Wests Tigers Podcast

The Wests Tigers are finally in action again this weekend!The 2026 Wests Tigers season kicks off on Saturday afternoon at Leichhardt Oval, where the Tigers will meet the Cowboys in front of a sold-out home crowd.On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel, Nick, and Josh discuss some important topicsrelating to this match, including:
Are we going to be better off for the Round One bye?
How important is this game in the grand scheme of things?
Who are the Cowboys' main threats?
How do we get and maintain momentum?
How will we use the bench players selected?
Other Wests Tigers topics discussed on this edition of the podcast include:The new Wests Tigers pre-season video series. How does it stack up against what the club produced last year? Other talking points from these videos include the new and improved Benji Marshall, potential differences in attitude and standards compared to last year, and a fitter, happier group.Let's all keep our fingers crossed that our boys kick off season 2026 with a win at Leichhardt, and we'll catch you posting those 'One Word' responses after the match on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum!

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Wests Tigers showed fans plenty of skill, heart, and determination to defeat the Panthers in last Friday night's trial match at Leichhardt Oval. In front of a healthy Leichhardt crowd, Wests Tigers turned a two-point deficit into a 16-point win, 26-12.

On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel, Josh, and Nick put a fine-tooth comb right through the performance. Taking on a near full-strength Panthers side, our guys stood up and accounted for themselves, despite missing some quality Tigers players, including Royce Hunt, Terrell May, Jeral Skelton, and Kai Pearce-Paul.

Some of the other main talking points on this edition of the podcast include:Is Heamasi Makasini the most exciting local junior since Tedesco?
Has Alex Twal grabbed that number 13 jersey for round two?
Did Adam Doueihi cement himself into the 7 jersey for this season?
What did we make of the debut performance of Bunty Afoa?
Are the ongoing contract negotiations affecting Jahream Bula?
While we also look at some of the fantastic performances put in by the young Wests Tigers stars, such as Jack Attard, Jared Haywood, and Javon Andrews.

And we run through all the many 'One Word' submissions left by our loyal members of the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum. We hope you enjoy this big post-victory edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast! 

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The Wests Tigers have named a strong line-up for this Friday night's trial match against the Penrith Panthers at Leichhardt Oval. Coach Benji Marshall has named a 28-man squad for the side's second 2026 hitout, with new buys Bunty Afoa, Kai Pearce-Paul, Patrick Herbert, Jack Attard, and Mavrik Geyer set to feature.

At the same time, all eyes will be on last week's three-try hero, Heamasi Makasini, who will line up on the wing against the Panthers.

Ahead of the trial, Joel Helmes and Josh Burnell from the Wests Tigers Podcast caught up to preview the match. Some of the main talking points on this edition include:Api Koroisau's comments regarding the abilities of Makasini
Why Fonua Pole needs to lift to another level this season
The non-selection of Royce Hunt and Terrell May
The high standards Kai Pearce-Paul wants to meet at our club
Should we read more into Jack Attard being named at 15?
Will Jock Madden play some hooker on Friday night?
The boys also discuss the new two-year deal for Patrick Herbert that was announced today by the club, and how a more harmonious and connected Wests Tigers team might help us make a finals spot in 2026.

And don't forget to join the Wests Tigers discussion today on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum!

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The Wests Tigers travelled to Newcastle for the club's first NRL trial of 2026 on Saturday and, despite a shaky start, came away with an impressive 42-26 victory over the Sydney Roosters. On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, Joel, Josh, Declan, and Jordan take a look at what the win means for the club and team for the upcoming season. Fielding a side made up of some of the most promising young players in the club, the performance of guys like Heamasi Makasini, Faaletino Tavana, Javon Andrews, Jared Haywood, and Jack Attard is put under the microscope. Speaking of Tavana, how about that incredible try? We talk about this memorable moment and look at what his future might be in the game. While the boys also look at whether the returning Jock Madden has taken another step to an NRL return with Wests Tigers, debate whether Charlie Murray should be considered for the NRL side in round two, and whether Patrick Herbert did his chances of seeing first grade any harm in a solid first hit-out for the club. There's a run-through of all the 'One Word' responses to the game on the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum (thanks to everyone who contributed).Some of the other topics up for discussion included:Was what we saw on Saturday a sign that the club's investment in pathways is starting to pay off?
Are we more optimistic about the club's depth for 2026?
Is there going to be more competition for spots?
Away from the trial game in Newcastle, our attention also turned to Royce Hunt's performance playing for the Maori All Stars this afternoon in New Zealand, as well as giving our thoughts on how the new-look Wests Tigers jersey came across on TV, and naming the thing we are most looking to see in this weekend's NRL trial against the Panthers. It is another big edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast. We hope you enjoy a sometimes hard-to-find post-victory edition!

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The Wests Tigers are warmed up and ready to go for season 2026, and the Wests Tigers Podcast will be along for the ride. Ahead of the first Wests Tigers trial of the new season, this Saturday against the Roosters in Newcastle, we thought we'd see what our fellow fans are thinking about a range of Wests Tigers topics.

Publishing a fan survey around ten days ago, we received over 200 responses, and we thank everyone who took the time to answer the questions posed. On this edition of the Wests Tigers Podcast, the fan survey takes centre stage, with the results put under the microscope, including issues such as Wests Tigers ownership, the new 2026 Wests Tigers jersey, positional weaknesses in the 2026 team, and more.

Joining Joel, Nick, and Declan for this deep dive into the data is a new member of the team, Josh Burnell. Also on the agenda of episode 442 of the Wests Tigers Podcast is an opinion put forward by a member of the Wests Tigers Podcast Forum, Enumerator. They believe that, with the Wests Tigers having the bye in round one of the 2026 NRL season, Wests Tigers should use this weekend's first trial to get some game time into the legs of our higher-calibre players. Is this a good idea? We chat about that on the pod, but you can also join the discussion today on our forum.

A quick-fire round of Buy, Sell or Hold also features. Some of the topics include the chances of the "Train and Trial"-contracted Patrick Herbert getting NRL game time with Wests Tigers this season. Where the Alex's play (Twal and Seyfarth) in round two also comes up for discussion, along with the prospects of a young Wests Tigers player who might have to hit first grade sooner than we might have thought.

With the off-season pretty much officially over, and a whole season stretching ahead, we can't wait to share the 2026 season with you on the Wests Tigers Podcast. 

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