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NRL Round 22 kicks off tonight as the resurgent Tigers face off against a stuttering Dragons outfit in what is sure to be one of the matches of the round.
Supercoach Wayne Bennett gave his team a very public grilling over their failure to capitalise on the huge first half lead they had built up over South Sydney, and will be hoping his team is can rebound in time for the finals.
The Tigers meanwhile will be feeling like some more giant slaying after an impressive performance against Manly last Friday night, though a big win could potentially put the Tigers in the frame as giants themselves.
A win for the Red V will see them catapulted into as high as third, depending on how the Cowboys go against the Bulldogs in the other Friday night fixture.
A Tigers win would see them move into equal sixth, and six points clear of the bottom eight (again, depending on the outcome of the North Queensland vs Canterbury Game).
The keys to the match are generally being touted as Jamie Soward versus Benji Marshall, but the Robbie Farah versus Nathan Fien battle wil alsol be very important.
Both Tigers boys will need to fire to get their forwards some metres up the middle, and that final play to break down one of the best defensive sides in the competition.
Soward will need to pick himself up from Sunday in what was a crushing way to lose a football game, especially against an old enemy.
Fien will have to do his best to keep Farah under pressure; give him too much room and he inevitably will run riot.
The Tigers are lining up with the same starting 13 as last week, but Wade McKinnon returns from a hamstring injury to get himself a spot on an extended five man bench.
For St George Illawarra, Matt Prior moves to lock in place of Trent Merrin, who goes to the bench. They both will line up in last week’s numbers, due to late changes last Sunday.
The bench is an extended one, with last week’s other bench players, as well as Dean Young and Mitch rein, two to be omitted.
My Tip
If the Dragons let their minds wander like they did against the Bunnies, you could expect the Tigers to do just as much damage, though very likely more. After seeing a successful return of Australian centre Chris Lawrence last week, they will be firing on all cylinders.
Wayne Bennett has definitely been giving his boys what for this week, and if they want to wake up and defend their title, then now is the time.
If anything can get them to recapture their early season form it would have to be that wake up call – and that, I feel, is enough to get the Red and White over the line.
Dragons by 4.
Sydney Football Stadium – Kickoff 7:35 Friday the 5th August
Referees: Tony Archer and Shayne Hayne
Touch Judges: Paul Holland and Daniel Eastwood
Video Referee: Chris Ward
Odds: Dragons $1.60, Tigers $2.35
Join us at 7pm for some pre-match discussion banter with coverage beginning at 7.30pm
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