2023 Wests Tigers season

2023 Wests Tigers season
NRL Rank17th (Round 27)
Play-off resultDNQ
2023 recordWins: 4; losses: 20
Points scoredFor: 385; against: 675
Team information
CEOJustin Pascoe
Head CoachTim Sheen
Captain
  • Apisai Koroisau
StadiumCommBank Stadium (30,000 – 2 Games)
Leichhardt Oval (20,000 – 3 Games)
Campbelltown Stadium (17,500 – 3 Games)
Avg. attendance12,994
High attendance28,611 (Round 6)
Low attendance12,247 (Round 12)
Top scorers
TriesStarford To'a (7)
GoalsBrandon Wakeham(30)
PointsBrandon Wakeham (68)
← 2022 List of seasons 2024 →

The 2023 Wests Tigers season was the 24th in the club's history. They competed in the National Rugby League's 2023 Telstra Premiership. Head coach Tim Sheens returned to the role following his appointment in July 2022.[1] Sheens had previously coached the club from 2003 to 2012. Joining Sheens as assistant coaches were former West Tigers players Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah.

Season summary

  • Pre-Season Challenge – The club would begin the season poorly, suffering a heavy defeat in the first trial match against the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland.[2][3] However they would bounce back against the Canberra Raiders in the second trial match to win 36–4 in hot conditions at the Belmore Sports Ground,[4] with coach Tim Sheens happy with his team's defence.[5][6]
  • Round 9 – Wests Tigers end a 273 day, 12-match losing streak stretching back into last season, upsetting reigning champions Penrith Panthers 12–8 in torrential rain at Carrington Park in Bathurst.[7][8][9]
  • Round 16 – Alex Twal scores his first NRL try after 116 matches for the Wests Tigers, ending one of the longest try-less streaks in competition history. Twal's try was the Tigers only four-pointer in the 28–6 loss to the Melbourne Storm.[10][11]

Player movement

These movements happened across the previous season, off-season and pre-season.[12]

Pre-Season Challenge

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
Thursday, 9 February Trial 1 New Zealand Warriors Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland 48 – 12 Trey Peni 56'
Stefano Utoikamanu 59' 		Brandon Wakeham (2/2) 4,000
Sunday, 19 February Trial 2 Canberra Raiders Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney 36 – 4 Junior Tupou 27', 74'
Tommy Talau 35'
Asu Kepaoa 42'
Charlie Staines 45'
David Nofoaluma 62'
Justin Matamua 70' 		Adam Doueihi (3/5)
Brandon Wakeham (1/2) 		7,800

References:[21][22]

