Wests Tigers Team v Penrith Official

[Geo]

All the Round 9 team news!
Author
Dan Talintyre
Timestamp
Tue 7 May 2019, 03:58 PM

Oliver Clark will become Wests Tigers Player #224 after being named by Coach Michael Maguire to make his first-grade debut in Friday's Round 9 clash against the Penrith Panthers.

Clark has been named on the bench for his NRL debut after impressing in his first full season with Wests Tigers, having joined the club midway through the season last year after an immediate switch from this week's opponents, Penrith.

A Quakers Hill junior, Clark is a powerful prop who has featured in numerous junior representative sides for New South Wales already in his short career, and will add plenty to the Wests Tigers engine room this week against the Panthers.

Clark's inclusion comes in place of Josh Aloiai, who is sidelined this week.

After a disappointing defeat to the Sydney Roosters in Round 8, Wests Tigers have also been boosted by the inclusion of Benji Marshall at five-eighth after the playmaker was a late omission last week. Marshall has not featured since picking up a hamstring injury in Round 3, but is expected to play this week alongside Luke Brooks in the halves in what will be his 293rd first-grade appearance.


Matt Eisenhuth starts his first game of the year after coming off the bench in the last five games, with Elijah Taylor dropping back to the reserves in jersey 19.

Taylor is joined on the reserves by Paul Momirovski and Russell Packer — who both featured for the club's Canterbury Cup side last week — along with Michael Chee Kam, who is available for selection again after serving a two-game suspension.

Jacob Liddle retains his place on the bench after a strong return to the NRL arena last week, with the hooker impressing in limited minutes against the Roosters.

Wests Tigers will travel to Brisbane tomorrow ahead of Friday's Magic Round clash against the Panthers, and will provide an updated 19-man squad 24 hours before kickoff (6:00pm, Thursday). Final 17-man team lists for both sides will then be announced one hour before the Round 9 clash at Suncorp Stadium.

1. Moses Mbye
2. Mahe Fonua
3. Robert Jennings
4. Esan Marsters
5. Corey Thompson
6. Benji Marshall
7. Luke Brooks
8. Ben Matulino
9. Robbie Farah
10. Alex Twal
11. Ryan Matterson
12. Chris McQueen
13. Matt Eisenhuth
14. Jacob Liddle
15. Thomas Mikaele
16. Oliver Clark
17. Luke Garner
18. Paul Momirovski
19. Elijah Taylor
20. Michael Chee-Kam
21. Russell Packer

 

[underdog]

@Geo I think Clark was ALWAYS going to be in the 17 this year once he'd shaken his injury, so this is hardly surprising - however it is still well and truly deserved.

Rip in young lad!

 

[Snake]

Masters gets rewarded again for another poor performance..the coach is all talk if ever a player need a wake up call it is Masters ! Mbye same..

 

[Madge]

@underdog I think this is a good week to play him... also would’ve liked Liddle to play the 80 this week with Farah to have a rest.

 

[Hbom]

Aloiai - 'sidelined', as in injured?

 

[Geo]

Aloiai - 'sidelined', as in injured?

Came off in Disneyland at the end of the Rorters game...didn't pass HIA protocols

 

[WT2K]

Congrats, Oliver. Rip in mate 🐯

 

[balmain boy]

Hopefully Clark rips in!
He's coming off the best game he's had for us in NSW Cup so his confidence should at least be high!

With limited options he's the only prop left in the squad if Madge really wants to tell Packer to pull the finger out! Which he seemingly does. Might as well see how he goes against his former team.

No surprises with the rest of the team. Nof must be injured or about to change clubs.

 

[Tigerlily]


 

[gallagher]

Its hard to believe the 1 to 5 is unchanged but I suppose the cupboard is a bit bare. Good luck to Oliver, hope he has a good one.

 

[Tigerlily]

Yes! @gallagher as much as I admire Corey and Mahe with the 110% effort they give us each game. I just think the days of having to many small men on the fringes in an NRL capacity has passed. I hope at some stage this year Bradley (when his allowed to play) and Smith (as a winger) get some game time.

 

[The_Patriot]

Only a matter of time before people start turning on Maguire. He really needs to understand this club and understand it fast. The fans have had enough of players not being accountable for poor performances.

Picking Clark solves absolutely nothing.

 

[Guest]

Don't mind seeing Clark get a go - I watched him closely in the game we slip against the Bulldogs, he was performing strongly until receiving a nasty smack in the chops and it's pretty clear hes starting to kick on with a full offseason in the top squad. He'll get through more work in the middle than Packer too.

 

[TIGER]

Happy to see how the new bloke goes, good luck and go nuts!!

McQueen has been better than I expected without setting it on fire but I still think Garner offers more and should start.

I don't even have a bench spot for McQueen
I'd have MCK on the bench, for his versatility and I think he provides more impact than McQueen would off the bench.

Hopefully Liddle gets a little more game time this week, I'm still not sold on him but he definitely lifted us last week.

 

[momo_amp_medo]

From what I saw from him in Canterbury Cup ...
Clark deserves his spot.
The back line is still lacking many things but as many have said already, it’s about the best that we have at present.
I’m hoping that we can have couple of changes to the roster by 30th June and with that and addition of our development players to NRL roster Maguire should have a few more options and experiment.

 

[avocadoontoast]

Only a matter of time before people start turning on Maguire. He really needs to understand this club and understand it fast. The fans have had enough of players not being accountable for poor performances.

Picking Clark solves absolutely nothing.

What changes would you have made?

 

[Chainlink]

Packer was just about worst on field for Magpies on weekend so not surprised Clark called up.good luck!

 

[The_Patriot]

Only a matter of time before people start turning on Maguire. He really needs to understand this club and understand it fast. The fans have had enough of players not being accountable for poor performances.

Picking Clark solves absolutely nothing.

What changes would you have made?

We have been humiliated two out of the last three games. Id make a lot more changes than just replacing an injured forward with another forward.

Maguire is trying to show faith in the playing group, trouble is we have all seen these guys and unless you hold them accountable they are the most inconsistent team in the competition.

The coach will learn.. . .

 

[Snake]

@The_Patriot I support you on this momo straight in Masters can please himself in the reggies.. the coach has stated if your not pulling your weight I will get someone that will .. obviously these comments are not for everyone .

 

[happy_tiger]

Guessing MCK will get a call up as well

Lots of different options that we can put forward both in the backs and forwards

Bring the magic boys .....please

This little black duck hasn't seen the WT's beaten at Suncorp since 2004 and we got robbed that night .....Pattycakes scores in the corner