The Tackle: The two crucial Wests Tigers re-signings at the top of Benji Marshall’s to-do list

Under pressure Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall can thank two players for securing the club’s second victory since Round 9 - and he must move to re-sign the duo. THE TACKLE.

Fatima Kdouh reveals her likes and dislikes from Round 20 of the NRL season.

ROUND 20 DISLIKES

FLANNO BAKED

Shane Flanagan is right to feel dudded by two rough calls but St George Illawarra missed class and footy IQ more than the referee’s whistle in Saturday’s narrow loss to Canterbury.

Flanagan was particularly irate at what he called an “outrageous call” against Luciano Leilua for crowding in the ruck with five minutes left on the clock, and the Dragons holding on to a two-point lead.

It was the wrong call, Canterbury’s Jacob Kiraz clearly didn’t get to his feet before attempting to play the ball.

The ruck was under the spotlight again this weekend with match officials zeroing in on ‘roll ball’ play the balls.

On Friday night, Roosters centre Billy Smith was pinged for a roll-ball only for Cronulla’s Cameron McInnes to get away with a similar attempt at the handover.

Billy Smith is pinged for a roll-ball

The frustration over the seemingly arbitrary adjudication of the play the ball is understandable.

But Flanagan also called out what appeared to be a knock on into Dragons winger Tyrell Sloan by Viliame Kikau when attempting a flick pass, which was ruled as a set-restart to the Bulldogs – who went on to score the match winner to Bulldogs rookie Jethro Rinakama.

A closer look at Saturday night’s loss – which was the Red V’s fourth loss by two points or less – highlights a number of areas where Flangan’s men continue to shoot themselves in the foot.

Corey Allan forced a Dragons drop out

With about three minutes to go – and still hanging on to a tight two-point lead – what should have been a 20-metre tap restart turned into a drop out after centre Corey Allan lacked the awareness needed to take a high ball in the goal.

Clint Gutherson’s short drop out on the back of Allan’s error was just as poorly executed.

Clint Gutherson doesn't nail this drop out

Sloan’s shaky defence proved costly in the lead-up to the Rinakama try, as he rushed up in defence creating an overlap that Lachlan Galvin spotted and took advantage of.

Ealier in the clash, Jaydn Su’A gave away a penalty for a hand in the ruck, and like what has been the case all season, the Dragons conceded a try on the back of the ill-discipline.

It’s as frustrating for Dragons fans as it is for coach Flanagan, especially when in a game like that on Saturday, the Red V’s effort cannot be questioned.

The Dragons have asked questions of better sides this year like the Bulldogs, Roosters, Raiders, Warriors and Melbourne.

The Dragons face a tough road trip to Townsville this week against a Cowboys outfit looking to redeem themselves after a disappointing loss to the Dolphins.

How they brush aside a contentious loss will be a test of the Dragons’ character.

NAS BRAIN SNAP

Melbourne forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona should have been sin binned for his elbow to the face of Manly hooker Jake Simpkin.

Asofa-Solomona is now facing a two-match suspension over the incident which left Simpkin with a category one HIA - and ruled out of Manly’s next game against Canterbury.

The incident is the perfect test case for the sin bin rule trialled in the pre-season, where players responsible for illegal high tackles are sin binned if the opposing player suffers a category one HIA or fails a category two HIA assessment.

The rule should also extend beyond high tackles and to incidents like that of Asofa-Solomona.

His foul play not only disadvantaged Manly during the game when Simpkin was unable to return but in forcing the dummy-half to an 11-day head injury stand down.

The NRL’s mooted change to the sin bin rule would have addressed the incident retrospectively, but rightly.

Asofa-Solomona’s brain snap also proved costly in Melbourne’s 18-16 loss, with a try taken off Harry Grant due to the Melbourne forward’s foul play in the lead-up.

Craig Bellamy is also likely to be without star five-eighth Cameron Munster for Thursday’s clash against the Roosters. Munster will be given time off to attend the funeral of his father Steven, who died suddenly two weeks ago.

“I don’t think he will be playing, it’s not something we have spoken about that much but I don’t think he will be playing on Thursday,” Bellamy said.

Tyran Wishart is the front runner to replace Munster in the No.6 jumper.

HALVES CONUNDRUM

Does Roosters coach Trent Robinson stick with veteran Chad Townsend or blood another rookie if, as expected, Hugo Savala (wrist) is unavailable again this week.

Townsend’s re-call, ahead of Sandon Smith, against Cronulla raised plenty of eyebrows and the move backfired spectacularly.

The Roosters were poor by their standards both physically and when it came to ball control, making 15 errors on Friday night.

Townsend finished with a game-high four errors and offered little in attack. Sam Walker is still finding his feet after a long ACL injury lay off and needs a steady foil in the halves.

If Townsend and Smith are not the answer, the Roosters could do worse than turning to rising playmaker Toby Rodwell.

Rising Roosters playmaker Toby Rodwell is ready for first grade. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

A slew of Roosters rookies have already excelled since being blooded in 2025, including Savala, Salesi Foketi and Robert Toia.

Rodwell mounted an impressive case for his selection against Melbourne on Thursday, steering the Roosters to come from behind victory against Newtown after trailing 24-0 in NSW Cup on Saturday.

All of Rodwell’s arsenal was on full display from his kicking game to his running threat. Not only did he set up two tries, he scored a brilliant individual effort, using his vision and footwork to cut open the Newtown defence.

Pulling the trigger on Rodwell against Melbourne is a huge call but Robinson has shown he is willing to make them after re-calling Townsend last week.

