Battle for the 8

SPORT

Battle for the 8

PETER MCCULLAGH

SATURDAY night will see a battle between the Cowboys currently sitting inside the 8 and the West Tigers sitting in ninth position on the ladder. Both teams are two wins from their 5 starts this season and on paper the Cowboys could be slightly head.

A win for the West Tiger could see them climb back into the eight, there’s a lot at stake for both clubs this weekend.

The Wests Tigers will be desperate to bounce back from consecutive defeats against Canberra and the cellar dwellers Titans.

After a much-improved performance against a quality Canberra Raiders since last weekend, Wests Tigers will head in to Saturday's game with improved confidence but still wary of the job at hand to get back in the winners' circle.

North Queensland were dealt a serious blow in last week's loss to the New Zealand Warriors with star fullback Valentine Holmes and experienced forward Jordan McLean likely to join Michael Morgan and John Asiata on the sidelines this week.

Jason Taumalolo assumes captaincy duties for the first time with the Cowboys, with the extra responsibility he looms large as the danger man to watch for Wests Tigers this weekend.

North Queensland Toyota Cowboys young gun Connelly Lemuelu will make his NRL debut in Saturday night’s clash with the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium.

Lemuelu joined the Cowboys prior to the 2020 season on the heels of a stellar season in the NSW Cup with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

The 21-year-old played every backline position for the Bulldogs in 2019, but will make his debut on the wing for the Cowboys with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow moving to fullback to replace the injured Valentine Holmes.

A big game is expected by the NRL leading try scorer Kyle Feldt after a strong performance against the Warriors scoring twice in their 37 point to 26 point loss.

Wests Tigers head in to the contest with a good overall record against the Cowboys — having won their last three meetings and five of the last six games between the two sides — but haven't beaten them at Campbelltown since 2014.

Teams:

Cowboys:

1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 2. Kyle Feldt, 3. Justin O’Neill, 4. Esan Marsters, 5. Connelly Lemuelu, 6. Scott Drinkwater, 7. Jake Clifford, 8. Francis Molo, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Josh McGuire, 11. Mitch Dunn, 12. Coen Hess, 13. Jason Taumalolo, 14. Ben Hampton, 15. Corey Jensen, 16. Peter Hola, 17. Gavin Cooper, 18. Tom Opacic, 19. Shane Wright, 20. Reuben Cotter, 21. Emry Pere.

West Tigers: 1. Adam Doueihi, 2. David Nofoaluma, 3. Joseph Leilua, 4. Moses Mbye, 5. Robert Jennings, 6. Josh Reynolds, 7. Luke Brooks, 8. Josh Aloiai, 9. Harry Grant, 10. Zane Musgrove, 11. Luke Garner, 12. Luciano Leilua, 13. Alex Twal, 14. Matt Eisenhuth, 15. Thomas Mikaele, 16. Sam McIntyre, 17. Michael Chee Kam, 18. Benji Marshall, 19. Chris Lawrence, 20. Billy Walters, 21, Reece Hoffman.