Regular Season

Matches

Further information: 2023 NRL season results

PG = Penalty Goal
FG = Field Goal

Date Round Opponent Venue Score Tries Goals Attendance
Sunday, 5 March 1 Gold Coast Titans Leichhardt Oval 10–22 Adam Doueihi 45'
Daine Laurie 64' 		Adam Doueihi (0/2)
PG: Adam Doueihi (1/1) 		14,667
Sunday, 12 March 2 Newcastle Knights Leichhardt Oval 12–14 Asu Kepaoa 33'
Stefano Utoikamanu 79' 		Adam Doueihi (2/2)
FG: Luke Brooks (0/1) 		13,214
Sunday, 19 March 3 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Belmore Sports Ground 26–22 Brent Naden 21'
Luke Brooks 66'
Fonua Pole 69'
Charlie Staines 70' 		Adam Doueihi (3/4) 16,404
Friday, 24 March 4 Melbourne Storm AAMI Park 24–12 Asu Kepaoa 29'
Apisai Koroisau 54' 		Adam Doueihi (2/2) 11,669
Saturday, 1 April 5 Brisbane Broncos Lang Park 46–12 Isaiah Papali'i 43'
Jake Simpkin 63' 		Adam Doueihi (2/2) 27,553
Monday, 10 April 6 Parramatta Eels Accor Stadium 22–28 Starford To'a 23'
Asu Kepaoa 49'
Brent Naden 64'
Junior Tupou 71' 		Adam Doueihi (2/3)
Apisai Koroisau (0/1)
PG: Luke Brooks (1/1) 		28,611
7 BYE
Sunday, 23 April 8 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Campbelltown Stadium 16–22 Charlie Staines 35'
Apisai Koroisau 55'
Starford To'a 63' 		Brandon Wakeham (2/3) 10,033
Saturday, 29 April 9 Penrith Panthers Carrington Park 8–12 Brandon Wakeham 2'
David Nofoaluma 49' 		Brandon Wakeham (1/2)
PG: Brandon Wakeham (1/2) 		11,055
Sunday, 7 May 10 St. George Illawarra Dragons Lang Park 18–16 Starford To'a 13'
David Nofoaluma 21'
Junior Tupou 64' 		Brandon Wakeham (2/3)
PG: Brandon Wakeham (1/1) 		34,568
Saturday, 13 May 11 South Sydney Rabbitohs Accor Stadium 20–0 / / 21,013
Saturday, 20 May 12 North Queensland Cowboys Leichhardt Oval 66–18 Stefano Utoikamanu 5'
Junior Tupou 9', 47'
David Nofoaluma 17'
Jahream Bula 39'
Fonua Pole 44'
Starford To'a 63', 66'
Joe Ofahengaue 69'
David Nofoaluma 72'
John Bateman 77' 		Brandon Wakeham (8/8)
Luke Brooks (1/1)
Apisai Koroisau (2/2) 		12,247
13 BYE
Friday, 2 June 14 Canberra Raiders Campbelltown Stadium 19–20 Jahream Bula 68'
John Bateman 70'
Brandon Wakeham 72' 		Brandon Wakeham (3/3)
FG: Luke Brooks (1/2) 		11,201
Thursday, 8 June 15 Gold Coast Titans Cbus Super Stadium 28–12 David Klemmer 19'
Jahream Bula 64' 		Brandon Wakeham (2/2) 10,232
Saturday, 17 July 16 Melbourne Storm Campbelltown Stadium 6–28 Alex Twal 22' Brandon Wakeham (1/1) 8,517
17 BYE
Saturday, 1 July 18 North Queensland Cowboys Queensland Country Bank Stadium 74–0 / / 20,535
Thursday, 6 July 19 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks CommBank Stadium 12–36 Tommy Talau 27'
Shawn Blore 39' 		Brandon Wakeham (2/2) 9,215
Friday, 14 July 20 Newcastle Knights McDonald Jones Stadium 34–18 18,470
Thursday, 20 July 21 St. George Illawarra Dragons WIN Stadium 18–14 7,246
Friday, 28 July 22 South Sydney Rabbitohs Scully Park 18–32 10,453
Sunday, 6 August 23 Canberra Raiders GIO Stadium 22–18 12,841
Saturday, 12 August 24 New Zealand Warriors FMG Stadium Waikato 22–30 25,118
Saturday, 19 August 25 Dolphins CommBank Stadium 24–23 9,245
Saturday, 26 August 26 Sydney Roosters Allianz Stadium 32–8 22,511
Friday, 1 September 27 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 4 Pines Park 54–12 16,503

References:[23] [24]

Ladder

See also: 2023 NRL season
2023 NRL season
Pos Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Penrith Panthers (P) 24 18 0 6 3 645 312 +333 42
2 Brisbane Broncos 24 18 0 6 3 639 425 +214 42
3 Melbourne Storm 24 16 0 8 3 627 459 +168 38
4 New Zealand Warriors 24 16 0 8 3 572 448 +124 38
5 Newcastle Knights 24 14 1 9 3 626 451 +175 35
6 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 24 14 0 10 3 619 497 +122 34
7 Sydney Roosters 24 13 0 11 3 472 496 −24 32
8 Canberra Raiders 24 13 0 11 3 486 623 −137 32
9 South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 12 0 12 3 564 505 +59 30
10 Parramatta Eels 24 12 0 12 3 587 574 +13 30
11 North Queensland Cowboys 24 12 0 12 3 546 542 +4 30
12 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 24 11 1 12 3 545 539 +6 29
13 Dolphins 24 9 0 15 3 520 631 −111 24
14 Gold Coast Titans 24 9 0 15 3 527 653 −126 24
15 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 24 7 0 17 3 438 769 −331 20
16 St. George Illawarra Dragons 24 5 0 19 3 474 673 −199 16
17 Wests Tigers 24 4 0 20 3 385 675 −290 14