PAYTEN PRESSURE

North Queensland skipper Tom Dearden admitted to the season ‘slipping away’ for the Cowboys but with every loss so is Todd Payten’s tenure as head coach.

The Cowboys are the worst defensive team in the NRL and the likes of Jake Averillo, Herbie Farworth and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow tore apart their right edge in the 43-24 loss to the Dolphins on Thursday night.

Payten called out one on one misses and misreads but the best defensive units are connected and cohesive.

That ultimately falls on Payten’s ability to coach that connectivity into the splattering Cowboys.

The Cowboys have now slumped to just one win from seven games. It doesn’t get any easier against a Dragons outfit that is playing with plenty of effort.

Rampaging winger Christian Tuipulotu (hamstring) is expected to return this week, and line-up on the left wing alongside Luciano Leilua on the edge. If both are in a mood, it could be another long night for the Cowboys.

DES’S FEROCIOUS SPRAY

Under siege coach Des Hasler has unleashed a ferocious spray aimed at Titans players in the Leichhardt Oval sheds after the side’s one-point loss to the Wests Tigers.

Cameras showed an incensed Hasler blowing up at a number of players who appeared to be taking a shower after Sunday’s loss, demanding they join the rest of the team.

Around six players can then seend leaving the shower with other Titans players in the background looking on with shock on their faces.

Titans boss Rebecca Frizelle, who took full ownership of the struggling club alongside her husband Brett earlier this month, was also in the dressing room when the incident unfolded.

The Frizelles are set to begin a wide-ranging review of the bottom-placed club, which will look at the future of coach Hasler and the club’s roster.

Sunday’s loss only put further pressure on Hasler to keep his job on the Gold Coast, amid reports the club can activate a clause to terminate the coach if the Titans failed to earn a top eight berth in 2025.

Hasler joined the Titans ahead of the 2024 season with plenty of optimism surrounding his appointment but the club has only managed 12 wins from 41 games under his tenure.

ROUND 20 LIKES

CLUNKY TIGERS ROAR

The Tigers have to extend field-goal hero Adam Doueihi beyond 2025.

The club has to find the space for Taylan May, too.

The former Penrith centre arrived at Concord last month and ended his NRL exile with an impressive performance which included a try, a linebreak and three tackle breaks. He’ll only get better with each game and will be a potent strike weapon in coach Benji Marshall’s top 30.

Doueihi has been the Tigers best in recent weeks and capped off his fine form with the winning field goal in the Tigers 21-20 win over the Titans at Leichhardt Oval.

The Tigers are a better team with Douehi in it, even if it is in the unfamiliar position at lock, where showed glimpses of his link work through the middle with halves.

The much needed win gives the Tigers a four-point buffer from the last placed Titans and relieves pressure off Marshall.

Adam Doueihi has been the form player for Wests Tigers. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

A full-strength Penrith awaits the Tigers on Saturday and Marshall has his work cut out for him this week.

The Tigers attack was disjointed and clucky for most of Sunday’s game.

Jarome Luai kicked into gear in the final 10 minutes, having a hand in the Jeral Skelton try that levelled the scores 20-all with three minutes to go.

He almost single-handedly won the match with a show and go run in the lead-up to the Doueihi field goal.

If the Tigers are any hope against Penrith - which will be the first time May takes on the club since being terminated 12 months ago - Luai needs to take the game by the scruff from the get go.

FIRED-UP JURBO

Jake Trbojevic 1 - Drinks Esky 0

That’s a contest not on the NRL’s bingo card for 2025.

The Manly veteran is normally a bundle of nervous energy rather than a fiery character.

But the 31-year-old could not contain his excitement at knocking over Melbourne at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

He danced into the dressing shed and kicked over a drinks Esky - much to the delight of his Manly teammates.

No doubt the ever polite Trbojevic made sure to clean up the mess of scattered bottles across the dressing room.

Jubo vs bottles.

KICKER CALL

The bunker made the right call to penalise Melbourne hooker Harry Grant for making contact with the leg of Luke Brooks as he attempted to kick a field goal.

The rule is in place for a reason, to protect the kicker in a vulnerable position. The minimal contact or the fact that Brooks was not knocked off his feet should not be the threshold to rule against a defender.

The ruling against Grant gave Manly a penalty goal from right in front, which was the difference in the end with the Sea Eagles securing an 18-16 win.

The call was decisive but the right one. Allowing for discretion over the level of force against the kicker’s leg only opens a can of worms that should remain close.

GREEN SHOOTS

Parramatta skipper Mitchell Moses is on track to return from a calf injury against Brisbane on Friday night.

It will be coach Jason Ryles’ first look at Moses and rookie Joash Papalii as a halves combination. It means star five-eighth Dylan Brown is facing a second week on the sideline after he was left out of the side that went down 40-16 to Canberra on Saturday.

Despite the heavy loss there are obvious signs of individual improvements in Parramatta under Ryles.

None more so than young forward Charlie Guymer, who played 80 minutes on the right edge again last weekend.

Not only did Guymer score a try, he showed plenty of skill with the ball in hand with a deft pass in the lead-up to a four-pointer to Zac Lomax.

Papalii is also growing in confidence with the No.6 on his back, showing he was willing to command the ball and take on the line.

The Eels might be in the midst of a wooden spoon battle but for 50 minutes on Saturday managed to stay with the ladder leaders for 50 minutes before the Raiders found another gear.

Originally published as The Tackle: The two crucial Wests Tigers re-signings at the top of Benji Marshall’s to-do list