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The Wests Tigers play host to the Gold Coast Titans in Friday night football to kickoff Round 13. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:30pm (AEST).
Both sides have failed to register a win in the past month, with their only points coming from byes.
The Tigers enter the match without captain Robbie Farah following his shoulder injury in State of Origin 1. Dene Halatau will start at hooker with Aaron Woods captaining the side.
Sauaso Sue moves into the starting side, with Keith Galloway dropping back to an extended bench. Chris Lawrence moves into the back-row as David Nofoaluma returns in the centres. Manaia Cherrington and Matt Lodge have been named 18th and 19th man respectively.
For the Titans, Daniel Mortimer has been named to start at hooker, with Kierran Moseley dropping back to the bench. Mark Ioane comes into the starting side as Matt White goes to the bench and Agnatius Paasi rounds off an extended bench.
The two sides have met 14 times since the Titans joined the competition in 2007, with both sides having won seven times. They last met in Round 1 of this season, with the Tigers taking a 19-18 victory.
The Tigers have a 61 per cent winning record at Leichhardt Oval, while the Titans have won one of two matches they’ve played at the ground.
Both sides have coughed and spluttered along this season and sit one win above last and one win outside of the top eight.
The Titans’ last win came in a high-scoring match against the Warriors, while the Tigers last enjoyed success when they blew away a lacklustre Bulldogs outfit.
With two young halves in Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses, the Tigers have struggled for consistency this year despite boasting an imposing forward pack.
The Titans have been hit with a number of off-field incidents that have no doubt affected them. However, they do boast plenty of experience in their side and Kane Elgey and James Roberts, although two of the younger players, have been shining lights in a struggling side.
The Tigers have built their good performances this season on the back of expansive and entertaining football, and coach Jason Taylor has indicated he will continue to encourage his side to do so.
The Titans too have looked to play expansive football but at times look short on ideas with James Roberts called upon to conjure points for them.
Prediction
Being on a Friday night in Sydney it will be a heavy track and could very likely be a battle of the forwards early on before opening up as the two sides become more comfortable with the conditions.
Being at Leichhardt, I’m tipping a Tigers win by 10 points.
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