2023 squad

Wests Tigers 2025 squad
Top 30 squad - 2025 NRL season Supplementary list Coaching staff

Extended squad

Head coach

Assistant coaches

Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 9 August 2024
Source(s): Wests Tigers,



References

  1. ^ "Tigers confirm Sheens and two club legends to coach as Benji succession plan locked in". foxsports.com.au. News Corporation Australia. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  2. ^ "NRL 2023 trials as it happened: RLPA action delayed as Warriors belt Tigers". smh.com.au. Nine Media. 9 February 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  3. ^ McCartney, Damien (9 February 2023). "Warriors v Wests Tigers trial AS IT HAPPENED: Tigers' woes roll into 2023; Charlie Staines hammered by rampaging Marcelo Montoya". Nine's Wide World of Sport. Nine Media. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  4. ^ Newton, Alicia (19 February 2023). "Wests Tigers complete pre-season with big win over Raiders". NRL.com. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Raiders mauled by Tigers in trial". canberraweekly.com.au. 19 February 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  6. ^ Pengilly, Adam (19 February 2023). "Is it 2005 all over again? Tigers turn it on in big win as Sharks hand Dogs reality check". smh.com.au. Nine Media. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Wests Tigers pull off upset of the season with epic win over Penrith, Titans down Sea Eagles at Brookvale". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  8. ^ Chamberlain, Rachel (30 April 2023). "More than 11,000 fans watch Wests Tigers triumph over Penrith Panthers in Bathurst". Western Advocate. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  9. ^ Sullivan, Matthew (30 April 2023). "Wests Tigers shock the Panthers to end 273-day losing streak". news.com.au. News Corporation Australia. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  10. ^ Bruce, Jasper (17 June 2023). "Twal breaks try drought but Storm spoil the party". smh. Nine Media. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  11. ^ McMurty, Andrew (17 June 2023). "Wests Tigers forward Alex Twal scores first try in his 117th game". news.com.au. News Corporation Australia. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  12. ^ "2023 Tigers Signings". NRL.com. 5 March 2023.
  13. ^ O'Loughlin, Liam; Chisholm, Ed (12 March 2021). "Api Koroisau to join Wests Tigers in 2023 as another premiership star exits Penrith". The Sporting News. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  14. ^ Walsh, Dan (4 October 2022). "'I'm all in': Papali'i's promise to Tigers fans after dodging contract commitment". smh.com.au. Nine Media. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  15. ^ "Triston Reilly joins from Waratahs". weststigers.com.au. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  16. ^ Pryde, Scott (4 September 2022). "Nofoaluma confirms future after Storm loan". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Panthers and Tigers confirm player swap for 2023". nswrl.com.au. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  18. ^ Pengilly, Adam (9 March 2023). "'I feel like a kid again': Why Klemmer has no hard feelings against Knights". smh.com.au. Nine Media. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  19. ^ "England international John Bateman signs with Wests Tigers on four-year deal". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 December 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  20. ^ Keating, Mitch (24 January 2023). "Tigers reveal new signing with addition of former Bulldogs half". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  21. ^ "2023 NRL Pre-Season Challenge". NRL.com. 5 March 2023.
  22. ^ "RESULTS: 2023 NRL Pre-Season Challenge Week 1" (12 February 2023). leagueunlimited.com. 12 February 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  23. ^ "2023 NRL Regular Season/Telstra Premiership". NRL.com. 5 March 2023.
  24. ^ "NRL 2023 - Wests Tigers". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 16 April 2023.