Wests Tigers vs Cronulla Sharks Preview & Prediction | 2025 NRL | Regular Season
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The Wests Tigers face off against the Cronulla Sharks with more questions than answers.
Start date/time: Sunday 27th April, 2025: UK – 7:05am / Local – 4:05pm / US ET – 2:05am / Saturday 26th April, US PT – 11:05pm
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / Australia – Foxtel / US – Some matches are televised live on Fox Sports
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go & Watch NRL / Australia – Kayo Sports / US – Watch NRL, and if the match is televised in the USA it can also be streamed live on Fox Sports platforms
Wests Tigers team news
Boom half Lachlan Galvin’s demotion to the NSW Cup lasted one game with the 19-year-old named to partner Jarome Luai. Adam Doueihi returns to the centres, shifting Brent Naden to the wing and Luke Laulilii out of the squad. Royce Hunt has been named on the bench to face his former side, seeing Tony Sukkar drop back to 18th man. Despite lingering tension surrounding Galvin’s wishes to play elsewhere from 2027, the reality is the Tigers are a better team with him on the field. Galvin is an attacking weapon with a better kicking game than Doueihi and it allows the Tigers to strengthen their edge defence with latter’s return to the outside backs.
Squad: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Adam Doueihi 4. Starford To’a 5. Brent Naden 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Jarome Luai 8. Terrell May 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Fonua Pole 11. Samuela Fainu 12. Alex Seyfarth 13. Alex Twal 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Royce Hunt 16. Jack Bird 17. Sione Fainu 18. Tony Sukkar 19. Heath Mason 20. Kit Laulilii 21. Solomona Faataape 22. Tristan Hope
Cronulla Sharks team news
One major omission for Head Coach Craig Fitzgibbon with Toby Rudolf (ankle - TBC). Tukupa-Ke Hau Tapuha comes on to the bench at this stage, although Braden Hamlin-Uele (knee) will be given every chance of a surprising return from a knee injury.
Squad: 1. William Kennedy 2. Samuel Stonestreet 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Mawene Hiroti 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Daniel Atkinson 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Tuku Hau Tapuha 17. Thomas Hazelton 18. Jayden Berrell 19. Braden Hamlin-Uele 20. Billy Burns 21. Hohepa Puru 22. Jesse Colquhoun
Wests Tigers vs Cronulla Sharks prediction
The eventful week of the West Tigers took a sour turn in their Easter Monday clash against the Parramatta Eels, despite an even score line at the main break, a Parramatta blitz to begin the second half put the Tigers in chase position for the remainder of the match. They drew within a score at 26-22 and had excellent field position but two late Parramatta tries sealed the deal and relegated the Tigers back into the bunched mid ladder.
The Sharks had another win, this time in Newcastle, coming out winners 34-14 in a convincing display. It was the forwards who laid the foundation with both Oregon Kaufusi and Addin Fonua-Blake finding the line.
Since the Wests Tigers venture appeared in 2000, matches against the Cronulla Sharks have been evenly shared. The overall series shows 19-18 in favour of the Tigers, and six wins from ten matches at Leichhardt Oval. In more recent times, the Sharks have dominated the matchup by winning five of six.
With the distractions of the Galvin contract front and centre again for the Tigers this looms as a difficult test against the Sharks. It also has the makings of a good old-fashioned ambush from the home team and an upset could be on the cards.
Wests Tigers vs Cronulla Sharks tip: Wests Tigers +6.5 points handicap
