like it. Alioai has earn his chance, and Packer deserves to have his go starting.

 

[TIGER]

I was liking Garlic mayo off the bench, I think he was providing the impact we were lacking.
We lose that now and replace it with plodders.
Hopefully Mikaele steps up and provides it.

 

[Silentio]

Aloiai has leveled up in 2019\. Totally deserves a crack in the starting line-up. Hopefully he's fit enough for it.

Reynolds should be better too with a full game under his belt.

 

[balmain boy]

Aloiai and Eiso will swap. I wonder how fit Nofa is. He could push Jennings out with Fonua to centre.

 

[Sco77y]

Too bad we can't see who the kicker will be. If I see Marsters lining up I don't think I'll be able to look.

 

[avocadoontoast]

I hope not. IMO Jennings and Fonua both better than a fully fit Nofo.

 

[Guest]

Not a bad side at all, glad to see Taylor dropped, he was rubbish against Penrith. Hopefully the boys can get the job done this week.

 

[WT2K]

Good to see Taylor dropped and Aloiai promoted for his good form. Like the change of Packer and Matulino

 

[balmain boy]

Jennings has been very poor for us. Nothing in attack,always goes himself, never passes, seems lazy, and defence an issue. He clocked off for Penrith's try on the weekend.

 

[avocadoontoast]

I think Jennings offers far more upside than Nofo and his defence is far, far better. But I've always thought Nofo is criminally overrated so perhaps i'm biased.

 

[Toowoomba_Tiger]

Seems a little risky - especially Aloiai and Packer. Both been great off the bench and worried we lose their impact. Aloiai deserves a start though.

Whilst Taylor makes mistakes and lacks impact with the ball, he does do a lot of defensive work and can last longer than any of his replacements. Same can probably be said for Matulino.

Really need to control the ball and limit defensive work, even more-so with that pack imo.
Still good to see Madge isn't one dimensional with his selections and is keeping everyone watching their back.

 

[Snake]

Packer should be off the bench he is much more effective ,last year showed that …MCK offers nothing and Jennings but there is always a coaches pet in every team .

 

[Spartan117]

Hoping Masters has been practicing his kicking

 

[1eyedmel]

I think McQueen will get promoted to the bench this week with either Cheekam or Eisenhuth dropping out.

 

[TYGA]

I like the changes. You have to start well in Brisbane it’s going to be a fast track. Packer and Aloai match up well against Lodge and Fifita.
ET has been terrible only issue is Eiso will spell Aloai and he’s very slow and lacks power.

Matulino and Mikaele look stronger than the Broncos bench props. MCK and Eiso are weak links we need Lawrence back soon.

 

[rozelle_rudy]

That's how I feel too. I like the starting forwards but the bench is now a big step down in class.
It highlights that we need at least one more top class prop.